Dartmoor letterboxing clues book

The second option is to keep the clues secret and only give them to the people you want to have them. Scavenging looking for letterboxes without the benefit of having any clues. Well, here is a readers digest condensed explanation. The former will probably be the discovery of a small plastic pill pot hidden under a boulder and the latter will be a group of people huddled around a rock with an amazing array of cards, ink pads and pens, busily stamping in. Dartmoor letterboxing the art of hiding boxes for others to find has long been a. Nov 26, 2009 i used to do a lot of letterboxing on dartmoor devonuk essentially geocaching without the internet or gps. The origin of letterboxing can be traced to dartmoor, devon, england in 1854. The activity of letterboxing originated on dartmoor it was started in 1854 when james perrott of chagford set up a small cairn at cranmere pool on north dartmoor. Geocaching and letterboxing dartmoor getting started. Clue sheets are sold for charity at the biannual letterbox meet held on clockchange sundays each march and october at lee moor village hall. This book outlines great tips for how to doo both letterboxing and geocaching hunts. Clues to the locations of letterboxes are published by the 100 club in an annual catalogue.

Some of the letterboxes you find will contain clues to others locations. Your clue should be tailored to fit your audience, and is the one part of your box you can truly make your own. Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle. They are small, weatherproof boxes containing a notebook, rubber stamp and inkpad. More than 22,000 letterboxes have been entered and catalogued by state and county on this. Letterbox is the term used for a mail box in england. Also inside is a visitors book where a letterboxer can leave their mark, usually in the. Letterboxing began on dartmoor but is now popular in areas all over the world. Letterboxing is the perfect outdoor activity that easy on the wallet. The thought of following a series of clues to a hidden treasure has captured imaginations for hundreds of years. This is most common in dartmoor where many tors are dotted with several dozen letterboxes at a time.

Letterboxing originated on dartmoor in the 19th century and has become increasingly popular in recent decades. Firstly you can send the clue to the dartmoor letterboxing 100 club and they will enter it into the biannual catalogue for everybody to see. Dartmoor 365 is a book, first published in 1991, written and illustrated with lovely. Clues to dartmoor letterboxes usually consist of grid references on a park map along with compass bearings and paces or landmarks, and do not include elaborate mysteries as are common in the u. Apr 24, 2004 if you want to go letterboxing in comfort, try the plume of feathers at princetown, the kings arms at okehampton, the rock inn at haytor vale or the museum of dartmoor life at okehampton, at these places of course you dont have to search for the visitors book and stamp, just ask for it. Questing originated with the placing of a treasure box at cranmere pool in dartmoor, england, by james perrott in 1854. Dartmoor is an area of outstanding natural beauty and visitors and locals alike enjoy the benefits and activities available to them across this rugged land. By permission of dartmoor national park, they are allowing the spring charity walks to stay out until spring 2021. Players go online to find clues to where a letterbox is hidden and once the letterbox is found, players use hisher homemade stamps and inkpad to stamp the logbook in the letterbox and uses the stamp and inkpad in the letterbox in hisher personal logbook. Dartmoor letterboxing has been around for over 150 years and has spread around the globe. Dartmoor 365 is a book, first published in 1991, written and illustrated with lovely ink drawings by john hayward.

At the time, i remember thinking it would be so cool to do some letterboxing in the area where it originated, but i. I havent lived there for some time and so its been ages since ive gone in search for one there. Letterboxing started in dartmoor, located in the southwest corner of england. Letterboxing combines elements of a scavenger hunt, hiking, orienteering, map reading, puzzle solving and creative expression in a unique activity thats growing in popularity. Letterboxing combines orienteering with treasure hunting and puzzle solving and is a great way to introduce children and young people to the joys of exploring dartmoor and improve navigation skills. In north america, there are thousands of letterboxes. Dartmoor national park in devon is located less than 10 miles from crylla valley cottages. Letterboxing visitors book tim sandles march 21, 2016 aspects of dartmoor 2 comments 4,425 views for anybody who goes letterboxing a visitors book will be nothing new but for those who are completely perplexed with the concept of boxing this page might make things clearer. For any terms you have trouble with, the following list might be helpful. Most people search around likely spots in dartmoor for letterboxes to reach 100 finds. Modern letterboxing probably has roots in the 1850s, when an english man left cards in a. Those who find them stamp the book to show that they have visited using either the stamp provided or one of their own. For whatever reason letterboxing is gaining a foothold here in the u. Junior got inked up before inking up the stamp, imprints were taken.

If youre looking for a family fun day out in the dartmoor national park, then. Those who find them stamp the book to show that they have visited using. Dartmoor letterboxing was one of the 100 more geeky places to. My daughter and i are using it for her brownie and junior badgework, which is the new gsusa approach to teach orienteering with a compass. A catalogue of dartmoor letterbox clues is also for sale at these meets. The two big sites that list letterboxes and clues arent as great on the basics of the pasttime. Dec 12, 2017 stamps collected from letterboxing on dartmoor. Nearly all letterbox stamps on dartmoor are commercially made though often with custom artwork, while most u. S tephanie paul, of the dartmoor letterboxing club, said although some boxes remain known only by word of mouth, those going missing are frequently those whose locations can only be discovered. The goal is to find a letterbox small, weatherproof boxes that are hidden, or planted, by fellow enthusiasts by following clues posted online. Watertight containers, or letterboxes, are hidden throughout the moor, each containing a visitors book.

After having been in contact with public health devon, i am cancelling the 81st march letterbox meet on their recommendation. To get clues to dartmoor letterboxes, you need to be in the 100 club, but to be in the 100 club you need to find 100 letterboxes. Home articles where can i find clues to letterboxes. None of the information on this page is new nor is it complete. Eventually people started to circulate clues indicating the whereabouts of.

Some letterboxes however remain word of mouth and the clues to their location can only be obtained from the person who placed the box. New postal and large letter charges are, first class. Members have access to an official book of dartmoor clues. Letterbox orienteers hunt for a dartmoor saboteur the telegraph. The mcquaids are letterboxing, a fun outdoor activity that sends people peering into all kinds of places in search of letterboxes. Letterboxing in dartmoor with kids dim sum, bagels, and. Rubber stamp and log book in sturdy waterproof container often in zip loc bags.

If you urgently need one you can collect one from my door that is fine with me. Your clue can suck someone in, or turn them off if its done poorly. I now live in cornwall with my wife and sons and cats. Eventually, you will meet other letterboxers and learn of their experiences. Membership of the 100 club is open to anyone who has found at least 100 letterboxes on dartmoor. Letterboxing is an intriguing past time combining artistic ability with delightful treasure hunts in beautiful, scenic places. Once youve successfully followed the clues and found a letterbox, record your discovery in its. Letterboxing is an amazing adventure game played by people all over the world. Includes a forum, image gallery, map of the area, contact details, and the history of the activity.

Two books in particular helped greatly in getting the details about letterboxing in dartmoor correct. The process of looking for letterboxes in likely places without the use of clues. Watertight containers, or letterboxes, are hidden throughout the moor, each containing a visitors book and a rubber stamp. You then follow clues to find them while you are out walking. Then, get a small sketch book with blank white pages. To get letterboxing, in addition to the appropriate clothing for dartmoor, youll need a map, compass and know how to use both. A dartmoor letterbox is a container typically a durable plastic box containing a rubber stamp, a copy of which is taken for the collection, journal or scrapbook. Once you find 100 boxes in dartmoor, you can join the 100 club, which publishes an annual catalog of dartmoor letterboxing clues. Likely, many of the clues you come across will require a compass to follow. Letterboxing in dart moor with kids august 14, 2010 england, letterboxing, traveling dartmoor national park came to my attention several years ago with this article. Info, by silent doug a site devoted to letterboxing, a great outdoors activity the whole family can enjoy. Inside he put a glass jar where visitors who had ventured to the lonely, bleak spot could leave their visiting cards. The visitors book unmarked in 3 years as expected was duly marked.

Also inside is a visitors book where a letterboxer can leave their mark, usually in the form of a personal stamp to prove the visit. The goal is to find a letterbox a small weatherproof box containing a logbook and a rubber stamp through a series of clues available on websites like letterboxing. If you are planning on siting a letterbox walk or taking part more information can be found on the official letterboxing website. Letterboxing is a worldwide hobby that is like a treasure hunt, generally taking place outdoors and on public property. If you want to visit great britain, a book of clues is available for dartmoor, the birthplace of letterboxing. He divided the national park into a grid of 365 squares and found things of interest in each square. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publiclyaccessible places like parks 1 and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. It is preferable if you could pay by bank transfer, please phone me for details, or you can send a chequepostal order. There are loads to collect you stamp in your notebook, some in easier places than others. Parts of the abbots way, two moors way and the templer way are on dartmoor. Ct letterbox program part treasure hunt and part art. Letterboxing at the library cumberland public library.

Letterboxing involves finding clues on the internet and following them to a hidden waterproof box containing a rubber stamp and a logbook. Letterboxing has been around for over 150 years, and you can follow clues to. Clues to dartmoor letterboxes usually consist of grid references on a park. Letterboxing is a mixture of treasure hunting, art, and clue solving. You can find it in books like treasure island and the da vinci code or in films like indiana jones and the last crusade. Some letterbox clues are embedded in a story, such as a letterbox hidden at battle creek regional park that sends you to find a treasure hidden by a king and gives such cryptic clues. Once you have sited a box or set of boxes you have two alternatives. Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. The year was 1854, and a victorian guide named james perrott placed a bottle in the wildest, most inaccessible area on dartmoor, england, along the banks of cranmere pool. To play, you follow clues to find a hidden box with special items inside. Today letterboxes tend to be hidden in more accessible parts of the moor. Fortunately, the central repository of letterboxes in the u. Clues help and these can be obtained in a couple of ways.

I started letterboxing in 1991 with my parents and older sisters. Letterboxing 101 your guide to the bestkept secret. Find out the coordinates and clues for your nearest caches the quickest way is. Finders bring their own stamp and personal notebook. Originally coined in the usa, it is similar to the concept of letterboxing where clues lead to sealed boxes to be found in a type of treasure hunt. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. More than 150 years ago, an englishman inadvertently inspired a hobby that today has thousands of people playing along. Letterbox lexicon letterboxing terms howstuffworks. Looking back over my short boxing career i can see many changes, going from the days when clues were written in the back of visitor book.

Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues. To read additional details about the history of letterboxing and the people who helped form the hobby into what it is today, check out the following resources. Across the world, a network of hobbyists is exchanging clues and secretly hunting down caches they use to communicate with. Letterboxing is where people have hidden plastic tubs around dartmoor with a stamp and ink pad in it. We shall decide about the october meet closer to the time. Windy post, dartmoor, where the mystery letterbox thief roams credit.

This book breaks it down and explains the hobby, what you need, how it works, the etiquette of finding clues, making your own stamps, etc. Aug 22, 2016 letterboxing has a long history, starting in 1854 at cranmere pool in dartmoor, england by a james perrott who left his own calling cards in a box in the woods so visitors could contact him and. I was quickly hooked on the hobby, and have never really stopped. Letterboxers put out the boxes on the moor themselves. Most letterboxers on dartmoor start this way since the official clue book isnt available until youve already found 100 letterboxes and scavenging is the quickest and easiest way to get your first 100 finds. Some american organizations have similar clubs for people who reach specific milestones in letterboxing. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

The letterboxing education has moved on considerably. According to legend, letterboxing began in southwestern england in 1854 when a. Those who find them stamp the book to show that they have visited using either. These are clues that i have received from fellow letterboxers, and generally via email. The box usually contains a visitors book, a rubber stamp, and sometimes clues to further boxes. Get directions otherwise known as clues off the internet to a locally hidden letterbox. For safety reasons and my peace of mind i can only sell catalogues to folk who can map and compass read.

Individual letterboxes contain a notebook and a rubber stamp, preferably hand carved or custom made. Junior helped pack it all back in the pot, and i suitably rehid it. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly accessible places like parks and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. A fun and interesting way of connecting children of all ages to the beautiful dartmoor landscape as well as meeting other children and burning off lots of energy. If you walk dartmoor then sometime you are sure to encounter either a dartmoor letterbox or dartmoor letterboxers. As the letterboxes in the state forests are located along trails within the forests, you should also have a good pair of walking shoes and be dressed appropriately.

Atlasquest has clues to over 18,000 letterboxes on. Letterboxing involves following clues to find a hidden box, where you will find a stamp often homemade with which you can stamp your log book. For more information on dartmoor letterboxing and how you can get the clues visit. The activity of letterboxing originated on dartmoor it was started in 1854 when. Letterboxing has a long history, starting in 1854 at cranmere pool in dartmoor, england by a james perrott who left his own calling cards in a box in the woods so visitors could contact him and. We have already done clues in our area and hope to place our own letterbox soon. Jan 22, 2015 clues may be as simple as a map reference and list of compass bearings, or may be more cryptic. The catalogue of letterbox clues is obtainable from sylvia moore, 25 sanderspool cross, south brent, devon. Questing is a game played across a community or geographic place. So, to begin letterboxing, all that you need is a unique personal stamp which you can either purchase or make for yourself, a record book to record your visits, and a set of clues. Letterboxing is a recreational hobby that individuals or families small groups of people can participate in, it involves walking across dartmoor using clues and grid references taken from a letterbox catalogue. I purchase a copy of the catalogue of dartmoor letterboxes the book. Once the box is found, you sign your trail name a letterboxing nickname or handle that you choose into the logbook inside the letterbox, and stamp the book with your personal stamp. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by following clues, and then recording their discovery in their personal journal with the help of a rubber stamp thats part of the letterbox.

Navigational skills are tested as well as determination. Letterboxing combines artistic ability with treasurehunts in parks, forests, and cities around the world. A pastime that delighted intrepid walkers of the victorian era, yet retains a simple, fun charm that captivates and entertains thousands of fans today, letterboxers search the tors and valleys for the hidden treasure, either following clues or simply searching under rocks. S tephanie paul, of the dartmoor letterboxing club, said although some boxes remain known only by word of mouth, those going missing are frequently those whose locations can. In order to find a letterbox, first you need to get a clue. Letterboxing glossary letterboxers have their own terminology that, at first glance, can be daunting. When a letterbox is found, the letterboxer takes a copy of the stamp, as well as leaving their own personal print in the visitors book.