What is geocaching, and is it fun for adults?

There are, very probably, small boxes hidden within walking distance of where you are reading this: tucked behind a fence post, wedged under a bench, inside a hollow tree on a footpath you have walked past a hundred times. Thousands of people know they are there. Geocaching is the game of finding them, and for something that sounds like a children's party activity, it has an impressively devoted adult following.

How it started

The official geocaching website tells the origin story. On 2 May 2000, the US government switched off selective availability, and the site says the accuracy of GPS for ordinary receivers improved tenfold overnight. The next day, a GPS enthusiast called Dave Ulmer hid a container in the woods near Beavercreek, Oregon, with a logbook and a few small prizes, and posted the coordinates online. Within days, other people had found it and begun hiding their own. The word "geocaching" was coined on a mailing list later that month.

How it works

The basics, as the official Geocaching site describes them:

1. Create a free account and download an app or use a GPS device to see a map of caches near you.
2. Navigate to a cache. The app gets you close; your eyes do the rest. Bring a pen.
3. Sign and date the logbook, put the cache back exactly where you found it, and log your find online.

Caches come in all sizes, from tiny containers that hold only a rolled-up log sheet to large boxes. Some hold small trade items. The general convention, as Wikipedia's geocaching article describes it, is that you may take an item if you leave something of similar or greater value, and never the logbook or pen.

Why adults enjoy it

• It gives a walk a purpose. "Let's go for a walk" becomes "let's find three caches by the river", which is far more persuasive on a grey Sunday.
• It takes you somewhere new. Cache owners love hiding things near places they find interesting: a viewpoint, a forgotten monument, a strange piece of local history. Many cache pages explain why the spot matters.
• It is a puzzle. Some caches are simple; others are cleverly disguised, or require solving a riddle before you even get the coordinates.
• It works anywhere. Cities, villages, beaches, mountains, holiday destinations. Searching for caches on holiday is a lovely way to explore beyond the obvious sights.
• It suits mixed groups. Children love the treasure-hunt element, adults love the navigation and the puzzles, and dogs love the extra walk. See hiking with kids for more family ideas.

Your first cache

Pick one rated easy for both difficulty and terrain, close to home, in a park or along a path. Read the description and any hint. When the app tells you that you are near, slow down and think like someone who wanted to hide something: what looks slightly unusual? Search gently, without damaging anything, and check that nobody unfamiliar with the game is watching too closely; keeping caches discreet is part of the fun. If you cannot find it, that is normal. Log a "did not find" and try another.

Etiquette

• Put it back exactly as you found it, hidden just as well.
• Leave no trace. Stay on paths where possible and do not damage plants, walls or property while searching.
• Respect the rules of the place. Hiding guidelines on the official site require owners to have permission from the landowner or land manager and forbid burying caches; finders should equally respect private land, nature reserves and opening hours.
• Trade fairly, or simply sign the log.
• Be safe. Do not climb, wade or scramble beyond what you are comfortable with, and keep an eye on traffic in towns.