Team Sieni
16th January 2007, 05:56 PM
I'm considering my first hide, and I'm pondering the issue of permission. We've been caching for a couple of years or more - albeit slowly, only 50 finds.
Two possible sites I have in mind are beside public footpaths on land that is not (as far as I can discover) owned or managed by Forestry Comission, Woodland Trust, any local Wildlife Trust, English Heritage or indeed any of the organisations listed on the GAGB permissions page. Neither are on an SSSI nor are they near one, there are no signs saying "property of xxx" ... I have no idea who the owner(s)/managers are.
I will continue digging (metaphorically, of course! Not using any digging implement! oh dear me no) and I was thinking of approaching English Nature as I think one of the sites may be classified as Ancient Woodland.
Anyway the reason I'm posting is threefold:
a) Does anyone have a pro-forma request for permission. You know something polite that puts geocaching in a good light and explains the potential pros & cons?
b ) Any hint on where to look to find who to contact? I've tried the websites of the organisations above, and I've tried the www.magic.gov.uk interactive map (interesting but not much use in this case)
c) Any general guidance? It seems a hell of a lot of effort to go to ...I guess I could give up on my selected sites :( and search for a site managed by one of the organisations in the GAGB database.
Incidentally, one of the sites housed a cache until recently, when it was archived after muggling. I emailed the original hider, who was very helpful, but had not sought direct permission. How many of my 50 finds, I ask myself, actually do have permission ... Few I suspect.
Two possible sites I have in mind are beside public footpaths on land that is not (as far as I can discover) owned or managed by Forestry Comission, Woodland Trust, any local Wildlife Trust, English Heritage or indeed any of the organisations listed on the GAGB permissions page. Neither are on an SSSI nor are they near one, there are no signs saying "property of xxx" ... I have no idea who the owner(s)/managers are.
I will continue digging (metaphorically, of course! Not using any digging implement! oh dear me no) and I was thinking of approaching English Nature as I think one of the sites may be classified as Ancient Woodland.
Anyway the reason I'm posting is threefold:
a) Does anyone have a pro-forma request for permission. You know something polite that puts geocaching in a good light and explains the potential pros & cons?
b ) Any hint on where to look to find who to contact? I've tried the websites of the organisations above, and I've tried the www.magic.gov.uk interactive map (interesting but not much use in this case)
c) Any general guidance? It seems a hell of a lot of effort to go to ...I guess I could give up on my selected sites :( and search for a site managed by one of the organisations in the GAGB database.
Incidentally, one of the sites housed a cache until recently, when it was archived after muggling. I emailed the original hider, who was very helpful, but had not sought direct permission. How many of my 50 finds, I ask myself, actually do have permission ... Few I suspect.