Geocaching: An addictive pursuit

One of my favourite hobbies of the past few years has been geocaching. It started with our move up to Scotland and has been brilliant in helping us get to know the place.

Basically it's a game played with a GPS where you get a list of hidden caches and their co-ordinates, then using your GPS you have to go and find them. The cache will be a box of some sort (from the size of a bolt head right up to a big Tupperware container). It will include a log book which you sign to say you've found it. Then you set off for the next one.

from smallest:

to largest:

So, why do I enjoy this seemingly mundane activity?

1) It gets you outdoors
I love being outside. It's like an addiction to me: I get withdrawal symptoms if I'm trapped indoors for long.
Geocaching gets you off your seat and out into the great wide world

2) It takes you to unexpected places.
Caches are placed by other people. They tend to place them in their favourite spots - which you would never find on your own: a secret meadow, a hidden cave. For us moving to a new area, it's a great way to get to know the area.

Here is a waterfall in a picturesque meadow behind an ordinary row of houses!

3) It tells you a story
Many caches give details of the local area. There are several cache trails in Edinburgh which give you as much detail as any paid for guided tour!

4) It's a puzzle
Some caches are not easy to find and have you digging around for some time. Others have clues to solve before you know where to look for them. Some you just don't know how to reach.

5) It's a team effort!
The more people you take with you, the more likely you are to find the caches you're looking for. Everyone can join in!

Just take one look on www.geocaching.com

There are thousands to find!

National Museum of Scotland

One of my aims in starting a blog was to include a few guides to places I love.

The first place to make it on here is the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. It's just great. I've raved before about the free entry policy to many of the UK's finest museums, and this one makes the list.

This humongous building is absolutely on a par with the finest London museums such as the V&A (although I still think the British Museum trumps them all).

I've now been in twice, and still feel I've barely scratched the surface. But I'll say it again - when these things are free then there is no limit to the number of visits you can make, even if you have 30 mins to spare. 

Firstly, it's beautifully placed in Edinburgh's Old town. This is the view looking out of the museum:

Secondly, on stepping into the museum, you walk into this fantastic atrium:

Very inspiring in itself.

There are many treasures (from the Lewis chessmen to Dolly the sheep, plus the ubiquitous Tyrannosaur), but the highlight is the guided tours.

In my opinion, it is these which put the NMS into the premier league. Three times a day, and again free.

My tour today was on Art and Architecture - something I know little about and when it comes to art something I don't even care much about. But the guides' enthusiasm rubs off on you.

Here's a few things I liked today:

We then ate at the Museum Brasserie - proper table service and pretty tasty too (I had fishcakes).

In short, a must if you visit Edinburgh, even if you only have time to stick your head around the door.

Breath of fresh Eire

Sometimes a jolt out of the blue can really change your perspectives on things. In in my case it happened to be a recent weekend.


One of my dearest friends ever, who lives on the other side of the world, was in Ireland. I had to go and see her. I hadn't seen her for 5 years. Thanks to Facebook we rarely even email.

Well, after 10 mins of surprise, not knowing quite where to begin, those 5 years melted away. It was the same as ever.

So, having not visited the Emerald Isle in a long time I was expecting to write a post talking about where we ate, what we saw, etc. etc., but you know what.........


...it didn't matter.

We pretty much talked for the whole 4 days. Ireland was a backdrop - and a pretty one at that - but we'd have been just as happy in a student flat for that time.

On returning home I feel refreshed, and my priorities have been reassessed. I've just got to remember them now! Because the material things don't matter. Its about looking after what you've already got. Something I tend to lose sight of.

Ok, I caved, here are a few pics of the weekend.

One of the amazing Irish stew I had which was served in a loaf of bread (there was mash too as if there weren't carbs enough in the picture!)

Also spent Sunday in the beautiful Wicklow mountains. This picture captures it.