| One of the first things that a new geocacher has to | | | | actual coordinates) will have to be 'solved'. |
| learn is that 'all caches were not created equal'! There | | | | Geocachers will have to do some sleuthing before |
| are in fact many different types of caches that will | | | | being able to set out to actually go to find the cache. |
| challenge those who set out to find them on a | | | | Earth-cache: An earth-cache is a special kind of cache |
| variety of levels. The most common types of caches | | | | as it is directly related to some aspect of the Earth's |
| are the following: | | | | geology. Finders have a wonderful opportunity to |
| Traditional/Basic Cache: The traditional Geocache is | | | | learn more about our planet. |
| simply a container (usually made of plastic but | | | | Letterbox cache: Letterboxing has been a popular |
| sometimes also from metal e.g. an ammunition box). | | | | activity in some English national parks (especially on |
| The cache will usually contain a logbook, a pen and | | | | Exmoor and Dartmoor) for over a century. Players |
| some small items that can be exchanged. These | | | | leave clues which, when decrypted, lead letterboxers |
| items are sometimes called SWAG ('Stuff we all get'). | | | | to a container that holds postcards and/or |
| The role of swag and swag etiquette will be | | | | rubberstamps. This can later be used to prove that a |
| discussed more fully later on. | | | | specific box had been found. A letterbox-geocaching |
| Micro-cache: Micro-caches are, as the name indicates, | | | | hybrid cache combines the best of both worlds. |
| very small. Some of them are so small that they | | | | Players are still issued with cryptic instructions (as is |
| contain nothing but a tiny logbook. | | | | the practice in letterboxing) but also with GPS |
| Multi-cache: A multi-cache is part of an extended | | | | coordinates. |
| puzzle where one cache leads to another. In most | | | | The fact that there are so many different types of |
| cases the first cache contains some kind of hint or | | | | caches means that geocaching is a sport that can |
| directions to help geocachers to find the second one | | | | challenge enthusiasts on many different levels. If you |
| and so on. | | | | take up geocaching you will soon discover that you |
| Mystery cache: Mystery caches take the difficulty of | | | | are never too old to learn! A useful lesson both in |
| finding a cache to the next level in the sense that | | | | treasure hunting and in life! |
| just about everything about the cache (including the | | | | |