Written by our featured content partner, Adam Redshaw (ukcachemag).

Geocaching is so much more than a treasure hunt. Our brilliant hobby offers something for everybody and we all benefit from so much more than finding the treasure of a cache container. For many, geocaching is a key part of their social and family life. It is even a large part in their personal development. As a community we teach others, yet we also learn and overcome some of our fears.

Are you a teacher or are you a student? Perhaps you are a mix of both?

Finding a geocache for the first time is not always so easy: we need an app or a GPS, we need to understand about Difficulty/Terrain, geocache size, and attributes. We need to develop our geo-senses to understand the minds of other geocachers and think where they may have hidden the geocache.

Perhaps the cache owner has taken us to a new area, or even a different country. You start learning other skills like rappelling or scuba diving. No doubt you will look at solving some puzzles and perhaps learn about codes and encryption. You will start to read signs and looking for hints even when you are not out geocaching. You will become much more aware of local history and places. We are all having our own adventures and creating memories that we may not have otherwise explored without geocaching. 

These adventures all stem from the hard work that other geocachers have done over the past nearly 20 years. It’s true then that other geocachers become our teachers. Geocachers make up a large community around the globe. From finding or hiding caches, to hosting events, to solving puzzles, geocaching can always teach you something new. So, when’s the last time you went out of your comfort zone? Teacher, student or both – find your own mix.

Without geocaching I would never have _________________. Fill in the blank with your own stories below!