November 28, 2012 / Adela B /

Dracula’s Castle – GC5D8 – GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – November 29, 2012

Dracula's Castle IV — Inside Dracula’s Castle

The Geocache of the Week takes us to a place with beautiful views of the countryside, the Carpathian Mountains, and Dracula’s Castle. That’s right, Dracula’s Castle (GC5D8).

The castle is not only a national monument and landmark in Romania, but home to the country’s oldest published geocache.

Over the centuries, Dracula’s Castle, a.k.a. Bran Castle has been used in defense against the Ottoman Empire, served as a customs point, and has housed a number of residents, including Queen Marie (and let’s not forget Bram Stoker’s Dracula). It is now a museum, displaying art and furniture collected by the queen.

Since 2001, nearly 230 geocachers have logged a smiley and awarded the difficulty 3, terrain 3.5 traditional cache over 30 Favorite Points.

The cache owner, Team Romania (now maintained by DJ Storm) was kind enough to include a few essentials, such as a large pencil that could be used as a wooden stake to ward off vampires. Over the years, geocachers have created their own weapons against Dracula when setting out to find this cache. Recently, a hand-made cross was spotted at a “grave” site near the cache.

Locals and cachers from a number of nearby countries and across the seas have traveled far and wide to visit the castle and log the cache.

A geocacher from the UK writes, “What a climb! Totally worth the effort though… Not only did I escape the crowds for half an hour, but I was rewarded with the most spectacular view to the mountains and beyond. Nice, clean, and well maintained cache. Great to bag Romania’s first geocache as well. Over 10 years old and long may it live. I was a bit skeptical about the ‘grave’ nearby, marked with a cross. But now I understand! …Brilliant. TNLNSL [Took Nothing Left Nothing Signed Log]. Thanks for hiding and greetings from the UK.”

Continue to explore some of the most engaging geocaches around the globe. Check out all the Geocaches of the Week on the Latitude 47 blog or view the Bookmark List on Geocaching.com.

If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, send an email with your name, comments, the name of the geocache, and the GC code to pr@groundspeak.com.

Dracula's Castle V — Signing the logbook

November 26, 2012 / Adela B /

Geocaching Word Search Answers

These words were hidden in the geocaching word search. Did you find them all?

November 23, 2012 / Adela B /

Geocaching Word Search

There are 33 geocaching related words in this word search. Share your finds in the comments section.

Check back on Monday, November 26th for the answers.

November 21, 2012 / Eric Schudiske

NaGeira’s Treasure – GC6EDE – GEOCACHE OF THE WEEK – November 22, 2012

NaGeira's Treasure 4 — Your adventure awaits

Coordinates to this kid-friendly geocache deliver you to a remote island off eastern Canada. Your thirst for adventure leads you to a mysterious door. The passage is carved into a sheer cliff. The salty sea air heightens your awareness. You’re near a hidden pirate treasure. The deserted beach, on a rocky shore will reveal a secret if you can only follow the clues.

NaGeira's Treasure 2 — A pirate’s treasure

NaGeira’s Treasure (GC6EDE) was hidden by Alastair Allan (aviex) & Sherilyn Beaton. It’s rested in a moss covered cove for ten years. The cache owners described the cache as, “an adventure for the kids and an interesting afternoon.”

They weave a pirates tale with the cache description. “NaGeira’s treasure was wrested from the dastardly pirate Peter Easton by the people of Conception Bay and hidden underground on the Treasure Island. A recently discovered parchment… appears to give directions to the hiding place.”

NaGeira's Treasure 3 — In search of treasure

Nearly 150 geocaching teams logged smileys on this cache since it was hidden July of 2002. The difficulty 2.5, terrain 3 traditional cache in Newfoundland and Labrador has accumulated more than 20 Favorite Points. Geocachers who find the cache say, “Well isn’t this what caching is all about! Seeking treasure in a memorable location that makes you almost forget what you planned to do for the rest of the day. That was certainly our experience: a lunch on the beach and exploring for the rest of the afternoon. Truly one of of our all-time favourites. The stuff ‘caching memories’ are made of ”