As desirable motorcaravan accessories go, a satellite navigation system for wending your way between beauty spots is pretty high on the list. It's easy to think of these devices as purely a navigational aid but they are far more clever than that, and some of the more flexible models can be used to pursue an absorbing pastime, which is great fun, known as ‘geocacheing'.
At its most basic, geocacheing is like a cross between orienteering and a treasure hunt, with a 21st-century spin. Paper maps and compasses are replaced with a handheld GPS receiver. The geocacher gets a set of co-ordinates from a website, directing them to a hidden item. Once at the destination indicated by the co-ordinates, the geocacher is within a few feet of the cache.
Then follows a search of the surrounding area to try and locate a hidden container, which could be anything from a 35mm camera case with a pen and paper inside it, to a two-litre Tupperware lunchbox stuffed with Beanie Babies, crayons and a tape measure. Part of the fun is not knowing exactly what you will find.

How to start geocacheing
Geocaching was born in America in May 2000, when a computer techie called Dave Ulmer hid a notepad, among other junk, in a container, in bushes near his hometown of Beavercreek in the USA.
He logged the location using GPS co-ordinates and posted the information on the internet, challenging other people to find it. The idea caught on. Over 200,000 containers or ‘caches' are now hidden throughout the world, with 100,000 people estimated to be wandering through woodlands, town centres and climbing trees to find them.
Despite sounding desperately techy and complicated, geocacheing doesn't require specialist knowledge. Modern GPS receivers fit comfortably into the palm of the hand and models suitable for geocachers sell for a little over £100. For motorhome owners, however, the ideal unit is something like the Garmin Quest. This is an accomplished navigation device for when you are driving, but is battery powered and sensitive enough to use when on foot. We found a Quest for £335 at www.gsdnav.com, with full road mapping of Western Europe included.
Getting started is as simple as following the instructions on the device once you enter the co-ordinates. In order to get these, access to the internet is a must.
If you don't have internet access in your 'van, though, simply print out a collection of co-ordinates before you set off. If you choose a selection along your chosen touring route, you'll often find yourself exploring less-trodden paths away from the crowds.
The caches themselves may contain a variety of items, usually of low value. Typically, someone finding a cache will be expected to remove one item and replace it with one of their own, and log the details in a notebook included in the cache container.

 • The above is an extract from an article published in the December 2005 issue of Practical Motorhome magazine. The full article goes on to cover: In the field. The knowledge, Good geocache websites.

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