Have you ever wanted to do a treasure hunt, but didn’t know where to start?

My partner, Jez, and I love going out for walks, walking is our way to recharge. We get fresh air, a chance to have a good conversation and we fi nd nature refreshing and healing. Unfortunately, my daughter does not share the same interest – being 12 years old, she would rather play computer games for hours on end. We went through a really hard time getting her out of the house to get at least some fresh air and sunshine on her face – which we, as adults, do recognise as crucial for good mental health, as well as physical. This was until Jez remembered a hobby he used to enjoy years ago: Geocaching ® The idea is that there are little hidden treasures all over the world, and you get to seek them out using a map, some coordinates, and a few inventive hints. Once found, you sign and date the log sheet inside, and mark it on the app as ‘Found’. Then you carefully replace the Geocache to exactly where you found it, for the next treasure hunter to find, ensuring that it can’t be spotted by the untrained eye, and it won’t be spoilt by passers-by unknowingly.

Some of the ‘treasures’ are tiny: the size of a nut and bolt and posing as a nut and bolt for the blissfully ignorant ‘muggles’ with only a log sheet inside. Some geocaches are larger, and hold a few weatherproof toys that children can take and replace. Some geocaches are disguised as wooden sticks, are crafted inside toys or pinecones and hung on a tree branch, or hidden under bridges.

To start with, you will need to download the Geocaching ® App on your phone and create a user account. You will choose an inventive play name for you and your family, which you will use to sign all the log sheets and record your finds. Start with the free account, and if you turn out to love it, like we have, you may choose to invest in an annual subscription which will open up lots more adventure for you.

Just in Barrow upon Soar, there are about 12 Geocaches hidden, one in a willow tree, one on a roundabout, one near the cricket ground, and there are many more on footpaths leading out of the village towards Seagrave; along the canal path to Loughborough; more in Walton and Burton; and a great series on the Prestwold estate footpaths, one of which is a great puzzle to retrieve from its hiding place. And of course, there are hundreds more hidden in urban places in Loughborough.

I can guarantee you will never look at a forking tree branch or a roundabout in the same way again – my daughter still calls out, “found that one” when driving past a previously located geocache.

What this new hobby allowed us to do, was to discover new places in the area – rather than just going to Bradgate Park or Beacon Hill for a walk which are, of course, popular for a good reason. We discovered Groby Pool and the surrounding woodlands and meadows; we spent a while exploring the war graves of Loughborough Cemetery and visited many of the churches in surrounding villages as many village churches have a geocache in their church yard. And most importantly, the resistance from my daughter to get out of the house has been replaced with a competitive spirit to find these treasures before we do. A win all round!

Holidays are also looking a lot more interesting now – we look for geocaches to explore wherever we go – see the picture of us finding treasure on a secluded beach in South Wales.

What’s next for us? We aspire to become one of the creators: to make, hide, and look after our own very first geocache. But remember, you need to get permission to place a geocache on private and public property. This is a requirement of the listing site and also the law.

If you want to find out more, just search on your browser for geocaching.

Sarolta Batki