Letterboxing is another form of treasure hunting that uses clues and orienteering skills instead of GPS coordinates to find a hidden container that contains a notebook and a stamp, usually personalised. The hobby has been around since the mid 19th Century and originated in Devon, England. Letterboxers carry their own notebook with them and use the stamp found in the container to stamp their own log.

Letterbox Hybrid Caches

A Letterbox Hybrid Cache (LBH) combines elements of both geocaching and letterboxing. Since it is a geocache, there must be some use of coordinates, but there can also be clues listed to help the finder locate the cache. There should also be a stamp in the container. The stamp is not a swag item and should not be removed.

The icon for letterbox caches is an envelope, as pictured below.

As an example of clues used in a letterbox hybrid listing, here are the directions listed on my letterbox cache, Cache In – Trash Cache (GC5CP47):

To Find the Cache:

1. Looking towards Bray Head, you will see a fork in the path infront of you. Choose the lower path to the left and walk until you reach the furthest fence. 
2. You will see steps to your right. Follow the steps all the way down to the beach below. 
3. At the end of the steps, turn left and walk until you meet another set of steps. 
4. Go up the steps. Follow the ‘path’ all the way to the wall, always keeping the grassy bank on your immediate left. 
5. The cache can be found one post back from the corner post.

For a cache to be considered a letterbox hybrid, it must at the very least contain a stamp. Some stamps are personalised (such as the stamp shown below for Bushy Park Native Tree Trail, GC30TTG), but it’s not a requirement.

There is also no requirement for you to stamp the logbook or to use the stamp and log your notebook as any kind of proof. As with most geocaches, the requirement is just to sign the logbook with your geocaching username.

Have you found a letterbox hybrid cache yet? Let me know in the comments!

Happy caching!

Sarah

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