Letterboxing is a treasure hunt game that started in England in the 1800s. Participants hide and find waterproof containers called letterboxes, using maps and clues. The game is considered an art form, and common courtesies should be followed. It is popular in the UK and has spread to other areas of the world.
Letterboxing is a form of treasure hunting that began in England in the 1800s. Participants hide and find letterboxes and keep records of the boxes they have found. The game can be played by anyone who can read a map, although the ability to decipher clues and codes is useful.
A letterbox is a waterproof container that holds a logbook, personalized stamp, stamp pad, and other trinkets. Participants bring their own logbook and personalized stamp. The box is hidden, usually in a remote and scenic area, and a map or clues are posted in England’s official letterbox directory or on the Internet so that others can find the box.
When the participants find the box, they stamp the box register with their stamp and their register with the box stamp. The clues to finding the box can be simple or complex, and some clues are only available by finding other boxes first. Some boxes can only be found by word of mouth, lending a certain mystery to the game.
Letterboxing is considered an art form as well as a game. Participants typically take great artistic pride in their custom stamps as well as the maps and clues they provide for the boxes, with even the simplest maps typically drawn ornately. The journey to find the box is also considered to be just as important as the location. Experienced letterbox participants usually plan the course in their box to be quite a hike and, in some cases, difficult.
While the letterbox has relatively few rules, there are some common courtesies that should be followed. Boxes should not be hidden on private property unless explicit permission has been given by the land owner to do so. Anyone looking for a box should always get permission to enter private land. Once found, the boxes should be hidden at least as much, if not more, than they were before.
This game is so popular in the UK that it is estimated that there are at least 40,000 letterboxes hidden in Dartmoor National Park alone. England also maintains an official catalog of letterbox clues and maps, although it is estimated that only half of the hidden boxes in the country are included. Letterboxing has spread to other areas of the world, including North America, with the first box believed to have been hidden in the late 1980s or early 1990s, with clues and maps of these letterboxes usually posted online. With its ever-increasing popularity, the letterbox can be a unique way to embark on a new adventure.
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