YO HO HO, and a spot of geocaching, will be the cry from a group of treasure hunters soon to be let loose in a Berkshire beauty spot.
Dinton Pastures will host Piratemania, a UK wide geocaching group that has been holding events since 2008.
Geocaching is an interactive outdoor activity, where people hunt for hidden ‘treasure’ with the help of a downloaded app.
Hidden items may be the size of a fingernail, or as big as a bucket, but all are cleverly squirrelled away.
Containers come in all sizes, shapes, and colours, and may be hidden in trees, hollows, under park benches, or even inside bricks.
But they are never buried.
Once found, the ‘treasure’ is returned to its hiding place, and the geocacher logs their success online.
It’s an outdoor activity that whole families can enjoy together.
Piratemania organises treasure hunting fun in locations around the country, and is calling rapscallions and privateers to join them at Dinton Pastures in July for Piratemania 16.
The group promises good, honest piratey fun for all ages, and says the true spirit of Piratemania is best enjoyed in full pirate clobber, in a tent or caravan, with a glass of rum in hand.
When he’s not swashbuckling, crew member Chris Johnson is the group’s design and marketing partner.
“Aaaaar, It’s a mega event,” he said.
“Anyone who loves geocaching, and dressing up as a pirate, will love this.
“People come from all over and everyone seems to have a fabulous time.”
The family-run and family-oriented event is extremely popular, drawing huge crowds of buccaneers every year.
“We expect at least 500 teams of geocachers from the UK, Holland, France, Germany and Swizerland,” said Boatswain Johnson.
“Everyone has a great time dressing up, pirate fashion – we get so many different kinds of people joining us; solicitors, retired folk, shop workers, self-employed people.
“And the kids absolutely love it.”
Crews of seafaring mateys will berth at Dinton Pastures over a period of five days.
The organisers have booked around 125 camping spaces at Dinton, where people will be able to browse a marquee, and visit stalls selling merchandise for geocachers, including t-shirts, and specially minted souvenir coins – because everybody knows that pirates love treasure.
“We start with a big getting-to-know-you event,” said Sea Robber Johnson, “ which is followed by a fun-filled weekend of camping, games, dressing up, and geocaching.
“There’s always a tug-o-war for the kids, and on Sunday morning as many pirates as possible descend on a nearby town, to shout ‘Aaaaaaaarrrrrrr.’
Look out Wokingham.
“Basically, if you love geocaching, and pirates, you’ll enjoy this,” Matey Johnson said.
“It’s very well organised, people behave fantastically, and the feedback we get is that they have a great time.”
Piratemania 16 will take place at Dinton Pastures, from Thursday, July 25 through to Sunday, July 29.
Bookings for all aspiring buccaneer campers and sea-rogue day visitors will open around Easter time.
For more about the group, visit: www.piratemania.org
