In search of buried treasure

Yesterday we we went on a geocache hunt. It was quite a fun day out!

The idea is basically:

• there is a big database showing the coordinates of hidden "treasure" all over the world (treasure means a sandwich box with bits and bobs in it)
  
• you go and find one, using your GPS unit, and have a nice day out walking with a bit of fun
• you exchange a bit for a bob and put the treasure box back again for someone else

It all sounded like a nice excuse for some fresh air so we set off with our cool new TomTom One, 3rd edition GPS through the woods.

We knew that we were looking for a small sandwich box hidden in Wheldrake woods under a pine tree. I had programmed the coordinates in and the TomTom said that it was right next to a track through the woods. It is rated as "difficult level 1 of 5" (very easy). It didn't quite match up to where it looked like it should be according to the OS grid reference, but I figured that the GPS must be more accurate then a 1:50 000 landranger map.

After a short walk, we knew we must be close. On the screen was "us" right on top of the "goal post" icon. The hint said look under a pine tree. As helpful as this was when walking through a pine wood(!) at least we knew had to look down, not up.

We looked and we looked and looked some more. We got caught on brambles, we approached the spot from the other side, we went up and down the road, we searched every pine tree in the area.

We walked home having had a nice day out, but disappointed to have not found buried treasure.

Back at home, after cross-referencing the location on other maps, it turns out that our GPS doesn't really like walking off-road. It "corrects" every destination to the nearest road or track that it can find. So in fact the real treasure (allegedly) was something like 300 metres from where the TomTom had decided to take us.

According to everything I can find on the Internet, this "feature" cannot be turned off. Although someone has developed some (free) off-road walking software for TomTom hardware, the TomTom ONE v3 is not compatible with it.

I wonder if TomTom would like to do a software upgrade. Until they do, it's firmly "Not recommended" unless you want to drive everywhere.