July trials for English Heritage's first technological treasure hunts

Technology will facilitate learning groups and families to uncover some of the hidden secrets at English Heritage sites following successful trials of geocache trails (technological treasure hunts) at Witley Court and the Festival of History.

Learners and families will be able to use geocache trails to search and find special features (such as exceptional views or significant architectural details) or geocaches (boxes) carefully positioned to ensure that the environment is unharmed and containing all sorts of interesting facts and activities. For instance, on 15 July at Witley Court in the West Midlands, staff piloted a trail which incorporates six geocaches and inspires users to estimate measurements, write poems and examine nature in the exceptional grounds of the once grand and important mansion.

Over the next two days (16 and 17 July) at the Festival of History, Northamptonshire, families visiting the Education tent will be able to use GPS units to go on a different type of trail - finding actual re-enactors from different periods of history!

David Sheldon, Education manager for the Midlands, says, “Lots of people are finding that geocaching is challenging and fun. It engages learners and puts them in control of their own learning and it can be used by a wide variety of ages and abilities, in teams or as individuals. Geocaching can be used to direct learners to information and places both physical and ephemeral that they may not have accessed or thought to access otherwise, like taking in a particular view and achieving a sense of the monument’s place in the landscape, or finding a previously ‘unknown’ historical detail.”

Following the trials, English Heritage plans to developed further geocache trails at selected sites around the country. “One advantage we have now is that most smartphones are GPS enabled, which means you can either use built-in mapping software to identify the real-world locations of GPS co-ordinates, or indeed, go online on your phone to access Google Maps, which can guide you to the next point on the trail,” adds David.

The Witley Court trail should take about an hour and a half to complete and incorporates activities to stimulate the senses. Visitors can download instructions and co-ordinates from: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/technological-treasure-hunts/

“The family and staff at Witley Court must have come in to these gardens and probably sat, thought and listened, just like today’s geaocache users. Many things have changed at Witley Court but some things will hopefully always stay the same,” says David Sheldon. For education groups on either free visits or Discover visits, sets of GPS units have been purchased to be lent out to learning groups visiting sites with a geocache trail. It is hoped that trails will be prepared to roll out by September at sites including Stonehenge and Kenwood House in London.

For more information, please contact English Heritage’s national education team on 01793 414700 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/education

ENDS

Invitation to journalists: If you would like to visit Witley Court to try out the Geocache trail, we would be happy to lend you with a GPS unit.

For further media information, please contact:
Jay Commins PRO – English Heritage (Education)
Tel: 0113 251 5698
Email: jay@fim.org.uk