Letterboxing is an intriguing mix of treasure hunting, art, navigation, and the exploration of interesting, scenic, and sometimes remote places. It takes the ancient custom of placing a rock on a cairn (a mound of stones erected as a memorial or marker) upon reaching the summit of a mountain to an art form. It started when a gentleman simply left his calling card in a bottle by a remote pool on the moors of Dartmoor, England.

Here's the basic idea: Someone hides a waterproof box containing a logbook, a carved (or not) rubber stamp, (an ink pad may be included). The hider then writes directions to the box (called "clues" or "the map"), which can be straight-forward, cryptic, or any degree in between. The clues involve map coordinates or compass bearings from landmarks, but they don't have to. Selecting a location and writing the clues is one aspect of the art. The hider then posts the box on www.letterboxing.org

Once the clues are written and posted, hunters in possession of the clues attempt to find the box. In addition to the clue and any maps or tools needed to solve it, the hunter should carry at least a pencil, an inkpad, their own personal rubber stamp, and personal logbook. When the hunter successfully deciphers the clue and finds the box, he or she stamps the logbook of the hidden box with his or her own personal stamp, and then stamps his or her personal logbook with the hidden box's stamp. The box's logbook keeps a record of all its visitors and the hunters keep a record of all the boxes they have found in their personal logbooks.

For more information please visit www.letterboxing.org