Tell Me About It

Letterboxing is a hobby that began over a hundred years ago in England and in recent years has been growing in popularity in the United States and other countries.  In Dartmoor National Park, where the first "letterbox" was placed by a Victorian gentleman walking along Cranmore Pool in 1854, there are currently several thousand letterboxes.  Although the number of boxes in the United States is not nearly so staggering, there are now boxes in all 50 states, with the highest concentrations being along the upper East Coast and in the Pacific Northwest.

Combining many different outdoor activities, including hiking, map reading and orienteering, as well as artistic expression in the selection and creation of theme, stamp design and clues, letterboxing appeals to a wide range of people and interest groups.  Letterboxes are planted by participants, often at scenic or historic places (but not limited to this). The location can be as accessible as a roadside park or as remote as a mountain top -- there are even some boxes that have been placed under water!  The clues as to how to find the letterbox are then posted on the Internet for other letterboxers to go hunting for.  Clues can be of any format and level of difficulty, from straightforward and easy (take the blue path, turn left at the big pine tree and find the box in a hollow log next to the path) to obscure and difficult (puzzles, games, poems, riddles) -- the only limit is the creativeness of the individual planting the box.  Many clues contain map references and compass readings.

Inside the box is a rubber stamp -- sometimes hand-carved, sometimes not, sometimes in keeping with the theme of the location, sometimes not, a log book (most often a small sketch pad) and information sheets about letterboxing should a person casually walking by find the box and wonder what it is all about.  Optionally the box will contain an ink pad (particularly if a specific color is appropriate for the theme of the box).  Letterboxers hunting for boxes carry with them a rubber stamp that is their "signature" stamp (sometimes hand-carved, sometimes not), an ink pad and a personal log book.  Upon successfully figuring a set of clues and finding the box, they exchange stamp images with the box -- imprint their stamp into the log book of the box and stamp their personal log book with the stamp contained in the box.  Then it all gets put back into the hiding place for the next person to find.

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I am a 40-something year-old woman living in West Michigan, letterboxing under the pseudonym, SpringChick, which aptly reflects my attitude toward living. I like both outdoor activity and creative endeavors and became involved in letterboxing because it allowed me to engage in several interests all at one time. Some days my favorite aspect is getting out in the woods on the trail, other days I look forward to writing puzzling and challenging clues, and still other days creating the "perfect" stamp carving or log book engrosses me.

Letterboxing is a relatively new hobby here in West Michigan and although I am occasionally able to lure my partner, OldShoe, or one of my daughters out onto the trail with me, it is often a solo venture for me. As I have always enjoyed the serenity and solitude of hiking alone, the lack of a letterboxing companion certainly does not stop me.

In addition to hiking, letterboxing and stamp carving, I enjoy photography -- view some of my photography here... My Photos at Flickr. Some of my other interests include book binding, altered art, writing poetry, traveling, boating, music and web design. If you want to know more about me, see some of my art or read some of my poetry, feel free to check out my personal (not regularly updated) web site at... Confessions of December.