counting England boxes

From: (cstearns@neca.com) | Date: 2001-08-03 15:23:33 UTC

If the Moorland Wizard is out there " listening" could he give us an
idea of how many boxes are in England. I had heard 10,000 in
Dartmoor? Our 4-H Club the Cock-A-Doodle-Moo is doing an
educational display with a world map showing where the boxes are
like Ct. 286. We got our other figures off the LBNA site for clues .
The title of the exhibit is " Where in the World Are You
Letterboxing". We may take it to the Big E the new England State
Fair. It is a great promotional tool.

Also did anyone catch a post on Africa boxes I need to search further
but would be greeat if someone could help count out of states boxes!

Thanks, Leader of the Pack

Re: [LbNA] counting England boxes

From: Graham Howard (ghh2@tutor.open.ac.uk) | Date: 2001-08-03 18:33:47 UTC+01:00

Hi "Leader of the Pack" !

>If the Moorland Wizard is out there " listening"
Oh yes I always have my ears on especially for LbNA !

>could he give us an idea of how many boxes are in England. I had heard
>10,000 in
>Dartmoor?

Well that is a tricky one actually !

Tony Moore has issued over 30,000 boxes in his latest edition of the
Catalogue of Dartmoor Letterboxes. This is reprinted and updated twice a
year with bi-monthly mailed updates..we don't have a web-based catalogue
you see..we are still in the pen and ink stage

HOWEVER !

I receive in the mail (not email !) between twenty and forty new boxes
every week from my WOM boxing friends.

WOM ?

Oh that's "Word of Mouth" boxes...a private circulation system for
particularly seriously infected boxers ! You know, those with an
acute attack of the incurable boxing bug !

They are boxes that are NOT in Tony's catalogue....

Perhaps that's half as many again !

BUT that's not all !

There are boxes in other places in England too (but we keep even more
quiet about those !!!)

There is a delightful forest known as "The New Forest" which has its own
system (also not in Tony's catalogue)

And then there are other British National Parks in which boxes can be
found....We don't put them in our cities like LbNA folk ! (Again NOT in
Tony's catalogue)

Tony also has a separate catalogue for "Moving Boxes" which you in LbNA
land call Hitchikers ..and another catalogue for "Travelling Boxes"..which
are a second kind of personal stamp which we Dartmoorians also use !

So remind me , "What was your question ?", How many in England !

Ahh well that could be very high indeed....

Certainly a lot more than 10,000 !

Many many UK boxers have the 5,000 patch on their (boxing) jackets !

It's all very very old and established over here..and we like to go for a
day's hike and collect 20 or 30, or more, whilst it seems that in the US
the numbers are much lower ...It is just that we are a much smaller place
and have been doing it longer. Dartmoor is only about 370 square miles !
But is is 'busy' with boxes...some days you just seem to fall over em !

Finally we do remove and delete and time manage our boxes. Some are "out"
for a day, or a month, or typically a few years..then we "pull them in".
As good citizens we don't litter the moor or allow any one box to build a
path to itself !!

So I guess I don't really know ..you could think about the boxers count...

I knew one boxer who claimed he had "managed" 1000 of his own .. but
allowing for "drift" I guess many of my friends have about 150-200 or
so on the moor at any one time !

Most keen boxers will "manage" 30-50 easily....look at the Drews as an
example, or Randy ..these folk manage a goodly numbers each !

So I would guess that 20,000 or 25,000 could be on Dartmoor and as many
elsewhere all over Britain.

That's 40,000 to 50,000 !

That's not counting Travellers and Moving Boxes and other curiosities
which maybe are only about 5,000 more (maximum?)

The final guess must be ....conservatively ............say 50,000 boxes at
any one time !

>Our 4-H Club the Cock-A-Doodle-Moo is doing an
>educational display with a world map showing where the boxes are
>like Ct. 286. We got our other figures off the LBNA site for clues .
>The title of the exhibit is " Where in the World Are You
>Letterboxing". We may take it to the Big E the new England State
>Fair. It is a great promotional tool.

That sound wonderful ...I wish you every success...Do post some pictures
to LbNA it will be appreciated !
>
>
>Also did anyone catch a post on Africa boxes I need to search further
>but would be greeat if someone could help count out of states boxes!

I know there are boxes in France and Denmark and Germany !

I have lists for these countries !

I know of at least one each in New Zealand, China , Australia and
Japan...one is in the New Disney Seas Resort (Tokyo) which opens on Sept
4th...! I planted the last three places myself ! For Tokyo you don't
have to take any E ride but maybe [Clue] " Seek out a beautiful coast and
ring the bell; Ask and it shall be given. "

I have even planted boxes in Africa (One at the Southernmost point in
Africa is my most popular box in Africa. I get emails about once a month
from new finders !) and Now I have planted boxes in Russia !!! Only three
there so far ! (You have to be very brave to hunt them ! ) All in
Moscow !

That's about all I can locate !

Hope that helps !

Happy Boxing

The Moorland Wizard
Graham Howard

Re: [LbNA] counting England boxes

From: (paisleyorca@webtv.net) | Date: 2001-08-03 16:08:31 UTC-07:00

Hey Graham!

You said you know of at least one letterbox in New Zealand, eh? Is it
on the North or the South Island? How may I obtain clues for said
box(es). A couple of other letterboxes here in Oregon are going to New
Zealand in October and John and I plan to visit the South Island in
December. If you can point us in the correct direction for clues I'd be
most appreciative!

Best regards,

Amanda Briles
The Paisley Orca

Re: [LbNA] counting England boxes

From: (defygravity@snet.net) | Date: 2001-08-04 05:10:15 UTC

Carolyn,

I think you're gonna need A LOT of pins for your map!!!

Let us know if you do exhibit at the Big E (Eastern States
Exposition). I'll be sure to look for you!

Aili

Oh, BTW, I found your Ready Freddy hitchhiker. It's been all over CT
and central MA. It's back out now waiting to thumb a ride from
someone else.