We are in the middle of the school holidays and here, downunder in Wellington, we are experiencing some beautiful Autumn weather. A good time to be outside. Some time ago I read an article about letterboxing on the Greenhour website. I had never heard about it before and I didn't expect this activity to be taking place in New Zealand. However, to my surprise, there are a few letterbox groups active around New Zealand, placing and tracking boxes. I decided, with such beautiful weather, it is time to introduce my children, and myself, to the pastime of letterboxing.
Letterboxing is an outdoor activity where you follow a set of clues, downloaded from the internet, and use navigational skills to find a letterbox; a small box, containing a notebook and a rubber stamp. Finders stamp their own little notebook, using the stamp in the box. They also stamp the logbook in the box, using their own stamp. It is similar to geocaching, except that there is no need for a gps. Letterboxing is an ideal outdoor activity you can do with young children.
When I raised the idea of letterboxing in my family, the children were a bit skeptical. They questioned why they should go into the bush to find a box? However, once we were on the track there was no stopping. They went from clue to clue. |  |
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Our first time of letterboxing takes us to the Redwood Bush in Tawa. The first clue is cryptic, but quickly solved by the oldest, who is a bit more familiar in the area. We hike up a path through regenerative native bush on the outskirts of Wellington. It is already late afternoon, about an hour before sunset. Darkness is starting to set in the bush. The birds are ruffling and twittering, finding their way to their roosting places. Arriving at the destination, we all start searching for the box. I am about to think we have followed an outdated clue, when Camiel shouts out that he can see the box. With big excitement he retrieves the box and opens it. There is a little pretty booklet inside with a lovely stamp and instructions. We read the entries from previous letterboxers. We stamp and date the little booklet and add a little note. Then we stamp our own little booklet. Camiel places everything carefully back. It is getting dark now and we hurry up, continuing our walk back to the car.
We all had good fun. Letterboxing added a new and interesting element to our family bushwalk. Back in the car, there was a unanimous "that was fun". Letterboxing is a great motivator for children to join mum and dad on their bushwalks, after all, who doesn't want to go on a treasure hunt?
- Anja
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