"Geographing" The Glebe Home.

My son, "Devo" introduced me to the concept of Geocaching some time ago. For those of you who do not know what it is here is a definition from Wikipedia:

"Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little monetary value. Today, well over 410,000 geocaches are currently placed in 222 countries around the world, which are registered on various websites devoted to the sport."

This is my son "Devo"
In his Grandfathers Balmoral Hat.*

So, this "Sport" originated in the United States.

But in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales they do things slightly differently....

In typical British style they do what is called "Geographing".

Here is the Geograph websites explanation:

The Geograph British Isles project aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for every square kilometre of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and you can be part of it.

What is Geographing?

• It's a game - how many grid squares will you contribute?
• It's a geography project for the people
• It's a national photography project
• It's a good excuse to get out more!
• It's a free and open online community project for all

The aim of the Geograph website is to be a widely appealing web site that will gradually produce a freely accessible archive of educationally useful, geographically located photographs of the British Isles.

The Ordnance Survey grid has been chosen as the basis for the geographic referencing system.

To get an idea of the type of image we are interested in, think what a child sat looking at a map in a geography lesson might find useful when trying to make sense of what a the human and physical geographical features in a given grid square actually look like, or what would he see if he looked further a field from a given viewpoint.

Blah, Blah, Blah Blog....

Their website is: http://www.geograph.org.uk/

"So why are you doing this to us obee?"

Well, I was searching for Postal Codes for the Killaloo area so I could send a letter to a possible surviving "Glenn" relative who may or may not still live on the land in Brackfield. I was told by a contact who's last name is "Pollock", who grew up in the Killaloo/Claudy area, that such a person or family, may still exist and yet be farming in Brackfield.

And then I found Geograph.

So now, I have actual pictures of Killaloo, Brackfield, and the surrounding environs.

And my Girl friend "Anonymous" responded with a "yeah, so..." But I have been wondering just what this place looked like for most of my adult life. ..And this is a BIG deal to me!

This is a map of modern day Killaloo.

...And now,
I would like to take you
on a Geograph Virtual tour:

1) Ougtagh Road.
On some maps the townland is spelled "Oughtagh".

2) Newcumber Presbyterian Church.
Located at Killaloo.

3) Killaloo Orange Hall.
Located at Killaloo.

4) Cumber Church of Ireland.
Derry & Raphoe is the Diocese which Cumber parish is in.

4 also) Killaloo Townland.

Looking towards Slieveboy** in the distance.

(That is rush in the foreground)

...and yes, this is where my new Blog Header came from...

5) Killaloo.
Lettermire Hill is in the background.

6) Looking towards Brackfield Townland.
In the direction of Lettermire Hill.

6 also) Ness Wood.
Some new plantings are protected by a fence.

7) Kilcatten Road.
Some maps use a spelling variation of Kiltcaltan.

8) Road at Toneduff.
Heading in the direction of Claudy.

9) Ness Garden Centre.
Located at Brackfield near Burntollet Bridge.

9 also) The Burntollet River.
The Burntollet river where it emerges from the Ness woods.
It flows into the river Faughan, about two kilometres
to the south west of here at Burntollet Bridge.

10) Lettermire Hill. (great wet hill-side.)
Looking eastwards across the slope of the hill.

11) Slieve Kirk.

Not pictured here, but indicated
on the map as a reference point.
(not to be confused with Slieveboy.)

12) Legaghory Townland.
Looking east to Killaloo.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
this concludes our tour for today.
Thank-you very much for coming!


Have a nice day....

Oh yeah, Most of these pictures were taken by: Kenneth Allen © Copyrighted and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. He is retired and has an accumulated points total of: 3661 Geograph Points. "...The things people do with their retirement time..."

9 also), "The Burntollet River" was taken by: Kay Atherton © Copyrighted and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. Kay is by Kenneth's standards a novice with an accumulated points total of a mere: 39 Geograph Points. I like her style though, maybe she doesn't have as many points as Kenneth but I'm rooting' for her! Hope she didn't get her feet wet when she took that beautiful picture.

obeedude/26/June/84

*Obviously this blog has little or nothing to do with him or the hat, I just think its a neat portrait and I was itching for a reason to use it....

**"Slieveboy" is Southeast of Killaloo, it lies off of this map to the lower right hand corner, towards Claudy, not to be confused with "Slieve Kirk in the lower left hand corner of the map indicated by the # 11)