Letterboxing started out in England in 1854, and grew on Dartmoor. See History of Letterboxing As the numbers of letterboxes increased those planting them added a few twists to the traditional box and Bonus Boxes and Cuckoos were invented. When letterboxing travelled across the pond to America, first the names were changed and then American folks added more twists of their own.

The American name for a Cuckoo is a Hitchhiker. What is a hitchhiker?

American name - English name

• Traditional Box - Traditional Box
• Hitchhiker Box - Cuckoo Box
• Mystery Box - no special name, just accepted as a traditional box.
• Bonus Box - Bonus Box
• Cootie - Parasite (not to confused with American Parasites)
• Hitchhiker Hostel - Cuckoo Nest (very rare in England)
• Personal Traveler - Personal Traveller (English PT's do not usually have clues, American PT's often have a condition or clue attached)
• Signature Stamp - Signature Stamp
• Cuckoo clue - no such thing in England, do not confuse with a Cuckoo Box
• American Parasite - no such thing in England, do not confuse with a Parasite Box

Explanations of the different types of boxes can be found by clicking on the links under their American names.

Yes, in principle it is the same as the Code of Conduct on Atlas Quest but more itemized.

CODE OF CONDUCT

1. Digging holes in the ground is illegal, and absolutely FORBIDDEN. No box should be placed in a hole in the ground, and the soil surface should not be disturbed when looking for a box.
2. No box should be placed in any animals earth, set or warren, even if it appears to be disused. (Offenders may be prosecuted)
3. If a box is placed in a hole in a dead tree, make sure that it is not likely to cause harm to rare lichen, moss, insects etc
4. Avoid putting a box on heathland where it may disturb a ground nesting bird
5. All boxes must have a contact address (email is fine) or telephone number
6. Do not place a box in any monument, nor any site of historic or archaeological importance
7. Avoid public resort areas
8. Boxes should be as sturdy as possible and an unobtrusive colour, but NOT wrapped in plastic bags or sheeting. – Animals eat it!
9. Respect other people’s property and privacy
10. Do not leave litter (aim to leave a site tidier than you found it)
11. Try not to disturb vegetation or wildlife when planting or looking for boxes
12. Be aware of the security issues of leaving boxes following recent bombings
13. Follow the country code

Mostly it is just letterboxing common sense. The land is managed for different reasons in the various letterboxing areas. For example on the North York Moors the land is managed for grouse shooting and so letterboxers in that area would adhere to the following notice:-

''In order that attention isn’t drawn to our activities, please move to a different area if there is any sign of a shoot or land management in progress. The grouse shooting runs from August 12th until December 10th.''

Just check for the American name in the American-English translation and then log your find/plant under that name.

Wanderer Boxes as we have them in England are not really known in America. Bonus Boxes on Atlas Quest are mostly listed under traditional boxes. Green Tortuga suggested Wanderers should be listed as a traditional box with a note added on the clue page to explain that it is a Wanderer and how to deal with it.

There are a few websites on the internet which give clues for UK letterboxes. These are:-

Various areas of the UK
Off Dartmoor Letterbox Clue Catalogue

The Lake District
Lakeland Letterboxing

Scotland
http://www.letterboxing-scotland.co.uk/