The National Council for Metal Detecting has over 30,000 registered members and of course there will be some metal detectorists who are not registered with NCMD. The hobby of metal detecting is not a one size fits all. Metal detectorists span across gender, age and culture and the reasons people metal detect are multiple. Having chatted to many detectorists here are just a few of those reasons:
- Fresh air – Breathing in fresh air, breathing in the calm of the countryside. Being away from the hecticness of daily life, feeling clean air enter your lungs gives a sense of wellbeing.
- The countryside – Being outside, enjoying the scenery, the sounds of nature, the feel of the sun on your back and the breeze on your face. It’s invigorating, relaxing, soothing, calming and puts life into perspective. Exploring the outdoor space but with a purpose. Rather than just going for a walk, there’s a sense of looking and searching for something, whilst enjoying the sights you would also see on a walk.
- Health – walking, digging, being outside in fresh air benefit us both physically and emotionally.
- Socialising and sharing – the feeling of camaraderie when you detect with others. Whether that be people you know or people you don’t know there is a camaraderie and delight for all when someone has a great find that they share. It also helps with identification if you know other detectorists. Group digs open up the possibility of exploring new sites and online forums can help you learn about finds as people share their knowledge.
- The joy of finding – for many the lure of metal detecting is based on the sheer pleasure and excitement of finding items that have been hidden from eyes for many years. Receiving a signal on the metal detector but having no idea what it could be, excitedly digging the soil or sand looking for that thing. Hoping, willing it to be an exciting find, the disappointment if it is not but then the urge to go again, to keep looking until you hit the bullseye of a great find. When it is a good find, whether it be modern or ancient the trepidation whilst digging is then outweighed by pure elation and awe of that thing that you’re holding. Whether it be a 200 year old coin, a diamond ring or 3000 year old piece of bronze age gold, the feeling of triumph is surpassed by little else. The excitement continues when you know it is old but you do not know what the thing you’re holding actually is. Then you search online or consult the detecting books on previous finds to see if you can get an identification. When you do, you then stare in wonder at the thing, considering who the last person to hold this thing was and how it managed to be in a field that you then wandered over X number of years later. Trepidation, excitement, joy, awe and wonder, a whole host of emotions experienced in such a short space of time makes this hobby fully addictive to some.
If you think metal detecting might be for you, join us on one of our Experiences, have a go without investing in equipment, get a feel for the hobby, ask us questions and we’ll help as much as we can to get you started on your detecting adventures.
Paddy