From the day in 1854 when James Perrott placed a bottle for visitors' cards on a moor in Dartmoor, England, to the feature article in a 1998 issue of Smithsonian introducing the sport to a U.S. audience, to the thousands of letterboxes today scattered throughout North America, the quaint Old World pastime of letterboxing has come a long way. And it's not surprising. This fascinating, family-friendly sport—an intriguing mix of hiking, puzzle solving, treasure hunting, and rubber stamp artistry, topped off with the thrill of discovery—offers something for everyone.

The basic idea is simple enough: Clues, usually posted on a website, lead to the secret location of a “letterbox.” And yet there is much more to know. The Letterboxer's Companion is a complete introduction that covers everything from a history of letterboxing to tips on writing and following clues, from instruction in carving personal stamps to letterboxing etiquette—in short, everything an aspiring letterboxer needs to get started.