Clitheroe - Castle & Ribble Valley

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Clitheroe Castle and the Ribble Valley, with Detectives helping Chief of Police Evan Acklew investigate celebrity chef Hesther Bloomingtail's disastrous bacon and snail sausage launch at Clitheroe's Sausage Day, sniff out the suspect and bring the case home.

The investigation covers approximately 1.2 miles and should take around 1.5 hours to complete. You'll start at the Main Entrance to the Castle Museum within the Castle grounds, work through Clitheroe Castle grounds and the town centre, follow footpaths and pavements around streets including Wellgate and Castle Street, investigate the Community Rose Garden, then finish back at the Castle Museum where the case began.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The route has some steep hills, steps and cobbled sections, so expect a proper little Ribble Valley workout while you're gathering evidence.

Take care crossing roads on the route, including the street with the zebra crossing and the other road crossings mentioned along the way.

Getting There

By car: Begin your investigation at the Main Entrance to the Castle Museum, within the Castle grounds. The nearest car park for those arriving by car is Lowergate car park (BB7 1AF).

By public transport: Make your way to the Main Entrance to the Castle Museum within the Castle grounds to start the case. The circular route finishes back at the Castle Museum, where it began.

Need the Loo?

Toilets are available at the Castle Museum near the start on weekends only, and at the end of the Trail.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives can join the investigation, but museum-going mutts will need to wait outside if you choose to detour indoors. 🐾

Although this Trail is dog friendly, if you choose to detour to the museum then you will have to leave your furry friend outside.

The route includes Castle grounds, town centre pavements, roads, steep hills, steps and cobbled sections, so keep canine colleagues close around traffic, crossings and busier streets.

Food & Drink Stops

Case-cracking can work up an appetite. There are cafes, restaurants and pubs on Wellgate after Clue 08 and along Castle Street between Clues 14 and 16, with The White Lion pub on the route on Castle Street.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Clitheroe Castle

The Castle grounds are both the starting and finishing point of the investigation, making them the natural place to linger once the suspect list has been narrowed down. The castle keep was built in the 1180s, suffered major damage during the civil war and was repaired in 1848. It is even said to be haunted, which is exactly the sort of extra witness statement Detectives may wish to treat with caution.

Clitheroe Castle Museum

The Trail starts by the Main Entrance to the Castle Museum and returns there at the end, so it is an easy add-on if your team wants to keep digging into the local story after the mystery is solved. Just remember that dogs will need to be left outside if you choose to detour to the museum.

Community Rose Garden and Labyrinth

The Community Rose Garden adds a gentler clue-hunting pause, with sculptures reflecting the Ribble Valley area. Look out for the Hen Harrier, the symbol of the Forest of Bowland, the salmon native to the River Ribble and the pathway's flowing design. For an optional extra, leave the Rose Garden opposite where you entered it and take the downward path to reach a labyrinth cut in the grass - it is said to bring you luck if you walk both pathways and pause in the centre to make a wish.

Former Town Jail Entrance

Keep your Detective eyes peeled for the heavily studded door with an arched stone surround on the route. It was originally the entrance to the town jail and was in use until 1870. The cells behind are still there, though these days they are used as storage for the library rather than holding suspicious sausage saboteurs.