Dunster - Castle & Gardens

Essential Intel

Some of the clues in this Trail are in areas of restricted opening hours, so the investigation should preferably be done during the hours of 10.30am to 5.30pm to allow full access to them all.

There are some steep hills and cobbled pavements to negotiate as you patrol around. A couple of clues, Clues 05 and 06, are in an area of restricted access for dogs.

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Dunster Castle & Gardens, with Detectives helping DCI Inky Quill piece together the suspects and clues after mystery writer Paige Turner is found collapsed in the library archives following accusations of plagiarism.

The investigation covers approximately 1.7 miles and should take around 2 hours to complete. You'll start at the main village car park on Dunster Steep, patrol through the village, investigate Priory Green, pass through The Memorial Garden and Ancient Priory Gardens, visit the castle entrance area, then loop back through the village to the starting area.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. There are some steep hills and cobbled pavements to negotiate, along with narrow roads with no pavements, some uneven and slippery cobbled pavement, short stretches of road with no pavement and a bridge section to cross carefully.

Stay alert for vehicles on the narrow no-pavement sections, keep to single file where needed, and keep Mini Detectives close while the case is unfolding.

Getting There

By car: Begin the case at the main village car park on Dunster Steep, first car park on the left as you head up the hill (TA24 6AS), using ///ironic.final.cinemas.

By public transport: Make your way to the main village car park on Dunster Steep to begin the investigation. The circular route loops back through the village and returns to the starting area.

Need the Loo?

Toilets are available at the castle, so plan your comfort break around that point in the investigation.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Plan carefully if four-legged Detectives are joining your squad. 🐾

Dogs are not allowed in the area of Clues 05 and 06. The route also includes steep hills, cobbled and uneven pavements, narrow roads with no pavements, short no-pavement stretches and a bridge section, so keep canine companions close around traffic and trickier surfaces.

Food & Drink Stops

Clue-cracking can work up an appetite. You will pass some shops and tearooms along the way, so there are chances to pick up provisions during the case.

If you would rather pack your own supplies, Clues 4 to 5 are a good spot to enjoy a picnic along the route.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Dunster Castle

The castle entrance is on the route, making it the headline extra for Detectives who like a little drama with their evidence. Top castle intel says up to 60 rare Lesser Horseshoe bats frequent a sealed-off turret in the Tenants Hall each summer, while local ghost stories feature a man in green, a grey lady, a headless horseman and a crying child near the nursery.

Ancient Priory Gardens and The Memorial Garden

The investigation passes through The Memorial Garden before continuing into the Ancient Priory Gardens, entered through a big metal gate between the Tithe Barn and the information boards. Take a slower wander here once the immediate clue pressure is off, and look out for the large memorial plaque in The Memorial Garden.

The Dunster Buttercross

Optional detour: if you head right from the end of Priory Green and follow the hill for about 240 metres, you'll find The Dunster Buttercross on the outskirts of the village. It was originally erected on the main street, moved to this location around 1825, and is thought to date from the 15th century. It would have been around 6 metres high.

Dunster Dovecote and the Medieval Village

The Dunster Dovecote information board appears on the route and gives some tasty historical context for the village. Dunster is often described as a perfectly preserved medieval village, but much of its 'olde worlde' vibe actually stems from Victorian romanticism, when the Luttrell family gave the place a tidy-up to make it look more ancient than it was. Very suspicious behaviour, Detectives.