St Andrews - Town & Castle

Essential Intel

Please be aware that when The Open is on, some clues may be obstructed.

Several streets have little or no pavements, so be prepared for careful road walking and keep younger Detectives close in busy areas.

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around St Andrews Town & Castle, with Detectives helping DCI Inky Quill work through the clues after Paige Turner is found collapsed at the Old Course following an anonymous tip-off accusing her of plagiarism.

The investigation covers around two miles and should take 2 hours to complete. You'll begin at Bruce Embankment Car Park in Golf Place, then follow the trail around West Sands and the Links, through the town centre and past historic sites including the World Golf Museum, West Port, The Scores, the University of St Andrews buildings and St. Rule's Tower, before finishing back at your squad car.

This Trail is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The route is along good ground, but it does go uphill in places and there are several streets with little or no pavements.

The case also involves pedestrian traffic lights, zebra crossings, no entry streets and sections where the road should be kept on your left, so treat the route with care in busy areas.

Getting There

By car: Start your investigation at Bruce Embankment Car Park in Golf Place (KY16 9AB). The Trail finishes back at your squad car at Bruce Embankment Car Park.

By public transport: Make your way to Bruce Embankment Car Park in Golf Place to begin the investigation. Once the final clues have been examined, the circular route brings you back to the same starting area.

Need the Loo?

Toilets are available at the start and at Clues 15-16, giving your Detective squad a couple of useful comfort-stop opportunities during the case.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives are welcome to join the investigation 🐾

Dogs should be kept under control and not allowed to run ahead, especially where there are streets with little or no pavements. The route also includes road crossings, busier areas, uphill sections and time around West Sands and the Links, so keep canine colleagues close throughout.

Food & Drink Stops

Solving a plagiarism-packed mystery calls for proper supplies. There are plenty of refreshment stops and snack shops along the way, with cafes in Bell Street from Clue 07.

You can also pack a picnic to enjoy on the beach at the end, once the evidence has been gathered and the final page of the case is in sight.

Want to Make a Day of It?

West Sands and the Links

The route takes you around West Sands and the Links, making the coastal setting a big part of the investigation. With a picnic option on the beach at the end, it's a natural place to slow down once DCI Inky Quill's case has been worked through.

World Golf Museum

The investigation begins by the World Golf Museum, one of the first places passed on the Trail. Keep an eye out for the Faces of Golf display as your squad starts gathering evidence near the opening clues.

West Port

West Port was built in 1587 by Thomas Robertson, using an earlier gate on the site. More of a symbol than a fortification, it is the only gate in St Andrews still standing - a fine old survivor for Detectives to inspect between clues.

St. Rule's Tower

St. Rule's Tower stands 108ft high and gives a panoramic view over the town, harbour and beyond. Access to the tower is obtained at the cathedral visitor centre, and St. Rule is credited with having brought the relics of St. Andrew to this area around AD390.

University of St Andrews

The Scores takes you past the impressive buildings of the University of St Andrews, Scotland's first university and the third oldest in the English-speaking world. Founded in 1413, it has been educating students for over 600 years - plenty of academic atmosphere for a mystery about suspicious writing.