Stirling - Castle, Halls & Centre

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Stirling Castle, Halls & Centre, with Detectives investigating the death of world famous archaeologist Dusty Rocks, who has been found dead in a hotel room in Stirling, and following the Trail of Clues around the town to work out whodunnit.

The investigation covers 2 miles and should take around 2 hours to complete. You'll start outside the Old Town Jail on St John Street, work through the castle area, pass the Church of the Holy Rude and Cowane's Hospital, head through the churchyard and nearby Back Walk, call in at the Smith Museum and Art Gallery around Clue 10, continue towards Port Street after Clue 14, then loop back towards where you began, ending back on St John Street near the starting area.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The route has quite a few steep hills and some cobbles, including a steep hill up Irvine Place and a cobbled path on the route.

Take care on the hills and cobbles, and keep Junior Detectives close while you watch out for suspicious characters in the area. If you wish, you could continue up the road to reach Stirling Castle after the cemetery.

Getting There

By car: Start your investigation outside the Old Town Jail on St John Street (FK8 1EA). For parking, Forthside car park (FK7 7SD) has paid parking for your squad car, and Wellgreen car park (FK8 2DZ) also has paid parking for your squad car. Castleview Park and Ride facility (FK9 7TW) is another alternative parking option.

By public transport: Make your way to the Old Town Jail on St John Street (FK8 1EA) to begin the case outside it. The circular route loops back towards where you began, ending back on St John Street near the starting area.

Need the Loo?

Toilets are available at the Smith Museum and Art Gallery at Clue 10, making it a handy comfort stop part way through the investigation.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives are welcome on this case. 🐾

The route includes quite a few steep hills and some cobbles, including the steep climb up Irvine Place and a cobbled path, so keep canine colleagues close and steady under paw while you work the evidence.

Food & Drink Stops

The Smith Museum and Art Gallery has a café, described as open Wed to Sun, so check opening hours before setting off if you're planning a stop there. From Port Street after Clue 14 onwards, there are plenty of cafes and shops for refuelling your detective squad.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Stirling Castle

If you wish, you could continue up the road to reach Stirling Castle after the cemetery. Before the union with England, this was one of the most used of the Scottish royal residences, and several Scottish kings and queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots in 1542. It is beautifully restored and well worth a visit once you've done the crime-solving.

Church of the Holy Rude

The case passes the Church of the Holy Rude in the castle area, then takes you through the churchyard and nearby Back Walk. Keep an eye out for the 'Rude' plaque that shares the church's name while you pause to take in this historic corner of the route.

Cowane's Hospital

The route also passes Cowane's Hospital, where the scene does not quite look the same now. The bowling green plaque can still be seen, giving sharp-eyed Detectives another little piece of local evidence to examine.

Smith Art Gallery and Museum

The Smith Art Gallery and Museum is a useful stop on the route for both toilets and the café, but it also has a cracking local treasure inside. The Stirling Jug is housed here - the liquid measure by which all other Scottish measures were standardised, instituted in 1457 and not superseded until Imperial measures were introduced in 1707.

King's and Queen's Knots

Look out for the King's and Queen's Knots, the remnants of royal pleasure gardens visible from the route. The King's Knot, locally nicknamed the 'cup-and-saucer', is an octagonal stepped mound reshaped in 1627-29 ahead of Charles I's visit, and the gardens were once bright with flowers, hedges and perhaps fountains.