Stoke Newington - Clissold Park Lion Hunt

Essential Intel

This is a linear Trail, so plan your return to Dalston before you set off. After finishing, you can get back by walking an extra 1.5 miles or by taking a bus back to the station.

Navigating The Route

This is a linear Treasure Hunt from Dalston to Stoke Newington's Church Street via Clissold Park, with The Exploration Society needing you to follow Oliver Crackattit's letters and map, crack the clues and track down his lost manuscript while avoiding hungry lions.

The quest covers 2 miles and should take around 2 hours to complete. You'll start outside Dalston Junction station on Dalston Lane, make a gentle trek through back streets from Dalston to Stoke Newington's Church Street, explore Clissold Park around Clues 12-16, then continue towards Church Street for the final stretch of lion-dodging investigation.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. Explorers with pushchairs should be ready for a long push up Swains Lane.

The route uses marked crossings, traffic islands and zebra crossings along residential streets. There are a number of streets to cross, mostly residential, so use marked crossings wherever available and keep an eye on children and dogs when looking for clues.

Getting There

By car: Start outside Dalston Junction station on Dalston Lane (E8 3DE). This is a linear quest, so remember to plan your return to Dalston after the final clues.

By public transport: Reach the expedition zone via the London Overground, starting outside Dalston Junction station. After finishing, you can return to Dalston by walking an extra 1.5 miles or by taking a bus back to the station.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are available near Clue 15 in Clissold Park, making the park section a handy comfort stop during the hunt.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

If you're bringing scout dogs on the expedition, keep them close throughout. 🐾

The route includes residential streets, marked crossings, traffic islands, zebra crossings, park paths and a long push up Swains Lane, so take care around roads and when everyone is busy searching for clues.

Food & Drink Stops

Lion-hunting is thirsty work, and there are plenty of chances to stop for refreshments and stock up on snacks towards the end of the route.

Ridley Road market may have stalls selling provisions if it is operating. Clissold House is a nice place to stop for refreshment, Church Street has lots of cafes, and Clissold Park makes a good picnic spot around Clues 12-16.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Clissold Park

Clissold Park is the main pause-and-play point on this expedition, with picnic space around Clues 12-16 and public toilets near Clue 15. The route also passes the deer enclosure, butterflies, a drinking fountain and the park entrance, so it's a cracking place to slow the pace once the lions have been given the slip.

Clissold House

The route passes around Clissold House and nearby memorials before continuing towards Church Street. It is described as a nice place to stop for refreshment, making it a useful refuelling station for Explorers who have been tracking manuscripts, maps and suspiciously lion-shaped clues.

Church Street

Church Street is a key part of the Trail, with lots of cafes and several clues along the way. It was home to the world's first school bus, organised in the 19th century by the Quaker school Newington Academy for Girls to take them to the Gracechurch Street Meetinghouse for worship.

Abney Park Cemetery

About 200 metres further along Church Street is Abney Park Cemetery, where another life-sized lion sleeps on top of the last resting place of Frank Bostock, a famous Victorian lion tamer. The Trail says he was credited with discovering that lions are afraid of wooden chairs - handy intel for any Explorer still feeling nervous after the hunt.