Wallingford - Castle Meadows & Town

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Wallingford Castle Meadows & Town, with Detectives helping Dr Art E Fakz after he has been attacked at his Castle Meadows dig - follow the Trail, solve the clues and work out who buried his big discovery.

The investigation covers approximately 2.5 miles and should take around 2.5+ hours to complete. You'll start outside the Town Hall in Market Place, explore the town centre, follow the tow path and investigate Castle Meadows before looping back into Market Place, so you finish back where you started.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The route uses the town centre, tow path and Castle Meadows, and it may be muddy in winter months or after rain. The route may also be affected by flooding, which can make several clues inaccessible.

Take care near the pond, where the water and mud are very deep, and supervise children closely. Keep dogs on leads there, cross roads carefully throughout the route, including when heading back into town, and only visit Castle Gardens if the gardens are open.

Getting There

By car: Start the investigation outside the Town Hall in Market Place (OX10 0EG). Park at Cattlemarket pay and display (OX10 0AU), which is recommended for the Trail. Public toilets are available in the Cattle Market car park near Clue 02.

By public transport: Make your way to Market Place in Wallingford, then head for the Town Hall to begin the case. The circular route brings you back into Market Place once the evidence has been pieced together.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are available in the Cattle Market car park (OX10 0AU), near Clue 02 - a useful early comfort stop before the investigation heads deeper into town, tow path and meadow territory.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives can join the investigation, with a couple of important restrictions. 🐾

Dogs are not allowed in the castle gardens, and they should be kept on leads near the pond. The route also includes roads, the tow path, Castle Meadows, deep water and mud near the pond, and potentially muddy ground in winter months or after rain, so keep canine colleagues close and under control throughout.

Food & Drink Stops

Detective work is hungry business, especially when buried discoveries and suspicious dig-site drama are involved.

There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in and around Market Place, and you will pass a number of pubs along the route. If the weather is fine, Castle Meadows is suggested as a picnic spot for a well-earned pause in the case.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Castle Gardens

If you have time and the gardens are open, you can take a break and wander around Castle Gardens before returning to the investigation. Just remember that dogs are not permitted in the gardens, so plan your squad accordingly.

Wallingford Castle

Wallingford's castle story reaches right back to 1066, when William the Conqueror came to Wallingford fresh from winning the Battle of Hastings and instructed that a castle be built here. The route also points towards a quiet cloister and an infamous dungeon linked with the castle - ideal extras for Detectives who like their history with a hint of menace.

St Leonard's Church

As you pass through St Leonard's Lane, take a moment to admire St Leonard's Church, described as the oldest of the three surviving parish churches in Wallingford. It's a peaceful historic pause amid all the clue-cracking.

The George Hotel

The George Hotel brings a dash of highwayman drama to the route. It was reputedly Dick Turpin's favourite coaching inn, where he could sleep soundly in a small room overlooking the yard and make a quick getaway if needed. Suspicious behaviour? Almost certainly.

Market Place

Market Place is more than just the start and finish of the investigation. This historic town-centre setting has strong links to Wallingford's history, and the curfew bell still tolls just before 9pm - a properly atmospheric detail if your day in town stretches into the evening.