Caerleon - Roman Town & Baths

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Treasure Hunt around Caerleon Roman Town & Baths, with Adventurers helping archaeologist and Roman history teacher Julia Seizure outsmart the Romans by following clues around Caerleon to track down the long-lost treasure hidden somewhere nearby.

The quest covers no more than 1.5 miles and will take up to 1.5 hours to complete. You'll begin at the Amphitheatre car park, explore Roman Caerleon, pass the National Roman Legion Museum and Roman Baths, meander by the Roman Barracks, turn into St. Cadoc's churchyard and loop back to the Amphitheatre car park where you began.

This Trail is not recommended for wheelchairs. It is fairly flat and suitable for pushchairs as long as you can cope with some uneven ground, gravel paths and grassed areas.

There are busy roads and crossings en route, so use zebra crossings where possible and keep Mini Explorers close. Take special care around the steep drops at the Amphitheatre and near the river, and around the renovations at St. Cadoc's church porch.

Allow extra time if you are combining the Trail with visits to the two museums en route, as your outing could take a lot longer.

Getting There

By car: Start your Roman quest at Amphitheatre car park, on The Broadway, a left turn off High Street (NP18 1AY). The circular route returns to the Amphitheatre car park at the end.

By public transport: Make your way to the Amphitheatre car park on The Broadway, just off High Street, to begin the treasure hunt. Once the Romans have been outsmarted, the route brings you back to the same car park area.

Need the Loo?

Toilets are available next to Caerleon Rugby Club near the start, so it is a handy comfort stop before setting off on your Roman treasure chase.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Explorers can join the adventure 🐾

The route includes busy roads and crossings, uneven ground, gravel paths, grassed areas, the Amphitheatre and riverside sections, so keep canine companions close, especially near traffic, steep drops and the river.

Food & Drink Stops

Roman treasure-hunting is hungry work. Refreshments are available in the High Street, and you can also pack refreshments for a picnic if you would rather bring your own expedition supplies.

Want to Make a Day of It?

The Amphitheatre

The Amphitheatre is right next to the car park, making it the perfect extra before or after the hunt. Julia recommends taking a walk through it if you have time. Excavated in 1926-28, it was used like other Roman Empire amphitheatres not only for 'shows' but also for troop training. It was built about the same time as the Coliseum in Rome in 80 AD, and around 30,000 tons of soil were examined and removed during the 1920s excavations.

Roman Barracks

The route meanders by the Roman Barracks, which are free to explore. Caerleon was one of only three permanent fortresses in Roman Britain, known as Isca to the Romans and covering 50 acres. These are the only remains of a Roman Legionary Barracks on view anywhere in Europe, so they are a cracking add-on for Adventurers who like their treasure hunts with proper ancient drama.

National Roman Legion Museum

The Trail passes the National Roman Legion Museum, so it is a natural extra stop for anyone who wants to keep digging into Caerleon's Roman story once the clues have been conquered.

Roman Baths Museum

The Trail also passes the Roman Baths, set back from the road opposite the Priory Hotel. You can visit if you wish to, and admission charges apply, so factor that into your plans if your squad wants to extend the outing beyond the treasure hunt.