What is a Treasure Trail?

Unsure what a Treasure Trail is, how it all works, who it's for and whether there really is any long lost treasure? Well hopefully we'll answer all your queries on this page, but if we don't then please just get in touch.

If you are new to Treasure Trails - it is a slightly unusual concept to get your head around - our first recommendation is to watch our 90 second video!

Can't or don't want to watch the video?!

A Treasure Trail is an imaginative way to explore towns, cities & villages across the UK with a self-guided themed walk.

An easy to follow route will enable you to crack the clues whilst taking in some of the most fascinating sights along the way.

We have over 1,000 Trails across the UK, and it doesn't matter if you're local, or visiting somewhere new for the first time.

By solving the fiendish clues on the Trail, you'll be discovering whodunit, finding the location of the buried treasure, or completing the mission like a true secret agent.

The Trails are great for seeing a location from a new perspective, whatever age, whatever the weather!

Trails can be downloaded at anytime day or night for you to print off at home, or we can pop one in the post for you.

Priced at just £9.99 (plus any P&P), you only need one Trail booklet per family/group of up to 4-5 people.

Starting to get there? Let me expand a little more on the way the Trail works

Every Trail is self-guided. There are no restrictions (aside from daylight) as to when you can do them. We are not there to meet you, so you can do them whenever you like, with whoever you like.

Each Trail is an A5 booklet of 8 pages. We have three themes; Murder Mystery, Treasure Hunt and Spy Mission. A Trail will be one of those three themes – it is random as to which - the Trail Writer will have decided this!

The themes

The theme is great fun as it allows us to create a story around the treasure hunt. Basically, you are solving a series of clues (normally 20-25) to solve the mystery whilst taking in a scenic walk (on average around 2 miles)...

Trail mechanics

Every Trail has instructions on how to solve the Trail mystery and where to start, so you don't need a map or any prior local knowledge - just double check your start location before you arrive...

Who are the Trails for?

The Trails really are for all ages...

Pushchair and wheelchair accessibility of the Trails

We have tried our hardest to ensure that all the Trails are accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs...

Difficulty of walk on the Trails

The Trails are generally set as gentle walks...

Driving and cycling Trails

85% of our Trails are just good old fashioned walking Trails, but we have also written some driving and cycling Trails...

Want to bring Rover, the lovable Jack Russell?

We are often asked if Trails are suitable for dogs...

More than 5 people going on your Trail?

The Trails work really well for small groups of 2-5 people. The idea is that you all work off the one Trail booklet so that you work together as a team. If there are more of you than 5, there are a couple of things we suggest to make your Trail experience better...

How to find the Trail you want and get it pronto

Easy peasy!

Using either the blue search box above or the main menu at the top of the web page (choose the 'Buy a Trail' option), you can see the Trails close to where you would like to explore...

Don't worry if you get stuck on a clue...

...as we have invested in something we call the SMS 'Stuck on a clue' helpline. This is a service we set up to ensure that no Trail goes unsolved...

Trail format

We offer the Trail to you in two different formats, plus the facility to personalise the Trail. Want the Trail now...

The downloadable version of the Trail is all back-to-front!

Don't worry, this is normal - the idea is that you print the Trail off at home onto A4 sheets of paper and then fold the sheets in half to create an A5 booklet...

Trail and delivery price

The standard Trails cost £9.99 with the personalised version at £14.48 Here's how much your Trail will cost you...

Completed the Trail?

Enter your answer online for a chance to win £100 and download your certificate for the kids (big and small!)...

Top Trail tip - don't buy your Trail too far in advance

We all like to be organised, but as Trails do sometimes have to be updated due to changes in the clue answer material, we advise you not to buy a Trail too far in advance. A couple of weeks is usually spot on, a couple of months will probably be ok, but a couple of years? Well, it's highly likely that the location will have changed and consequently we will have updated the Trail clues. We really don't want you going on a Trail which has been updated as this could cause unnecessary frustration if you are trying to solve a clue that has long since been replaced and already updated by us.

Got a bright young spark in the house?

Our Trails can go towards your child's Children's University Passport. If you want more details about how to get your stamp, or have no idea what we are talking about but would like to find out more, then have a look at our Children's University page...

Need to convince a grumpy spouse or child? Here are our tips...

If your spouse would rather stay indoors and watch the football or Celebrity Big Brother, or your offspring can't bear the thought of looking at something other than their phone, then try one of our carefully worded phrases...