Alnwick - Wizard Landmarks

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Alnwick's wizard landmarks, with Detectives helping Detective Inspector Hocus-Pocus investigate Joy Merryman's mysterious death and help identify the guilty sorcerer.

The investigation covers approximately 1 miles and should take around 1.5 hours to complete. You'll begin in Market Place, examine the cobbled Market Square and Market Cross, head close to the castle walls and large castle gates, investigate Bailiffgate, St Michael's Church, Northumberland Street and Pottergate Tower, then loop back to The Market Square / Market Place via the passage under the clock tower.

This Trail is wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. Watch out for uneven paving, the cobbled market square, diagonal cobbles across the Market Place and road crossings. One direction box also offers a step-free alternative through the passage under the clock tower.

Take care around traffic on Bailiffgate and Northumberland Street, and on roads where cars may be coming up the hill from the right. Keep to the pavement or right-hand side of the road where directed.

Getting There

By car: Start the case at Market Place, Alnwick (NE66 1TN). Greenwell Road car park (NE66 1SF) is an alternative parking option. A magical parking disc can be bought for £1 at local shops, which grants free parking here and at other car parks.

By public transport: Make your way to Market Place, Alnwick (NE66 1TN) to begin the investigation. The circular route brings you back to The Market Square / Market Place once the sorcerous evidence has been gathered.

Need the Loo?

Public toilets are available at Greenwell Road Car Park or in the market place, The Shambles, at the start and end of the Trail.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Detectives are welcome on this magical investigation 🐾

The route includes uneven paving, a cobbled market square, road crossings and stretches with traffic on Bailiffgate and Northumberland Street, so keep canine colleagues close, especially where cars may be coming up the hill from the right.

Food & Drink Stops

Spell-breaking can work up an appetite, but you'll never be far from snack stops as you investigate Alnwick's wizard landmarks.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Market Square and Market Cross

The Market Square is the hub of the town and has been a place of trade, entertainment and also wizardry for hundreds of years. Keep an eye on the Market Cross too - its stem dates back to the Middle Ages, making it a properly ancient piece of evidence.

Alnwick Castle

The route passes close to the castle walls and large castle gates, giving Detectives a tempting extra to investigate. Parts of Harry Potter, Transformers, Downton Abbey and Blackadder were filmed here, and the Poison Garden within the walls is full of toxic plants there for important research purposes.

St Michael's Church

The Trail enters the gates of St Michael's Church, a 600 year old church with gravestones and plenty of historic atmosphere. Look out for the unusual turret on the right side of the church, once used as a lookout to see when Scottish visitors may pay a visit.

Bailiffgate

Bailiffgate is described as the oldest street in Alnwick, so it deserves a slower look once the magical culprit is safely cornered. In 1424, the street and most of the town was burned by Scottish raiders, prompting plans for town walls - though funding came too late to prevent a second burning in 1448.

Pottergate Tower

Pottergate Tower is woven into the investigation itself, with Detectives inspecting it for evidence of recent magic before heading through it. Nearby, there's a grassy area at the bottom of Pottergate, plus the shortcut passage under the clock tower back to the Market Square.