Doing A Treasure Hunt In York
21st September 2024 - New Experience Number 25.
Doing a treasure hunt in the place you live may not sound like it will be the most fun or the most challenging. However, we discovered it was a brilliant way to do something different with friends, the right level of taxing for the grey cells, and a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Another new thing to add towards my 52 new things in 2024!
Discovering The Treasure Hunt
I regularly look on eventbrite to see if there are any classes, workshops or events coming up that I’ve never tried before. A couple of treasure hunts came up, and whilst I originally disregarded them, I decided to have a closer look.
In the end, I went with Treasure Hunt York, a company who organise the whole game, I just needed to sign up.
About Treasure Hunt York
Different treasure hunts work in different ways; some need you to either print some clues out, or if you sign up far enough in advance they will post the print outs to you. Others need you to take part at a particular time.
The Treasure Hunt York, are a company who have organised the game.
It runs throughout the year, so you can pick the day you want to do it when you sign up. If for any reason you can’t do it on that day, they’re really flexible about changing it.
You can start the treasure hunt at any time of the day you want. They recommend doing it in daylight hours though, and I’d agree – some clues will definitely be harder to spot in the dark.
How It Works - Doing A Treasure Hunt In York
- It’s an interactive game that you play using your phone.
- You receive clues which make use of various existing artefacts within the city such as statues, inscriptions and buildings.
- You can play on your own, or in a group of up to 6. They do also provide opportunities for bigger groups.
- Solve all of the 15 clues and ultimately you’ll find the treasure! Full disclosure – there isn’t any physical treasure, but you’ll get a sweet sense of achievement when you’ve answered all of the riddles and puzzles, and you’ll get a virtual certificate!
Receiving The Clues
Clues come through on your phone. It looks, and works, a lot like WhatsApp, but it runs through a browser rather than the actual app.
If you’re struggling with any of the clues you can always ask for a hint. Beware though, hints will cost you points.
As well as maps, clues and puzzles to solve, you’ll also receive some fascinating facts about the city through your phone.
There’s a pirate theme to the overall treasure hunt, I guess pirate’s are synonymous with hunting for treasure. Reading them in a pirate voice is optional.
Something Different - Doing A Treasure Hunt In York
I roped a couple of friends in, and four of us worked together to solve the clues one September Sunday.
Some of the clues made us scratch our heads a bit harder than others, and as we’re all on the competitive side, we refused to ask for a hint! Eventually, we worked everything out, and only lost one point because we were a bit over zealous with one of our answers!
We agreed we’d stop off for a few drinks along the way, and we’re certainly not spoilt for choice of hostelries in York. We really enjoyed doing something different, and treated ourselves to some treasure of a delicious Sunday dinner when we’d solved all of the clues!
How Long Does It Take Doing A Treasure Hunt In York?
If you solve the clues correctly, the route covers around 2 miles in the city centre.
Completing it all in one go without any breaks will take around 1 and a half to 2 and a half hours.
However, because there’s no time limit, you can take as many stops as you like along the way, so if you spot a cosy coffee shop or an inviting pub, you can take a break.
Why You Should Do 'Treasure Hunt York' If You’re Visiting The City
Following the treasure hunt is a different way to find out some facts about the city.
You’ll be guided through some of the tourist hot spots, but in a way that you’ll see some of the sights and streets that many visitors miss.
It saves you having to plan what to see and when, as the clues will take you through some of the main tourist areas.
It’s a more unusual way to experience the city, and good fun too.
Why You Should Do 'Treasure Hunt York' If You’re A Local
Our team of four have all lived in York for well over 20 years. We’re very familiar with the city and know our way round. That said, the treasure hunt took us to some places that we don’t often visit, and we all discovered things we’d never seen before!
Well, whilst I knew a lot of the history, the clues were still a good challenge, one in particular got us really stumped but we were too competitive to ask for a hint!
So even if you think you know a place, you’re still likely to find something you’ve not noticed previously.
Why I'd Recommend Doing A Treasure Hunt In York
I really liked that it was a different way to see the city.
It was great to experience something a bit different with friends, and a fun way to go for a few drinks.
York is such a beautiful city with so much to see within the historic walls. Following a treasure hunt is a brilliant way to explore.
Treasure Hunt York included a discount for a place that they recommend. This came up whilst we were playing the game, and was roughly half way through. That was a really nice and touch!
They’ve organised treasure hunts in other cities in the UK, so I’m sure we’ll be doing another one when we’re on our travels!
Want To Try It Yourself?
- To follow the same treasure hunt that we did, take a look at the Treasure Hunt York website.
- They also offer treasure hunts in some other UK cities, including Bath, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Chester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Sheffield.
- Take a look on eventbrite to see if there are any other treasure hunts that might be near you
- Have a look at some of the other new things I’ve tried in York, for further ideas of what to do in the city.
- For other more unusual ideas of things to try, take a look at some of the dafter antics I’ve been up to.
Cost Of Experience
- Treasure Hunt York costs £23.99 to register.
- There is a discount available if you play the demo on the website!
- When you have completed one treasure hunt, you’ll receive a discount which you can use on the other games in the other cities too!
Recommendations
- Make sure you phone is fully charged. You’re reliant on your phone for the game so it might also be a good idea to take a power pack if you’ve got one.
- Take it at your own pace. If you’ve got the time, stop off for a drink or two, have lunch or a snack, there are plenty of places to choose from in York!
- Make it a competition. If there’s a big group of you, why not sign up as several teams and compete against each other to see who can solve the clues first.
- Take the family. It is suitable for families, so why not do something a bit different one weekend or in the holidays?
- Don’t forget to keep an eye on your belongings. It’s easy to get engrossed in the game and not notice what’s going on around you.
- Have fun, and let me know how you get on if you give it a go!
A treasure hunt sounds so fun and a great way to see the city regardless if you’re a tourist or a local. I’m curious now if there are organizations that do treasure hunts in Denmark.
Oh I hope there are some in Denmark! I don’t think I’d expected it to be quite as much fun considering I know the city, but it was genuinely a great way to spend time with friends doing something a bit different. :o) Fingers crossed you can find one!
This sounds like such a great activity and definitely something I’m going to look into doing myself. Thanks for sharing
I can hugely recommend it! Have a great time if you get to do it!
Thanks for reading, and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it.
Ok, this is COOL! Seems super fun to get some steps in and try to solve some riddles. I’d love to try this if I ever visit York (love all the historical sites you pictured!) and see if my local city offers something like this.
Thank you so much for reading, and taking the time to comment. Of course – I hadn’t thought about the step count too! Another added bonus! I hope there is one you can do near you! :o)
What a great idea. I did a treasure hunt when I was in college in Dublin but haven’t done one for years.
You have inspired me to look for ones now when I am traveling.
You get a great walk, use your brain and your competitive spirit all in one go !
Thanks for sharing this.
I think it would be brilliant to do them when travelling, it’s a different way to find out a lot about a place!
Thank you so much for reading, and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. :o)
How fun. We were in York a few years ago and loved it.
I’m so glad you had a good visit! It’s a beautiful place to live, I feel very lucky!
Thank you for reading, and taking the time to comment too.
:o)
I can understand how doing a treasure hunt where you live might not be as appealing, but I guess that depends on where you live, how big that place is, and how long you’ve lived there. It sounds like it could be a pretty fun way to get to known an area you’ve not lived in long or aren’t too familiar with
I’m glad we gave it a go and weren’t put off because we know the area. It’s a great way to do something a little different.
Thanks for the comment. :o)