By Lucy Corkhill
17th July 2013
One of the most interesting aspects was how often we had walked past a plaque or building without really noticing it – searching for the answers had us looking up, down and around at the landmarks we’d grown to take for granted.
A treasure hunt can be a great way to discover a new town or city, perfect for holidays and get-aways. There are lots of treasure hunts available online, and you could even design your own. My nieces and I opted for a Huntfun treasure hunt – we paid for it (about £4.99) and downloaded it online, then printed it out. They also send treasure hunts in the post (which you can get personalised if it’s for a birthday or other celebration), or they now have a fully interactive GPS version you can do on a smart phone or hand held device, if you’re looking for an instant activity.
Here are some of the treasure hunt companies you can find online:
Treasure Trails currently have over 1,100 Treasure Trails throughout the UK and are writing more every day. Spending quality time together on a family walk or having a fun day out with friends are what their cycling, driving and walking Trails are all about. There are three different types of Trail: Treasure Hunt, Murder Mystery and Spy Mission. Each Trail costs £6.99.
Quests Online has a basic set up that enables you to run a Treasure Hunt yourself —Instructions, Storyline, Clues, Answer Sheets, Solutions, Treasure Map (where relevant) —and they also provide a themed free Party Planner Package for many of the hunts to add more fun to your special occasion. These hunts can be done anywhere. Prices start at £10.
Treasuredays offer a variety of hunts in different locations, from walking City Treasure Hunts, car-based Rural Treasure Hunts, to treasure hunt games for the kids at home, so there’s entertainment available whatever the weather. You can also buy their hunts on Kindle. £6.81 for their Bath Family Treasure Hunt Kindle edition.
UK: The Game is a brand new way to explore UK’s sights and streets – by way of a mobile phone treasure hunt. As far as I can tell from their website, there are only four ‘zones’ and all are in London so it’s not quite a ‘UK’ treasure hunt as promised! But it gets rave reviews from families who’ve enjoyed it together. £15.
Hidden City is an experience where you solve a trail of clues sent to you by text message. Discover quirky shops, stylish bars and tucked-away pubs. You can contact them to check that the route you choose is child-friendly. £16 per team.
