About the game

The iconic city of Newcastle upon Tyne was founded as a Roman fort on Hardian’s Wall way back in 122AD. Today, it’s most well known for it’s beauitful river and industrial heritage. This game is going to show you the best of it all!

It’s perfect for an afternoon out, especially with a few drinks along the way.

Starting at the towering Grey’s Monument, you’ll duck through arcades and explore stunning streets before taking a turn down by the lively Quayside and snake back into the city centre.

By searching for clues across the city, you’ll discover hidden treasure you never knew existed!

What you’ll do

You’ll be led around the city by Captain Bess, a snarky pirate who’s testing out new recruits to join her ship!

Bess will send a series of maps, clues and directions. You follow the map and solve the clue by searching your surroundings. When you get the right answer, you’ll move on to the next place.

Don’t worry, if you get stuck you can ask for a hint and Bess’ll get you on your way!

What you’ll see

Along the way you’ll see lots of sights and Bess will tell you some fun facts about some of them. It’s a perfect way of discovering things you might want to come back to.

• Tyne Bridge - the most iconic and celebrate of the bridges spanning the Tyne!
• Grey's Monument - built to commemorate Earl Grey, a political from Newcastle who went on to become Prime Minister.
• The City Walls - the remains of a medieval defensive wall built when the North was under threat of invasion from Scotland!
• Black Gate - A fortified gatehouse part of Newcastle's Castle, now a fascinating museum room.
• Central Arcade - a stunning shopping arcade, rebuilt in an Edwardian Style at the end of the 19th Century.
• Former Co-op Building - a magnificent art deco building, this was once of of the city's most elegant shopping outlets.
• The Quayside - a lively spot with spectacular vies of the Tyne and interesting historic houses.
• Blackfriars Medieval Friary - establish in the 13th Century, this is one of the oldest buildings in Newcastle. Once one of the large friaries in the country!
• Lit & Phil - stepping inside this magnificent independent library is like stepping back in time!
• St Nicholas Cathedral - located in the heart of the city, it's recently reopened after a major refurbishment and is stunning.
• Grey Street - renowned for its beautiful Georgian architecture this street is one of the most beautiful in the country!
• Theatre Royal - a leading theatre in the North East, each year it hosts over 300 shows!

What else you should know

• Take your time—it’s more enjoyable to see everything at your own pace. There's a scheduled break around half-way, but you can take your own breaks if you prefer.
• Aim to finish before sunset—it's near impossible to find clues in the dark! Check the sunset time
• You can play in 2 parts—if it suits your plans, you can pause the game and come back after lunch or even the next day.
• Bess will be scoring you! Your score is the number of clues you got right first time, without a hint. The score is only for your satisfaction, so don’t struggle needlessly!

How the game works

The game works a bit like a WhatsApp group, but on a web page instead. You don’t need to download anything and it doesn’t need any permissions.

Before you’re due to start, we’ll send you a link to the game. Open the link to join the game and share it with your team so they can join too.

Once you’re ready, Captain Bess will tell you what to do next.

What to bring

• Smartphones with mobile data and full batteries. (It’s OK to share, but it works better if everyone has their own phone.)
• Shoes for walking 2½ miles.
• Waterproofs in case of bad weather.
• Wit, cunning and an adventurous spirit!

Accessibility

We've designed the game to be step-free around the whole route. The recommended pubs at half-way and at the end of the game have step-free front access and an accessible toilet.

Here's more information about the accessibility of the game

We are currently looking for wheelchair users to play-test the game before we call it "wheelchair friendly".

If you'd like to test the game, please get in touch!