Elementary! Treasure trail in Stirling brings out the Sherlock in young and old
Budding detectives are in with a chance of winning £100 by solving a mystery in the heart of Stirling.
Clues dotted around a two-mile route will put your powers of deduction to the test in a fiendishly fun whodunnit.
Treasure Trails is an awardwinning enterprise that offers more than 1,000 such walks across the UK.
Simply buy your trail booklet online, then either print at home or select one to be sent to you – deerstalker hat and magnifying glass are not included.
It is a fantastic way to get children away from their consoles and tablets and out into the fresh air where they can burn off some energy exploring and solving puzzles.
In fact, the trails are suitable for all ages, from six to 106.
Each self-guided walk has the theme of either spy mission, treasure hunt or detective mystery, and each theme also features an optional, free-of-charge club your child can join.
Perfect for four to eightyear-olds, the clubs include activities to keep kids entertained while travelling to and from the walk.
The Detective Mystery Trail in Stirling begins at the Old Town Jail.
While you’re there, why not take in one of the immersive live performance tours that run every 30 minutes?
You can also explore the cells, visit the Scene Of The Crime exhibition, and enjoy panoramic views from the observation tower.
You then proceed up the cobbled St John Street towards the magnificent Church of the Holy Rude. After the castle, it is the oldest building in the town.
It was here that the infant James VI was crowned king of Scotland after the forced abdication of his mother Mary, Queen of Scots.
The trail then takes you along the historic Back Walk to the Smith Art Gallery and Museum. The attraction features more than 40,000 objects, artworks and photographs to fire the imagination.
The Smith Cafe – open Wednesday to Sunday – is also the ideal place for ace investigators to recharge and review their progress in cracking the case.
The trail then takes in King Street, Friars Street, St Mary’s Wynd and Bow Street, before concluding where it began.
If at any point, the sleuths in your party are scratching their heads in puzzlement there is a mobile phone text service providing clue answers.
Minus visits to attractions, the walk takes two hours.
Correct answers are entered into a monthly £100 prize draw.