Scarborough Mystery Walk
Scarborough Mystery Walk – The Secret of Smugglers’ Cove
A missing map, a mysterious smugglers’ tunnel and twelve clues hidden around Scarborough’s Old Town. Can you solve the case?
There’s a mystery waiting to be solved in Scarborough, and this time we need your help.
Our latest White Shire Mystery Walk, The Secret of Smugglers’ Cove, takes you around Scarborough’s Old Town on a free, interactive adventure.
A hand-drawn map that could reveal the location of a legendary smugglers’ tunnel has disappeared. Nobody seems to know where it's gone, and there are several suspects who might know more than they're letting on.
Inspectors Hugh Dunnit and Sue Them have been called in to investigate, but they need a few extra detectives.
That's where you come in.
Scarborough Mystery Walk at a Glance
Distance: Approximately 1.3 miles
Time: Allow 1–2 hours
Cost: Free
Age: Suitable for all ages, although there are quite a lot of steps
Starting point: St Helen's Square, Scarborough, YO11 1EU
Route: Circular mystery walk around Scarborough's Old Town
What you need: A smartphone with internet access
There's no admission charge, and you don't need to book.
A Mystery Among Scarborough's Old Streets
Scarborough has been welcoming visitors for generations, but there's much more to the town than the beaches, harbour and traditional seaside attractions.
Behind the busy seafront are old streets, narrow passages, interesting buildings and plenty of history.
That's what makes Scarborough such a good place for a Mystery Walk.
Rather than simply following a walking route, you'll be looking for clues, examining evidence and trying to work out what happened to the missing map.
There are twelve stops to complete, each bringing you a little closer to solving the case.
Along the way, you'll have to pay attention to your surroundings. Some clues involve details that are easy to overlook when you're simply walking through town.
And don't forget: appearances can be deceptive.
Meet Inspectors Hugh Dunnit and Sue Them
Our two inspectors have another case on their hands.
A valuable hand-drawn map has vanished, and the mystery surrounding Scarborough's legendary smugglers' tunnels has only deepened.
There are suspects to investigate and evidence to examine.
As you work your way through the twelve stops, you'll gradually eliminate suspects and pieces of evidence.
Each elimination is marked as you progress, helping you keep track of the investigation.
By the time you reach the final stop, you should have just one suspect and one piece of evidence remaining.
Will they lead you to the right answer?
We're not giving anything away here.
How We Created the Scarborough Mystery Walk
Lyn and I spent a long weekend in Scarborough exploring the town and working out the route for this latest mystery.
We stayed near Scarborough Castle, which gave us a good base for getting around on foot.
One of our main reasons for visiting was to find suitable locations for the clues.
We spent time exploring Scarborough's older streets and passages, including St Sepulchre Street, Dog & Duck Lane, Salmon Steps and The Bolts.
We also visited Scarborough Market Hall and the Vaults beneath it.
What we particularly enjoy about putting these walks together is noticing things that are easily missed.
An old sign, an unusual feature on a building or a detail tucked away in a side street can become part of the investigation.
We need to walk the area ourselves, work out where the clues could go and make sure the route works on the ground.
If you'd like to read about that weekend, including where we stayed and the other places we explored, have a look at A Long Weekend in Scarborough.
Scarborough Market Hall and the Old Town
One of the places we enjoyed exploring was Scarborough Market Hall.
The market has been part of the town since the nineteenth century, and today you'll find independent businesses and traders inside.
Downstairs are the Vaults, another interesting part of Scarborough that visitors might easily miss.
It's somewhere worth having a look around while you're exploring the town.
You can find more information on our Scarborough Market Hall and Vaults visitor page.
And if you're planning a longer visit, our Scarborough Town Hub brings together places to visit, cafés, pubs, walks, attractions and local information.
How to Play the Mystery Walk
Everything runs on your smartphone.
Start at St Helen's Square, open the Mystery Walk and follow the story.
At each stop, you'll be given a clue or something to investigate.
When you've worked out the answer, you'll eliminate a suspect or piece of evidence before moving on.
Your eliminations remain visible as you progress, so you can keep track of who and what you've ruled out.
You don't need to download a separate app to play.
The investigation opens in your phone's browser, and the story and instructions guide you through the mystery.
We've also recorded the route on Komoot, so there's a map available if you need help finding your way.
Make a Day of It in Scarborough
The Mystery Walk takes around one to two hours, depending on how quickly you solve the clues and how much time you spend exploring.
There's no reason to rush.
Once you've finished, you could have a wander around the shops, stop for something to eat or discover a little more of Scarborough.
If you fancy a longer walk, we've also recorded our 4.43-mile Scarborough Circular Walk.
That route is a separate outing, taking in the castle area, North Bay and Peasholm Park.
It's a good way to see another side of Scarborough while you're there.
For current events and entertainment, have a look at What's On in North Yorkshire.
More Yorkshire Mysteries to Solve
Scarborough isn't our first Mystery Walk.
We started with Ackworth in West Yorkshire, where another investigation awaits anyone who fancies giving their detective skills a go.
You can find both adventures on our Yorkshire Mystery Walks page.
The idea is straightforward: explore somewhere interesting, enjoy a walk and have a mystery to solve along the way.
We'd like these adventures to encourage people to discover more of Yorkshire, including places and streets they might otherwise walk straight past.
Are You Ready to Solve the Secret of Smugglers' Cove?
The map has vanished.
The suspects are waiting.
And somewhere around Scarborough's Old Town are the clues that could solve the mystery.
Whether you're visiting Scarborough for the day, spending a weekend on the Yorkshire coast or looking for something different to do with the family, our Mystery Walk is free to enjoy.
All you need is your phone and a bit of detective work.
Can you discover who took the missing map?
Created by Mick and Lyn at The White Shire.
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