Edinburgh's Outdoor Escape Rooms

Our City Trails are inspired by the escape room format and include physical props and puzzles. Where they differ, is rather than being stuck in a room, you're free to roam the great outdoors! They're part scavenger hunt, part treasure hunt and part self-guided walking tour.

You'll visit real historical locations from the story, completing challenging puzzles along the way. Everything you need to complete the trail can be found in a satchel that you'll collect at the beginning. You'll also be using your smartphone to interact with characters from the game.

City Trails are suitable for groups of all sizes from just two, to over 30 people! For larger group bookings, you'll be split into smaller teams and will compete against other teams from your group, adding a degree of healthy competition!

Please note that as the experience is tailored to the size of the group, it's important to select the correct group size at the time of booking.

Yes, you can always add additional group members. Drop us an email: info@escapethepast.co.uk and we'll send you a link to pay the difference. Please note that we are unable to take payments on arrival, so you'll need to ensure you have paid for any additional group members before you arrive. We regret that it isn't possible to remove group members once a booking has been made.

Yes, we just require 48 hours notice to change the date or time of your booking. Drop us an email at info@escapethepast.co.uk and we'll do the rest. Unfortunately we are unable to reschedule if we receive the request with less than 48 hours before the booking is due to take place.

Please note that refunds are not possible in any circumstance. For more details please refer to our Terms & Conditions.

Each Trail is designed to be suitable for adults and children aged 8+. Children under 8 can still come along as part of the group but as we suspect they won't get as much out of the experience, we let them play for free. Each group must contain at least one adult over the age of 18.

If you'd like more information on suitability of a specific City Trail, feel free to email us: info@escapethepast.co.uk. 

Our City Trails take place almost entirely outdoors and with Edinburgh being a Scottish city, rain is always a possibility - even in Summer! Our trails go ahead rain or shine and so we advise you to check the weather forecast in advance and dress accordingly. We can offer umbrellas and you can always duck into a cafe to shelter or dry off if needed!

We design all our City Trails to be as accessible as possible, but Edinburgh is a hilly city and some historic streets are uneven or paved with cobble stones. In some cases we suggest a slightly different route for groups requiring level access. We advise you to check a City Trails' specific page for information on accessibility, and if you've any questions, feel free to email us: info@escapethepast.co.uk. 

Our City Trails last about 2 hours but we encourage you to take it at your own pace! Why not stop for a drink or lunch along the way? Just make sure you return your satchel before the final drop off time which will be confirmed by by your Gamesmaster upon arrival.

Please ensure your whole group arrives 10 minutes before your City Trail is due to begin. We regret that we cannot always accommodate late arrivals.

Our City Trails require some navigation and problem solving skills. They should provide a moderate challenge, but in general the puzzles are a little easier than you'd find in a typical escape room, meaning they're accessible for a wide range of ages and abilities. If you get stuck, there's always help on hand!

Just like our Escape Room bookings, all our City Trail bookings are for private groups. We never combine groups, but you will be traveling through public areas and some working locations, so we ask you to be respectful and mindful of this at all times.

At present, our City Trails are available in English only. We recommend a reasonable grasp of the English language and/or the use of  a translation app for non-native speakers. We hope to launch in other languages in the near future.

Our City Trails visit real locations from Edinburgh's past and therefore involve a reasonable amount of walking, typically 3-5km. We suggest that you check a City Trails' landing page for information on length and duration. If you've any questions, feel free to email us: info@escapethepast.co.uk. 

Yes - we encourage you to make a day of it! When you pick up a City Trail satchel, you'll be advised of the deadline for dropping it off again. This is typically longer than the 2 hours you'll likely need to complete it and you should therefore have time to stop for coffee or a spot of lunch en-route.

Our Trails take place in Edinburgh's city centre, so you're unlikely to get completely lost! If you can't find your way, our a chatbot will give clues and help get you back on track. If you're completely lost, you can always give us a call on the number provided.

We do have toilets at our venue but during your City Trail you'll be walking through various parts of Edinburgh's city centre. While there are several public toilets available, you may find it easier to use the facilities of a cafe or restaurant on the route.

During your City Trail you'll be almost entirely outdoors and may walk up to 5km. We therefore suggest wearing comfortable clothing, supportive shoes and checking the weather forecast in advance to ensure you're dressed appropriately. If it's raining, we can offer umbrellas (subject to availability).

Yes! We're the perfect Edinburgh activity for Stag and Hen do's who want a fun and informaitive experience they can take at their own pace. Plus, we can accommodate large groups of up to 30 people! To ensure a fun and safe experience, we just ask that you don't attend under the influence of alcohol, and always follow the instructions given to you by our Gamesmaster.

Our Outdoor Escape Rooms are suitable for well behaved dogs provided they're kept on a lead and you follow any relevant signs at the various locations along the route. A City Trail is therefore the perfect way to combine puzzle solving with walkies!

We think our City Trails are best enjoyed as part of a group. However, if you're keen to take it on as a team of one then we can tailor the experience for you. Please contact us for more information.

We’re working on more Edinburgh City Trails! Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear the latest news from Escape The Past, and why not follow us on our socials?