I get it: we’re all bored. I adore Bristol, but even I’m running out of things to do to spice up life in the city thanks to ‘rona restrictions. But Easter’s here, and we need to make the most of it – socially distanced, of course. Luckily, I got sent on the perfect little #gifted adventure in Bristol a couple of weekends ago, and I need to share it with you – because it’s the perfect Easter weekend activity I IMPLORE you to book onto, pronto. I genuinely, honestly can’t recommend it enough – it was the perfect weekend date day for me and my boyfriend, and would be equally as fun with a group of six pals now we’re allowed to venture out a little more. Treasure Hunt Bristol got in touch and sent us on one of their exciting hunts in the city. Taking from 1 1/2 to 3 hours to complete, you’re sent on a walking tour of your city, hunting out clues along the way. You get to soak up everything your home city has to offer, wandering past the sights and finding out hidden facts about your home. Experience Bristol in a new light thanks to Treasure Hunt Bristol this Easter weekend – and if you’re not in Bristol, fear not, because the Treasure Hunt team happen to be in 10 amazing cities, from Liverpool to Birmingham.
Still unsure? Let me give you 10 reasons why you need to book onto a treasure hunt with the team in your home city NOW.
You find out fascinating facts about your city that you’d never have found out otherwise
We took part in the ‘Waterside Wanders’ treasure hunt route, which looped round my favourite area of Bristol city centre: the harbourside. Starting in Castle Park (and I’m trying not to give too much away here) we found out some super interesting facts about life in Bristol before we were even born. It was super interesting finding out what shaped Bristol to become the incredible city it is today – and it opens up a conversation you wouldn’t have had otherwise with those you’re playing the game with. And I’m sure the game is equally as fascinating in the other ten cities Treasure Hunt can be found in.
It’s the perfect way to dip your toe back into socialising in a safe, socially-distanced manner
If you’re nervous about hitting those beer gardens the second April 12th rears its head (which a lot of us are!!) it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on fun. You can take part in a Treasure Hunt with your household; with one other person; with up to six friends now we can all meet up outside. I honestly had an absolute ball doing this as a little date day with Sam – and I don’t think the game loses any energy or excitement if you’re doing it in a smaller group. It’s just the perfect thing to do that allows you to get outside, walk around an area with plenty of space, and keep your distance from others whilst still having great fun.
It encourages you to LOOK UP more
I must admit, I’m about to release a little #spoiler – so if you’d rather book a trip now and find this out for yourself, please skip onto the next point!
When I did the hunt with Sam, we were told to LOOK UP and really take in the detail that’s to be found in Bristol city centre. You interact with the Treasure Hunt team via a text-message-esque application, and you get messages through to your phone that give you clues. You then have to respond with what you think the answer is, and if you get it right, you get the next clue which will take you to another part of the city to explore further.
One of the most fascinating things we realised was that the clock at St. Nick’s Market (the historic indoor/outdoor market in Bristol city centre) actually has THREE clock hands. Two that tell the correct time, and a third that shows what ‘Historic Bristol Time’ would have been – in the days before railways. A lot of cities worked to their own clock, and Bristol time was 10 minutes behind the GMT we use today. This is something I’d never have noticed in my many years of popping to St. Nick’s for a browse of some vinyl records from the market or a spot of foodie goodness at lunch from the outdoor stalls. The treasure hunt just gets you out of your head and looking up a whole lot more.
It’s a cheap – but jam-packed – day out!
The Treasure Hunt costs just £10 per person. A tenner! For a cracking day out! And if you’re worried about the weather being an issue, you can reschedule your game free of charge if the sun isn’t making an appearance. This is cheaper than a meal out, it’s cheaper than a train ticket, it’s cheaper than a COCKTAIL. I honestly can’t express how fab this is.
You pass some pretty good picnic/coffee shop/foodie pitstops
On our route along the harbour, we passed some of my favourite Bristolian cafe haunts, such as Society Cafe on the harbourside, Mrs. Potts’ Chocolate House on Park Street and, had it been open at the time, Brewdog for a cheeky takeaway pint. If you want to save your pennies and instead enjoy a picnic, Castle Park and College Green are along the way – and you can take as many pit stops as you like to make the most of the day.
It’s a healthy bit of competition between your significant other, pals or family to spice up that post-lockdown conversation
I don’t know about you, but I’m continually having the same bloody conversations with everyone I speak to at the moment. There’s only so much ground to cover when we’ve been locked inside for over a year. So, getting out and playing a bit of a competitive game where I desperately wanted to solve the clues before my boyfriend, and he desperately wanted to beat me, brought a new dynamic to our daily walk. We found ourselves having deep chats about Bristol’s past, chatting about how much we love the city and finding new places we want to come back to for a picnic, a restaurant meal or a spiced-up daily walk.
It gets those 10k steps in
Another thing about being locked up for a year is that gyms have been a no-go, our energy has felt lacking and 10,000 steps are a thing of the past. However, wandering around Bristol, seeing the sights and finding out new things about the city took away the mundanity of getting those steps in, and we managed 15,000 steps in just a couple of hours. Day well spent, if you ask me.
You’ll fall in love with your city a little more thanks to the experience
I adore Bristol. I didn’t think it was possible to adore Bristol any more. I now realise it was indeed possible.
If you want to get yourself booked on a cheap, fun, ACTUALLY EXCITING day trip, over Easter or otherwise, check out Treasure Hunt Bristol now – and if you’re not in beautiful Bris, you can explore the beauty of your city with a Treasure Hunt day out in one of 10 major UK cities.
Whilst you’re here, fancy more of a read?
