Popping down to the Hotwalls Christmas market I fell across the Portsmouth Mystery Adventure Books by Mystery Guides. The fact that Portsmouth has some wonderful historic streets and landmarks I thought it would be a nice stocking filler for the hubby.
When he opened it he was really pleased, being an activity that can be done out on a walk. We looked through it and planned to make a start on the tour in the near future. Then lockdown happened. While taking my youngster out for a walk I thought to myself this is actually a good time to do this adventure book. As you can see from below the number of hours it takes to complete and the fact a family can work out all the clues together actually makes this an uplifting thing to do. Taking your time doing this mystery tour and spreading it out over a week gives a sense of achievement and something to talk about with your loved ones!
It needs
Distance: 3km walk
Duration: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Medium
(Adults + older children)
Players: 1-4 per booklet
Clues to solve: 18
Now you might be thinking well this isn’t part of our one exercise a day? I totally understand that feeling, but this activity could be done over a few walks and doesn’t have to be achieved all in one day. At the moment it is important to stay at home as much as we can so I am not pushing you to go out for an afternoon looking for clues, but you could do different activities at home to make this a fun escape from the lockdown misery we face. You could then venture out for your walk and do 2 of the clues that might be close together and then go home. If you are a family of younger children you could really use this to keep the kids occupied by making their own maps, finding interesting facts about people, places, streets that are named in the book. You could create a family history game at home that extended from your walk that made life in lockdown that little bit more bearable.
Taking nice flasks of hot chocolate and some homemade cookies would make this feel good plus it has been absolutely freezing these last few days and you might need some warmth to survive your Winter walk! Absorbing much-needed vitamin D from what little sunshine we are getting at the moment is so important to our bodies so you shouldn’t feel guilty about actually getting out at all. Just consider this a focus and a venture to have on your daily walk. Children need so much stimulation and the time they are outside should feel like fun.
This is what the website says about it…….
Solve the clues & crack the mystery
Discover amazing local history
Get some fun outdoor exercise!
As the story goes, on Horatio Nelson’s last day on dry land before joining his ship to fight in the Battle of Trafalgar, he stored a valuable diamond necklace in a chest in one of Portsmouth’s many taverns for safekeeping. That night, the tavern was broken into and the necklace was stolen! You must follow the route, eliminate suspects, and return to the scene of the crime to get to the bottom of Portsmouth’s most audacious diamond heist!
Solve a range of cryptic clues including word games, maths puzzles, and hidden objects, as you unravel the historic mystery and discover the true identity of Portsmouth’s most infamous diamond thief!
This treasure hunt is the best way to see the key historic sights of the city and soak up true local stories of its most notorious characters and places.
You can buy the book from Mystery Guides online which costs £9.99 and I honestly believe is worth it! Something for all the family.
