Edinburgh: Witch Hunts & Burke Murder Walking Game

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.00 (28 reviews) 64% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/10

Duration1h

GroupPrivate

Mobile ticketAccepted

Hunt clues through the streets where Edinburgh hanged its witches and hid its murders

You work through a self-guided game across Edinburgh's most haunted landmarks, solving clues at each stop to unlock stories of witchcraft trials, public executions, and infamous murders. Play offline, start anytime, and move at your own pace through Greyfriars Kirkyard, the Grassmarket, Mary King's Close, and beyond. No guide, no fixed schedule, no internet needed — just you, the clues, and the city's darkest past.

Step-by-step itinerary

Haunted Edinburgh walking tour

Start at The Mound
Explore Edinburgh Castle
Visit St Giles' Cathedral
Discover The Real Mary King's Close
See Greyfriars Bobby Fountain
Walk through Grassmarket
Pass New College
View Scottish National Gallery
End at Old College

The Experience

The Grassmarket used to be a cattle fair. Then, around the 1670s, it became something else entirely — a place where public executions were held, bodies left hanging as warnings. You'll stand in that same square now, solving clues to unlock the story of what happened there, moving between real locations that still carry the weight of Edinburgh's dark history. This isn't a guided tour where someone talks at you for two hours. It's a mix of walking tour, outdoor escape game, and treasure hunt rolled into one. You get a set of challenges tied to actual sites — Greyfriars Kirkyard, the Nor' Loch (now Princes Street Gardens), West Bow, St Giles' Cathedral, Mary King's Close — and you solve them at your own pace, learning about the Great Scottish Witch Hunts, the Burke and Hare murders, and figures like the Wizard of West Bow and the Grey Lady as you go.

The real difference here is flexibility. You don't need to show up at a set time or stick to a group schedule. Start whenever you want, take a break for coffee, pick it back up later. The game runs offline, so you're not burning data or waiting for a connection to load the next clue. If you've got kids, they can ride in a stroller and still be part of it. Groups larger than fifteen just split into separate bookings. You move through Edinburgh's Old Town on your own terms, which means you can linger at a spot if something catches your attention or rush through if the weather turns. The itinerary takes you past Edinburgh Castle, New College on the Mound, and into the narrow closes where the city's strangest stories live — including a hall that contains a book bound in William Burke's own flesh, a detail that stops most people cold.

Because you're solving puzzles rather than listening to a guide, you're actively engaged with each location instead of passively absorbing information. You have to look around, find details, answer the challenge to move forward. It's the kind of experience that makes the history stick because you've earned it yourself. And since there's no rescheduling required and no time pressure, you can do this whenever it fits your trip — morning, afternoon, or split across two days if you want.

What’s included

Full flexibility to start at any hour and take breaks whenever you want.
The game plays completely offline without needing an internet connection.
You can play anytime after booking without rescheduling or committing to a specific time slot.
Access to all clues and challenges across multiple Edinburgh landmarks including Greyfriars Kirkyard, the Grassmarket, Mary King's Close, St Giles' Cathedral, and Edinburgh Castle.
Suitable for all fitness levels, with stroller access available for infants and small children.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Questo

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to explore Edinburgh's haunted history at your own pace without a guide's schedule dictating your day — the self-guided format means you can linger at any location, take breaks, or spread the experience across multiple visits without penalty.