Balham

Hello all,

I've been tasked with setting up a treasure hunt for my department, based in central London. Has anyone ever done one of these before? I've got some rough ideas, but if anyone has any advice it would be much appreciated!

Cheers,
Balham

musky

Done several but all car based and in rural Norfolk, so advise on spacing cars, not being a race, and keeping to back roads may not be relevant! Last one we used photos with bits missing, zoomed in, reversed etc which people had to find, name etc this worked ok and wasn't too hard to do.

Wet Kipper

make sure your clues relate to something that isn't going to move between you setting the thing up, and people actually going round it.

__________________

rigsby

Try Anneka Rice or Annabel Croft, both of these have quite a bit of experience doing treasure hunts LOL

__________________
I DONT WANT TO DIE A GROWN UP!

heresmo

Are you in London, given your username, Balham? Just wondering what ideas you have already, as it's sometimes easier to expand on ideas - thought-showering you understand. If the treasure hunt is to be in London, are your ideas around tube (underground) journeys?

As to how you landed yourself with planning this (quote: "I've been tasked") - what did you do wrong to get the short straw? Do tell

Mo

__________________

Balham

Hello all - sorry should have clarified yes as we're in central London I was thinking of something along the lines of the underground or using the buses to get around. Someone else also suggested having bonus clues such as getting a photo taken with a celeb (or a look-a-like at least!).

Foolishly I kind of volunterred myself for this thinking it would be easy.. next time I'll keep my mouth shut!

Cheers

heresmo

If you do a tube "run", an easy way is to give a sheet to each team with all clues on at the beginning for a round trip that would take in several stations. Give a clue re each station and another one for an item to be photographed to prove they were there. Depending on time available and how much work you want the hunters to do, the item photograph could be a shop front within the main ticket hall or a landmark near it. An idea is below. You need to pace things out and choose fixed items for the photos. A team member could call you from each location so you can confirm they've reached the right place, depending on the difficulty of the clues you give. Try to make it as much fun as possible. Otherwise it's just a straight race re who (or which team) gets back first.

E.g.

Retrace Inspector Morse's visit to London that he made after visiting Brighton (or somewhere south that arrives in Charing X).

He arrived by British Rail at the station where the landmark sits from which all distances to other cities are measured. He takes a photo of the landmark.

Charing Cross is actually the landmark which sits on the forecourt outside the mainline entrance.

He knew he'd feel at home at this station. He'd need to walk 'n' number of paces north to broadcast his arrival. He'd want to take a photo home of the building he visited.

Oxford Circus, then Broadcasting House.

Next could be Nottinghill Gate with some reference to the Nottinghill Carnival.

Next South Ken, referring to the science museum.

A royal lady might not be amused to arrive here (Victoria) but would take a photo of the platform's station name. Inspector Morse would think the same.

He could stop at Westminster or just go back to Charing X.

If you want the next clue to be given only after finding a location, they could ring you and ask what it is, which might be an easier way than trying to leave them.

Hope this might help. Good luck.

Mo

__________________

fatty5000

"Stop the clock"

__________________

Wardy

Worth pointing out as well that you might well get a bit more attention that you bargained for if you have people taking photos while still in underground stations. Anti-terror, and all things associated.

Cheers,
Steve

__________________
Wardy's Fabia vRS
xenons : sunroof : cruise : OEM+


"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
"If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

heresmo

That was worrying me too, but seemed better than someone standing in a location handing out sealed envelopes (with clues) to certain people arriving - probably get picked up for drug dealing...

There's a likelihood that, in any team, at least one member would have a discreet camera phone, but with "stop and search" under terrorism provisions where police have to apparently stop as many innocent-looking people as guilty-looking people to avoid suggestion of discrimination, there should be something in the treasure hunt rules that if a team is held up by unforeseen circumstances (as the paperwork can take over an hour if stopped), then that is discounted.

I'm assuming that if Balham and treasure hunt members are native to (or at least familiar with) Central London, he'll know to consider these things.

Perhaps learning USA drawl and having bottles of ketchup visible whilst being part of a team could be an answer , though that might be the very thing police look for these days - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy intro paragraph springs to mind

Of course, if they are racing around the Underground, they should probably wear bullet proof helmets also.

It ain't easy, though Balham and teams will be aware of these considerations already - won't you Balham?

Regards
Mo

__________________

KenONeill

Have some easy clues, and some obscure ones, but don't make solving clue N a requirement of getting clue N+1.

Think about adding a "scavenger hunt" element, and be as obscure/tricky to find as you like here. Think of the people who might get asked stuff though. I predict most newsagents having an SoH failure when asked for the 20th time "Got any Scotch fivers mate?"

Balham

Looks like you've done this before, Mo!

Thanks for all of the ideas, looks like I'm going to have to get creative and pound the streets a bit to get some more ideas to add that fun element to it.

Cheers,
Balham

heresmo

Another thought in retrospect is the duration and age/agility of the treasure hunters. There were days when I could climb escalator steps two at time... ho hum. A walk-around hunt in the City might be an alternative. Here's a link you might want to take a look at: Tower of London and City of London Free Self Guided Walk

I'm sure we'd all love to know how it goes so hope you'll get a minute to post back or do ask if you have any particular queries as it looks as if a few peeps on here have good ideas

Regards
Mo

__________________

smstext

depends how far out you wanna go, thinking golders green, hendon, camdon town all of which you could use the name as a clue (gold, hen, cam etc).

__________________

Oxon Meet Feeler 2009 please add your input, click here