Escape Old Edinburgh with a Thrilling Outdoor Puzzle Trail
Overview
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Step into Edinburgh's delightfully dark past with 'A Trail of Burke & Hare', an outdoor escape room experience that plunges you into the sinister legacy of the city’s most notorious murderers.
Traversing the old town's cobbled streets, you'll visit real locations from the Burke & Hare tale, uncovering clues and secrets hidden in plain sight. You'll follow genuine historical maps and solve physical escape room puzzles as you race against time to prevent another murder.
This thrilling 2-hour adventure invites teams of 2 to 30 to engage in a unique blend of storytelling and interactive problem-solving, all while enjoying a scenic walk through Edinburgh’s macabre past.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The trail should be suitable for well behaved pets (dogs must be kept on a lead)
What To Expect
Our city trails are like outdoor escape rooms! A cross between a scavenger hunt, a treasure hunt, and a self-guided walking tour. Expertly researched and crafted, we combine technology with real locks, props and puzzles to deliver a fun, engaging experience that shines a light on Edinburgh’s dark past. 1. Gather your team at our central Edinburgh location to collect your satchel & learn about the trail ahead. You'll be advised of the latest time the satchel must be returned. 2. Follow the map to discover real locations from the story, solving escape room style puzzles en route. Allow about 2 hours and expect to cover about 4-5km. Feel free to stop for coffee or grab lunch en-route. 3. Solve the puzzles to complete the story. You'll need items from the satchel, information from the urban environment and a mobile phone with internet access. Return the satchel and claim your prize! Escape The Past are located at BF01, 25 Nicolson Square, just a 5 minute walk from the Royal Mile. The activity lasts approximately 2 hours and covers around 5km.
Options
A Trail of Burke & Hare
What‘s Included
A private booking for 'A Trail of Burke & Hare'
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
37 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great experience!
richardF6458UH,May 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time. A really good way of exploring new areas of the Old Town (even if you know Edinburgh well!) and so much fun. It was a bit chilly so we stopped for coffee half way through, and the timing of the event allows for that and is another positive of it. Really recommend it!
Burk and hare experience
Q4088ROstaceyh,Apr 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was an amazing and educational experience I learned a lot more about the different places. I enjoyed the puzzles as they put my vision to a test. My favourite was greyfriars kirkyard and the opening of the chest
Fun family activity
Sara W,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great fun and a fun way to explore parts of the city we hadn’t been before, despite being Edinburgh residents.
Highly recommend
Alex S,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Absolutely brilliant!! Live in Edinburgh and been meaning to do this for ages. High quality, good puzzles, interesting history, lovely walk. Have already recommended to some friends and family!!
Absolutely Incredible! A must do experience!
jcla18,Mar 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My partner and I did the out door Burke and Hare Trail. It was absolutely incredible. We met our host Oliver at the start point who was polite and helpful and gave us our kit and instructions. The clues were exciting and challenging and we really enjoyed following the clues cracking the codes , definitely suitable for adults (clues gaged at a good level), we walked through parts of Edinburgh that we otherwise may not have discovered and learned some interesting history on the way. Absolutely recommend! Cant wait to do something like this in the future. Brilliant experience.
A fun and different way to tour Edinburgh
I1889MAmatthewl,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had such a fun time exploring the city whilst doing the Burke &Hare trail. We saw places that we wouldn't otherwise have thought to go to. And learnt the stories behind them. High quality props aswell made the experience more realistic. Would definitely come back to try the indoor escape room. The staff were lovely and set us up well with all the information we needed
Fun team day out
monkfamily2016,Mar 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00As a team day out we recently enjoyed the outdoor escape room, Burke and Hare and I can say for all the team, it was a really fun way to spend a couple of hours. Even though we had team members who lived in Edinburgh, it took us to parts we have never explored before. Puzzles were just taxing enough for us but really liked the way that the app allowed you to find out more information. We were split into three teams of four which we found was the right amount for all to be involved in solving the puzzles. Big thank you to Chris who dealt with the booking for his infinite patience of me continuously adding people and to Edmund our Games master for his amusing introduction to the game and for waiting for our team to get back as we stopped for cocktails on the way round! Please create another outdoor escape room!
Puzzle-Solving Meets Sightseeing
Vacation00967796644,Feb 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time! Despite all of us being familiar with Edinburgh, it was interesting to see some bits we hadn't explored and learning a little of the history. Our host was great and really helped to set the mood. The tour took just less than 2 hours which was perfect, the puzzles wern't difficult to work out so it would be great for younger family members. Lots of walking and hills though could be challenging for young ones and those with mobility issues. The props were excellent and really helped with the atmosphere. We went on a sunday afternoon in February and mostly it wasn't busy but still the tourist hotspots were a little crowded. We really enjoyed our experience and would happily recommend it.
Brilliant experience
834catherinem,Jan 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We really enjoyed the Burke and Hare outdoor escape room. It’s themed on the story of Burke and Hare, and takes you on a walking route through the old town, solving puzzles as you go. There is a real box with padlocks on it, and to succeed you have to solve the puzzles to get the numbers to open the padlocks. It was not too difficult, and was really good fun, with lots of interesting facts about Burke and Hare along the way. It took us about 2.5 hours, but we did stop along the way for drinks 😁
Burke & Hare brilliant fun 🎉
JWinGuildford,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent way to explore parts of Edinburgh we wouldn’t normally while using the brain cells along the way! Fab fun :-)
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Operated by Escape The Past