Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
The Manchester Pusher: Find the Truth
4.57Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 67 min 3.5 km Manchester, UK App-guided
Play in
EnglishFrenchGerman
The experience
About this quest
Manchester’s canals hold secrets darker than water — whispers of a killer known only as The Pusher. Loki, a student whose life was stolen too soon, now haunts these streets as a restless ghost. But in death, he discovered a truth too dangerous to keep hidden.
You’ve just received a mysterious chain letter, inviting you to pick up the trail. Walk through Manchester’s eeriest corners, solve puzzles, uncover clues left by the dead, and piece together the twisted legacy of a serial killer. Can you stop the Pusher’s reign before more lives are lost?
This thrilling walking quest blends mystery, local folklore, and real-world exploration. Play with friends or family and forge unforgettable memories — while the ghosts of Manchester watch from the shadows. Will you free them… or join them?
Is this for you?
Who it's for
True-crime and urban-legend fans who know the Manchester Pusher theory will follow a ghost's trail across 13 stops, from the cathedral and Chetham's Library to a Rochdale Canal towpath bridge. Friends after an eerie puzzle game can cover the 3.5 km in about an hour. With a serial killer and a student's restless ghost at its heart, it is not one for young children or anyone wanting a cheerful outing.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
Visit a street with one of the highest rates of crime in Manchester.
Meet The Grey Lady of Chetham’s library.
Discover the story of the Peterloo massacre.
Find the abandoned Bootle Street police station.
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.57 / 5
678 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
Your walk, at a glance
Manchester, UK
A · Start
28 St John St, Manchester M3 4DJ, UK
B · Finish
Victoria St, Manchester M3 1SX, Regatul Unit
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
Along the way
Landmarks & Hidden Gems Included
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Don’t enter the places, not part of the experience
- Use the phone flashlight for clues if needed
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
What is the Manchester Pusher walk?
It is a self-guided story game played on your phone. A mysterious chain letter sends you after clues left by Loki, a student whose ghost haunts the city. You walk between 13 stops in central Manchester, solve puzzles in what you see and piece together the legacy of a killer known as The Pusher.
Is the quest based on a real serial killer in Manchester?
The story draws on the Manchester Pusher theory about deaths in the city's canals, but the quest itself is fiction. It tells the tale of a ghost named Loki and a killer called The Pusher, and it is played as a puzzle game rather than presented as a factual account.
Where does the quest start and where does it go?
It starts at St. John's Gardens. From there the route passes the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Cathedral, Chetham's Library, the Portico Library, a Rochdale Canal towpath bridge, the Palace Theatre, St Peter's Square and Manchester Town Hall. You stay outside each place, as going inside is not part of the game.
How far is the walk and how long does it take?
The route is about 3.5 km and takes around an hour of walking and puzzle solving. You can start any time, pause whenever you like and continue later, so you can stop for a drink along the way without losing your progress.
Can we play as a group, and do we need to book a time?
Yes. One ticket covers your whole group, up to the number of devices stated, and there is no guide or set departure, so you start whenever suits you. Some clues may need the phone flashlight, so make sure your battery is charged before you set off.
What’s The Manchester Pusher about?
You’ve received a creepy chain letter that drags you into Manchester’s underbelly. There’s a serial killer called “The Pusher” messing things up around canals, and a ghost named Loky wants revenge. You follow clues, ghostly whispers, dark alleys—see if you can stop the Pusher’s terror before more lives are lost.
Is this something fun to do with kids?
Probably better with teens or older kids, because it’s spooky and has serious moods. If you go during daylight and skip the darkest parts, could work as a family-outing with good stories to tell.
Could this be a date night plan?
Definitely. If you like mystery, suspense, and walking together solving puzzles, this has all that. Can be pretty cool under street lights, sharing reactions, piecing together clues.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
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Urban-legend context
The difference between a canal mystery and police evidence
The “Manchester Pusher” is an urban legend built around deaths in Greater Manchester’s waterways. Greater Manchester Police has said its reviews found no evidence that a single killer or canal pusher was responsible. This quest deliberately turns the rumour into a fictional supernatural investigation involving Loki, a chain letter and a serial-killer trail. Play it as a dark city mystery, not as a claim that the game’s explanation represents the conclusions of real investigations. Playable languages: English, French, German.
Halloween 2026 in Manchester, UK
Plan a self-guided Halloween outing with ghost stories, haunted walks or a fictional horror game. Compare the available quests before choosing.
Check the starting point, duration, available languages, recommended age and access details on the quest page. These are app-guided games, not tickets to a scheduled Halloween event.
