Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
Outdoor escape game
The Haunting File: York, UK - The Most Haunted City in Europe
A QUESTO OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
Play at your pace · usually 90 min 2.6 km York, UK App-guided
Play in
English
The adventure
About this quest
The city feels older tonight. Heavier. Like something has been waiting a very long time for someone to come asking.
You've been recruited by the Bureau of Otherworldly Observation, and Agent Howl is handing you your first case: a district full of the dead, and a file nobody has ever managed to close.
Thirteen stops. Thirteen things this city would rather you didn't look at too closely. Some of them are waiting for you.
The dead here were real people, and they remember what the plaques leave out. Ask the right questions and they'll tell you. Ask the wrong ones and you'll find out why the file is still open.
Keep your phone torch handy. You'll want it. 🕯️
Is this for you?
Who it's for
This 2.6 km loop starts and ends at York Castle Museum, taking in The Shambles, Mad Alice Lane and Clifford's Tower across thirteen haunted stops. Couples, friends and small groups of adults who like dark history get an evening ghost walk they start when they choose. Pick a guided ghost walk if you want someone to question in person, and skip it with young children: these dead were real people.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
👻 Thirteen Stops – Let's hope thirteen isn't unlucky.
🔍 Clues Hidden in Plain Sight – Everything you need is out there in the streets, if you're brave enough to look closely.
🎭 Get Your Crew Together – Bring someone to grab onto.
🌙 Better After Dark – Much better. Keep your phone torch ready, in case something moves.
📖 The Real History Underneath – Uncover the stories behind the streets you thought you knew.
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.
The real-world playing space
York, UK
A · Start
York Castle the Castle, York YO1 9RY, UK
B · Finish
Piccadilly (Stop PA), York YO1 9XD, UK
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
Setting
- This quest
- An outdoor route through the city
- Escape room
- An indoor setting designed for the game
2 / 4
Playing together
- This quest
- Use your own phones to team up or compete
- Escape room
- Solve challenges together in the room
3 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Check this quest’s playing modes and access hours
- Escape room
- Usually a booked session with a time limit
4 / 4
Price
- This quest
- Choose device access above to see your total
- Escape room
- Prices and group sizes vary by venue
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
Does the walk include the ghost stories of York Castle?
Yes. The route starts and finishes at York Castle Museum, and Clifford's Tower is one of the 13 stops. At each place the app tells you its story and sets a puzzle in what is in front of you, so the castle area is part of the case you are working on.
Is York the most haunted city in Europe?
This quest takes York's reputation as Europe's most haunted city as its theme. You are recruited by the Bureau of Otherworldly Observation and given a case covering 13 places, including Mad Alice Lane, Treasurer's House and Holy Trinity Church, where the dead were real people with stories the plaques leave out.
Where does it start and how far is the walk?
It starts at York Castle Museum and ends back there, so you finish where you began. The loop is about 2.6 km and passes through the old centre via The Shambles, Ouse Bridge, St William's College, York Minster, Museum Gardens and Clifford's Tower.
Do we need to book a time, and can we pause?
No set start time is needed. You play on your phone and can begin whenever you like, including in the evening. You can also pause partway through, stop for food or a drink, and continue the walk later from where you left off.
Can we play as a group?
Yes. One ticket covers your whole group, up to the number of devices stated at purchase, so friends or couples can follow the case together. There is no guide and no joining a larger group of strangers; you move at your own pace between the stops.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
Explore Questo giftsKeep exploring York, UK
