Pirates of the Thames Quest: A Self-Guided Exploration Game in Southwark
Follow the trail of Etta Redlocks, Pirate Queen of the Thames, through London's most storied riverside quarter.
This Southwark Pirates of the Thames Quest blends outdoor exploration, puzzle-solving, and historical storytelling into a single self-guided experience that suits curious travellers of all ages.
Using your smartphone, you follow exact directions from one landmark to the next, unlocking chapters of an original narrative as you solve each challenge. The route threads through Millennium Bridge, Borough Market, Hay's Galleria, and a handful of lesser-visited corners that most visitors walk straight past.
No guide is needed and no fixed schedule applies. You set the pace, linger where you like, and let the story carry you forward across one of London's most historically layered neighbourhoods.
Highlights
Walk a curated route linking Shakespeare's Globe, Millennium Bridge, Borough Market, Hay's Galleria, and Tower Bridge.
Follow an original pirate narrative written by specialist storytellers, revealed chapter by chapter as you solve each clue.
Combine the structure of an outdoor escape game with the freedom of a self-paced walking tour and the excitement of a treasure hunt.
Discover how Londoners once spent winter on the frozen Thames, brought to life through the Frost Fairs Mural.
Learn about the wartime bombing of London Bridge railway station, a little-known chapter of Southwark's past.
Visit Crossbones Garden, one of the Bankside area's most quietly affecting memorial spaces.
Play entirely on your own device with no printed materials required; download instructions arrive by email after booking.
Itinerary
Your adventure begins at the reconstructed Globe Theatre on the South Bank. Here you receive your first clue, which unlocks the opening chapter of Etta Redlocks' story and points you toward the next location.
A short walk leads to the original footprint of the Elizabethan Globe, then onward to the Frost Fairs Mural. Each stop presents a new puzzle that reveals how Londoners once held markets and entertainments on a solidly frozen river.
You pass through the ruins of Winchester Palace, a medieval bishops' residence, before reaching Crossbones Garden, an outlaw burial ground turned community memorial. Pause as long as you wish at either site before solving the next clue.
The route moves through Borough Market, one of London's oldest food markets, and past The George, the city's last surviving galleried coaching inn. Each location yields a new clue and another episode of the pirate tale.
You arrive at Hay's Galleria, a Victorian wharf converted into a covered arcade. Solve the challenge here and collect the directions that carry you toward the finale.
The quest concludes at Tower Bridge, where both the story of Etta Redlocks and the exploration game reach their end. The bridge makes for a fitting final backdrop after nearly two hours on the river.
What's Included and Excluded
Included
- Mobile game access with full story and clues
- Step-by-step in-app navigation between locations
- Original narrative developed by specialist writers
- Email with download instructions sent after booking
- Flexible self-paced format with no fixed start time
Not Included
- A smartphone (required; not provided)
- Food, drinks, or any personal purchases
- Entry fees to any attractions along the route
- Hotel pickup or drop-off
Important Information
Ready to Join the Quest?
Secure your access to the Pirates of the Thames Quest and start exploring Southwark at your own pace, any day that suits you.
Book Now
