Mystery Picnic in the Cotswolds

The Cotswolds Mystery Picnic is a driving route, so you will need to bring your own car. The clues take you between stops around the area, giving you the chance to explore more Cotswold countryside, villages and local businesses than a walkable route would allow.

Come with a fully charged phone, plus a pen and paper in case they’re useful for solving the clues. You’ll also want a bottle of water, a cooler or carry bag with an ice pack, and your own picnic essentials such as a knife, plates, cups and a blanket.

Your clues will lead you to a handful of local food stops, where you collect the different parts of your picnic as you go. What you pick up will reflect the kinds of produce and independent food businesses you can find around the Cotswolds, but exactly what that includes is part of the mystery.

Think of it as a picnic assembled along the way rather than a large restaurant meal. The exact mix can vary with the route and availability, but by the end you should have a selection of things to enjoy together at your final spot.

Dietary options vary by location. The Cotswolds experience is currently listed as having no vegan option on Sundays, so keep that in mind when choosing your date.

Mystery Picnics are designed to go ahead whatever the weather. If the forecast is looking distinctly un-picnic-like and you would rather rearrange, you’ll need to give at least three business days’ notice, so it is worth checking the forecast in the days beforehand. Or, if a bit of British weather doesn’t bother you, just bring your brollie!

This isn’t a couples-only day out. The Classic Mystery Picnic can be booked for two or four adults, while the Family Mystery Picnic has options for two adults with two or three children, so you can choose the version that best fits the people you are bringing.

Unfortunately, the Cotswolds route isn’t dog-friendly. Some food stops and/or final picnic locations have restrictions on pets, so your four-legged family member will need to sit this adventure out.

Your exact start time will be confirmed in your booking information, but Mystery Picnics generally begin between 11am and 1pm. You’ll need to make sure you are in the Cotswolds area with your car in time to begin the route, then allow around 3-4 hours for the full experience, including time to sit down and enjoy your picnic.

Cotswolds Mystery Picnics are available every day of the week, although individual stops may occasionally change. They are not available on selected public holidays, including New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, the Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Your voucher is valid for 12 months from the date it is issued. You will need to make your booking and take the experience before the voucher expires, so it is worth keeping that date in mind when you are planning your picnic.

Once you have paid for the experience, the voucher and booking information can be sent either to you or directly to the recipient. Check the details when it arrives, then follow the booking instructions to arrange the experience.

The voucher provider offers all sorts of other experiences too, so if a Mystery Picnic turns out not to be what you want to do after all, you can exchange the voucher and use its value towards another experience instead. Ours is not to question why.