When I received the invitation to review this new immersive experience on the Golden Hinde I was excited, as it sounded like a lot of fun.
It wouldn't be my first time aboard the replica ship which circumnavigated the world in the 1970s, like the original in the 1570s. I'd hosted a party for my son there when he and his friends were about 8 years old. It was a great party, all the kids dressed up as pirates, but I hadn't taken account of the fact he's a December baby and it was freezing. All the dad's disappeared to the adjacent pub, leaving the storyteller, me and one other brave mum to herd the kids.
Fortified by a nice lunch and a glass of wine in Fish in Borough Market, my friend and I made our way to St Mary Overie’s Dock on the banks of the Thames at London Bridge. There's a fascinating plaque here telling the legend of Mary Overie, which is well worth a read if you're passing.
We were joined by a fellow reviewer, and our team was complete. We said the password to get aboard and enjoyed a bit of banter with 'One-eyed Bob'. I'm not sure that he approved of our team name of the 'Three Degrees', especially as only one of us could actually sing.
We were offered hard hats as parts of the Golden Hinde are very low. At just 5ft tall, I'm Medieval height, so decided to take my chances. Taller people would definitely need to wear one as the Escape from the Golden Hinde take you through lots of different rooms, some of which are tricky to navigate as you physically move equipment to solve the puzzles.
None of us had ever taken part in an escape room previously, so we really didn't know what to expect. We were given puzzles to solve, tools to unlock further clues, pullies to pull, and much more. When at times we proved to be pretty clueless, the members of the 'cast' gave us subtle hints, so that we could progress with the game.
We finally solved it in 73 minutes, a bit over the hour that it was supposed to take (I'll blame that glass of wine for that!) Afterwards we were able to have a chat with Oscar, one of the experience's designers at The Secret Studio. The idea had started during lockdown, and has taken a further couple of years to get up and running.
The Secret Studio team is a mix of filmmakers, actors and theatre practitioners - so you can be sure that you really will be immersed in the game. Perfect for visitors to London, corporate teams, stag/hen parties, and families, the experience is suitable for all ages 6 and up. Under 10’s go free (with 3 or more paying players). Head to the website to get on board: www.escapeintime.co.uk/goldenhinde/
Further information about the Golden Hinde: www.goldenhinde.co.uk Further information about Sir Francis Drake: https://www.goldenhinde.co.uk/discover/sir-francis-drake
Escape From The Golden Hinde St Mary Overie Dock Cathedral Street London SE1 9DE Nearest Station: LONDON BRIDGE Tickets: up to £43 per person.
20% off with our special code: LONDONSECRET (can't be combined with any other discount, expires 15th November 2023)
Many other discounts available on the website.
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