'Treasure Trails' give families the chance to discover hidden nooks and crannies in Sunderland and South Shields

Treasure Trails comprises 1,200 self-guided journeys through the UK's hidden nooks and crannies, including from Seaham and Seaburn to South Shields and Roker.

At the end of March the company had to pause the trails to comply with Government restrictions but now these have relaxed they have reopened just as more Brits than ever look to enjoy themselves outdoors.

Treasure Trails sees groups of up to five family and friends crack a series of clues to follow routes peppered with interesting plaques, monuments, artworks and signs.

Along the way they are treated to interesting facts, compelling tales and historical titbits about their chosen location.

General Manager of Treasure Trails Aaron Hutchens said: "With travel discouraged this really is a fantastic way of exploring the hidden gems on our very doorsteps.

"We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful country, steeped in history, and our Treasure Trails take people on fascinating tours, drinking in lesser known sights.

"We decided to close at the end of March to comply with Government restrictions. But since it was announced we are allowed to take unlimited exercise we have reopened.

"Ordinarily, customers download the trails when they go to a new place to visit people, or on holiday. But we're now seeing an increase in people using them to discover hidden gems in their local area."The trails really are a great way of obeying the rules while having a fun day out with family and friends. You do not have to touch anything or go inside any buildings - you are outdoors in the fresh air the whole time."It allows you to mix with other people, while easily managing to keep two metres apart. They are also fully immersive, allowing you to inhabit the character of a spy, detective or secret agent."We have seen a surge of people downloading our trails as they are enabling families to have fun safely while other attractions remain shut."The trails, which cost £9.99 from https://www.treasuretrails.co.uk and are regularly updated, cover around two miles and take a couple of hours to complete.Customers print off a list of clues, which centre around a murder, spy or treasure theme, and are then led on an intriguing adventure, travelling off the beaten track, while also taking in well-known sights.Jane Harvey, 44, and her partner Neil Jager, 50, are two of 18 Trail writers, based across the country. They undertake extensive research and always spend a day exploring the location before they start writing a new Trail.Among Treasure Trails' most popular locations are Covent Garden, Edinburgh, York, Whitby and Ambleside.Jane said: "It can be a fascinating job, and we both love what we do."Before we visit the location, we have a good old research of the area to see if there is any unusual history, artwork or other features.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

How to subscribe to the print edition

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of. Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.