If you took a trip into Carlisle just a few months ago, you were almost guaranteed to see people of all ages glued to their mobile phones as they tried to track down Pokemon.

But although the critter-craze has died down, tech gluttons seeking an outdoor adventure will soon have an excuse to roam the streets again.

Seven performing arts students at the University of Cumbria have developed CityCipher – an interactive game where users make their way to some of Carlisle’s most famous landmarks to complete a secret mission.

“As part of our course, we had to set up our own company, which we called Adventrex Theatre,” explained Hannah Townsend.

“Performing arts is more than just singing and acting and we wanted to create an adventure experience.

“The way it works is that people will make their way around the city and then use their phone to scan QR codes that will help them to complete the missions.

“It’s similar to Pokemon Go in that it combines the virtual world with reality.

“We’ve been working with someone who is studying technical theatre to help develop it.”


Tullie House, Carlisle Castle, the cathedral and the citadels are all among the sites that have been included in the game.

“It’s a way that people will be able to explore the city,” Hannah added.

The group are intending to officially launch their game on November 21.

“It works alongside other apps, such as Google Maps,” Hannah said.

“In future we’d like to be able to collaborate with them so that it’s included as well.”

The group will be providing updates about the game on their Facebook page. Search for “Adventrex Theatre”