It’s happening! As lockdown measures ease and the rule of six comes back into play on 29 March, Easter egg hunts are being planned across London. Most are designed for families, but grown ups can get in on the action too with wine and dinner to be won…

Lead image: Gabe Pierce on Unsplash

1 Easter Chocolate Treasure Hunt at London City Island
2, 3 & 4 April
In celebration of the return of the rule of six, London City Island’s very own onsite chocolate shop, Cartografie (hailed by the likes of VOGUE as the best in town), is hosting an outdoor treasure hunt to keep kids entertained over Easter weekend. The aim of the game is to find eggs around the island, with each one containing a letter to complete a secret word. Figure out the secret word, tell it to a member of staff at Cartografie and claim a chocolatey prize. Household bubbles can play the game anytime between 9am-5pm. To book your tickets, click here.
39 Lookout Lane, Poplar E14 0SZ; cartografiechocolate.com

2 Merchant Square Big Bunny Hunt 2021
2 April
Head to Merchant Square, Paddington, on Good Friday for an outdoor socially distanced Easter Bunny Hunt. Using the free map to guide you, hunt out the hidden carrot icons, snap them on your phone and show the events team when you return to the registration desk. Find 15 or more (out of a possible 20) to win a Merchant Square chocolate bunny. There will also be live performances from local Busk in London musicians and street food available in the West Plaza. Plus, architecture and engineering fans can watch two award-winning bridges lift at Paddington Basin – The Heatherwick Rolling Bridge at 12.30pm and The Fan Bridge at 1.30pm. The event is free but donations for COSMIC – the children’s ward at nearby St Mary’s hospital – are encouraged, and you will need to pre-register to reserve your timed slot. From12pm.
merchantsquare.co.uk

3 National Trust Easter Egg Hunts
29 March-5 April
National Trust premises with gardens are planning to celebrate the holiday season with outdoor adventures and Easter egg hunts. The hunts will be taking place from 29 March and over the Easter bank holiday weekend, but the National Trust asks that you keep to your local area and book ahead as the Easter trails are expected to be popular. Both Osterley Park & House (Isleworth) and Ham House & Gardens (Richmond) have confirmed that they will be taking part in the Easter hunts, although activities will vary according to the property. Find out more here.
nationaltrust.org.uk

4 English Heritage Easter Adventure Quests
29 March-18 April
English Heritage sites are slowly reopening, and of their 60 sites nationwide, 24 are hosting outdoor Easter Adventure Quests. In London, Easter Adventure Quests are being held at Eltham Palace, Kenwood in Hampstead (2-5 April) and Chiswick House & Gardens (3 April only). The Covid-secure Easter Adventure Quests will involve outdoor trails with clues to help children search for dragon eggs in order to win a chocolate reward. Again, visitors are being asked to keep it local. To find out which London sites are open now or opening soon, click here.
english-heritage.org.uk

5 Shop Cuvée’s Easter egg (and wine) hunt
4 April
Here’s one for the grown-ups too… Highbury wine merchants Shop Cuvée is hosting the world’s first natural wine hunt! Taking part in Clissold Park, north London, on Easter Sunday, the hunt offers prizes ranging from free merch to in-store discounts, free bottles of wine and Tony’s chocolate. Hunters are encouraged to head out into the fresh air armed with clues posted on the Top Cuvée Instagram in the morning, and scour Clissold Park for Easter eggs containing QR codes. One lucky hunter will even win a three-month natural wine subscription. Prizes will be redeemable all day from the shop, located just a quick stroll from the park, where owners Brodie and Max will be to congratulate successful participants in person. Midday-6pm.Admission free.
Clissold Park, Green Lanes, Stoke Newington N16 9HJ; shopcuvee.com

6 London Shell Co’s Easter Treasure Hunt
 2-4 April
 Floating seafood restaurant London Shell Co is hosting three Easter treasure hunts over Easter weekend, each offering a £100 voucher to spend on dinner at either The Grand Duchess or The Prince Regent. The crew will be hiding a bottle with a message around the Paddington & Maida Vale area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Clues as to where to find each bottle will be posted on London Shell Co’s Instagram stories from 2pm each day. Throughout the day, additional clues will be posted until one lucky winner finds a message in the bottle. Once found, take the message in the bottle to The Grand Duchess, docked at Paddington Basin, to claim your prize.
London Shell Co The Grand Duchess, Sheldon Square, Paddington Central W2 6PY; londonshellco.com

Merchant Square in Paddington is hosting a socially distanced Easter hunt