Surrey is known to be a comfortable place to live. For people used to the noise and traffic of London, moving to this county of quiet towns and suburban peace is something of an escape. But what can you do once you’re there to get a break from your day to day life? Like Harry Potter, who fantasises about leaving the horrible Dursley family and their Surrey home behind, and finds himself in an enchanted world of witches and wizards, we all need an injection of magic and wonder into our lives. The good news is that you don’t have to receive a letter from Hogwarts for your adventure to start, you just need to go to one of Surrey’s fantastic escape rooms - and then try to get out again!

An escape room uses an immersive environment, clever storytelling and special effects to transport you to a totally different space. It could be like travelling back in time, stepping onto the set of a Hollywood movie, or living out your worst nightmare without being able to wake up! Once the door closes, it’s up to you to solve the mystery by finding clues, discovering secret areas, and, finally, getting out of the room. Many towns around Surrey have top quality escape room centres, each of which boasts a variety of games at hard to beat prices. Will you have what it takes to succeed?

Where are the best escape rooms in Surrey?

• Woking: As the largest town, it’s no surprise that there are escape rooms in Woking that are bound to leave an impression on all who enter them. The destinations you might find yourself in include an isolated oil rig where the drill seems to have a mind of its own, or a barbershop that looks ordinary at first glance, but contains clues as to the whereabouts of a missing secret agent.

• Guildford: Variety is the name of the game at Guildford’s award winning escape room centre. As well as a sci-fi fling where your wits are pitched against an Artificial Intelligence and a film noir style investigation in New York, there’s a recording studio scenario in which you have to recreate a chart-topping hit that’s been lost! You’ll need all your powers of perception, ingenuity and creativity to beat the clock and emerge successful here.

• Ashford: Are you a horror fan? If you love watching the creepiest, most shocking movies in the cinema and on the couch, it’s time that you got up onto your feet and put yourself in the shoes of a character in a horror film. You have the chance to show that you have the bravery, and common sense, to survive as you enter the wards of an insane asylum, complete the tasks set for you by The Watcher, or try to outsmart a serial killer on a camping trip gone wrong!

• Epsom: This town might be more famous for its horse racing and healing spa waters, but it’s gaining a reputation as one of the best escape room destinations within 20 miles of central London. There’s something for everyone here. One of the most popular attractions is a series of rooms based on the curse of a maidservant who seems to continue interacting from beyond the grave via a creepy old doll. If that sounds too scary for you, you can get involved in a thrilling train robbery adventure, take part in a daring Second World War mission, investigate a crashed alien spaceship, or outsmart a demented - and dangerous - magician.

• Wallington: This is the latest escape room to open in Surrey, and it has some of the most cutting edge technology around. The experience can be enhanced by VR equipment, which takes you right into a bank vault in an exciting big-money heist. Other settings include a cursed crypt, mysterious caves, a spy school for the most talented minds, and the Enigma Express vintage steam train.

Requirements to do this activity

The first thing to say about this is that this isn’t an individual sport. In a 360º degree, immersive environment, there’s too much for one person to explore and vital clues will go unnoticed. In addition, the puzzles are designed to favour different kinds of thinking - analytical, creative, outside the box and more - so working as part of a team increases your chances of finding the solution. The minimum number for a booking is 2 people and most rooms have a maximum capacity of 6 people. There are some rooms that can fit teams of 8 people, and other challenges in which two groups of 6 can compete against each other.

We’ve compared escape rooms and movies a couple of times, and this comparison is especially useful when talking about the suitability of each room for certain age groups. Some of the scenarios and environments that you’ll find in Surrey contain frightening themes and scary installations, and they’re reserved for players of 14 years of age, or even 16 in some cases. But there’s a lot of fun to be had with this kind of activity that doesn’t involve elements of horror, and children over the age of 11 years old can have a go at most challenges. It’s even possible to organise parties for younger children, where the operators of the rooms can turn down the scare factor.

As the name suggests, escape rooms are usually confined spaces. However,it’s possible to find some venues that are suitable for wheelchair users, so long as they’re in a group with at least 1 able bodied person.

How long does it take to complete them?

You’ve read about the design of the rooms and the processes involved in escaping, but we haven’t told you the biggest challenge yet - all of your efforts to solve the problems and puzzles of a room take place against the clock! After the door closes, you have 60 minutes to explore, examine, and untangle the intricate mystery that has been laid out around the space. If you succeed, you might get your picture on the wall of fame. If you run out of time, you’ll just have to come back! Aside from the game, you’ll need some time at the centre to check in and receive an introductory briefing, so your full experience will probably last closer to an hour and a half.

We all need a bit of escapism once in a while, so come here where it’s all prepared for you!