Walking safely at night: how to play Lore safely.

First: you don’t have to walk at night

In Lore, each day of the case is called a night, because that fits the story. The game itself doesn’t care what time it is. Clues unlock when your steps for the day pass each target, so a walk at 7 in the morning or on your lunch break counts exactly like one at 9 in the evening. If it’s dark, icy or you’re tired, walk earlier the next day instead.

Missing a night isn’t a problem either. Clues from nights you missed unlock later from your total steps since the case started. See how Lore works, night by night.

Plan your route

• Stick to lit, busy streets. Main roads with pavements, high streets and well-used paths are better at night than shortcuts through parks or alleys.
• Walk routes you know. Save new areas for daylight. Knowing where you are makes it easier to change plans.
• Tell someone. Let a friend or family member know roughly where you are going and when you expect to be back, or walk together.
• Charge your phone. Map and location use drain the battery. Start with plenty of charge.
• Be visible. Wear something light or reflective, and carry a small light if your route has dark stretches.
• Dress for the weather. Good shoes and a layer more than you think you need.

Stay aware while you walk

The biggest risk with any phone game outdoors is looking at the screen instead of where you are going. Lore is built so that you don’t need to.

• Keep the phone in your pocket. With notifications and location on, Lore can tell you when a clue appears and when you are close to one.
• Listen instead of reading. Voiced narration can read clues aloud. Keep the volume low enough to hear traffic, or use one earbud.
• Stop to use the screen. Step to the side of the pavement before you check the map or question a suspect.
• Cross carefully. Use crossings, look up from your phone, and never cross while reading.
• Trust your instincts. If a place feels wrong, leave. The clue can wait or be moved.

No clue is worth an unsafe walk. Move it, or come back in daylight.

Where Lore places clues

When a clue unlocks, Lore picks a spot for it on a real map near you. It uses map data to choose places a person can legally walk to:

• Pins go on, or a few metres from, public footpaths, pedestrian streets and public roads.
• Paths and roads marked as private or no access are skipped, as are driveways and farm tracks.
• Pins aren’t placed inside farmland, farmyards, allotments, quarries, military land or areas marked private.
• Named public places such as parks, gardens, squares and cafés are preferred.

Map data is good but not perfect. A path can be closed, a gate can be locked at night, or a field can be mapped wrongly. Your phone’s location can also jump around, especially between tall buildings. That is what the next feature is for.

“Can’t reach it?”: moving a clue

If a clue lands somewhere you can’t or shouldn’t go, you can move it instead of trying to get there. Open the clue and tap Can’t reach it?. Lore moves the clue to a public spot 100–250 m from where you are standing.

When to use it

• The pin is on private land, a farm, or behind a fence or locked gate.
• Your location keeps jumping and you can’t get close to the pin.
• Getting there would mean an unlit path, a busy road with no pavement, or anywhere you don’t feel safe.

How it works

• The new spot is a short walk away, not right where you stand, so you still walk to collect it.
• It is placed away from the spot you couldn’t reach and from your other clue pins.
• You can move each clue up to twice. After that, walk to the pin to collect it.
• Lore needs your location to find the new spot. If it can’t find a public spot nearby, it tells you to try again shortly, and that attempt doesn’t count.
• You can only move a clue that has unlocked and that you haven’t collected yet.

If you are replaying a past case from the Bureau archive, you need to have walked a little that day before you can move a clue.

A few simple rules

• Never go onto private property, building sites, railway lines or anywhere fenced off to reach a clue.
• Never use Lore while driving or cycling. Clues unlock on steps, so driving to a pin doesn’t help anyway.
• Respect opening hours. If a park closes at dusk, move the clue or come back in daylight.
• If you feel unwell, stop and rest. A missed night can be caught up later.

Lore exists to get people walking more, and safe, comfortable walks are the ones you will keep doing. For more on building the habit, read how to walk more without forcing it. When you’re ready, open this week’s case, or see where you stand in your weekly league.

Frequently asked