The Wistow Maze

A little trip over the border into lets just call it 'Tiger Country'. We are in the rural hamlet of Wistow, seven miles south-east of Leicester. A place that I have known about for a long time, but never got over to visit. 

Each Summer Diana Brooks from Wistow Maze does an interview on Radio Northampton. Each year there is a different theme to the layout of the maze.  

 

To mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, this year the maze has been designed in the shape of the 'Coronation Crown'. The Maze is set in 8 acres of living maize and sunflower crop. It is another beautiful sunny day as we prepare to start the adventure!  

After a quick brief we are off and in search of clues. Did I forget to mention that we had a Quiz trail to follow and solve the clues all relating to innovations during the Queens reign. There are 12 quiz boards hidden amongst the 3 miles of paths, with high level bridges and viewing towers giving stunning panoramic views. There are also numbered signs across the giant Maze helping you to identify where you are. Being competitive I had to find these as well of course...

'I don't think we need the map do we' my wife said! That was our first mistake... After about 45 minutes of 'headless chicken' wandering around we realised that we very much did need the map.'It's much easier with the map isn't'  she was later heard to say. 

Gradually we started to solve a few clues on the Quiz answer sheet. Looks like a bit of competition too..  Lots of family groups young and old all having a great time in the sun. It is great fun too, as an Eco-therapist I can see so many benefits of being outside in nature. The crucial pollinators such as Bees are having a good time too gathering the plentiful pollen from the many Sunflowers.      

We are surrounded by some glorious countryside and the maize is taller than I am. The recent hot spell doesn't seem to have slowed it down at all.We take a break to have our picnic and a well earned drink. Using the map we have got most of the clues now and got the hang of using the map. I'm much happier with an 'Old fashioned Ordnance Survey map in my hand to be honest. Once everything on the map is finally ticked off we call it a day and submit the competition entry. It has been good fun for sure. 'Amazeing' you might even say...

The first Maze was constructed back in 2004 and was of a Space Rocket theme. Once a theme has been chosen a lot of careful planning takes place using GPS, Satellites and a local base station. 

I don't fully understand the technicalities but every path, curve and gap in the maze design is accurately plotted across the whole field. It's all very clever! The maize and sunflower seed is drilled in early May and germinates within 2 weeks.

 

 

Looking back at all 18 designs since 2004 I think my favourite would probably be the 2017 Sherlock Holmes theme.

Just enough time left for a cup of tea, and to check out what is happening over the road at the Rural Centre .