13 Best Mazes in England You Need to Visit
So many impressive mazes in England! Here are all of England’s best mazes to help inspire your next day trip.
Round them all up and you see how weirdly obsessed with mazes we are in England. We just have this weird thrill at not being able to get out of a hedgerow.
Can’t explain it. Just so British.
Well, it’s the best way to make a plain old hedge more adventurous. So let’s explore some of the best mazes in England for a fun day out, where you may never get out.
Do you know England has many unicursal turf mazes?
These mazes were possibly created during the dark ages by Nordic invaders and settlers. The unique characteristics of these England mazes are that they were constructed by taking an area of turf, then gullies are cut to form the barrier, and the remaining turf becomes the path.
There are many of these all over England.
Best Mazes in England
If you love getting lost in greenery, here are the best mazes in England for a fun day out for adults, and kids!
1. Hever Castle Water Maze, Kent
Hever Castle‘s Water Maze is located on their Sixteen Acre Island. It features a series of concentric stepping stones walkways. This maze is in the 13th-century castle, which was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.
There are three different mazes, always popular with the kids.
– The Tower Maze in the castle is in the adventure playground.
– The Yew Maze is excellent to discover.
– The Water Maze is the more unusual of the three.
The architect of the water maze looks like floating pieces of stone over water.
Once you have started to be cautious, some stones may tilt and prompt the water splash to shoot out. Keep your towels handy – a good option on a hot day out in Kent!
If you’re in Kent for Christmas Hever Castle makes for a great day out – fingers crossed for a thin layer of snow to make it all the more majestic.
2. Hampton Court Palace Maze, Surrey
The maze at Hampton Court Palace is officially one of the oldest surviving hedge mazes in England. Hampton Court’s impressive maze was commissioned in around 1700 by William III, and is one of the most popular things to see in Surrey.
Hampton Court’s ‘Puzzle Maze’ was originally planted using hornbeam, and later replanted using yew. This is a trapezoid maze spread over a third of an acre. You can crack this maze in around 20 minutes, hopefully.
A regular day ticket will include your access to the palace, maze and gardens, exhibitions, historical reenactment, and activity trails available on this maze site. Hampton Court Palace is one of the best known palaces in England.
3. Glendurgan Maze, Cornwall
Glendurgan Maze offers an exotic view of the Valley Garden in a National Trust property near Falmouth – in Cornwall.
As visitors, you’ll be mesmerised by the maze beauty that shelters the beach, the nature trails, and all the other options for adventurous spirits (including rope swings).
This garden maze was created in the 19th century, and even after 200 years, it offers plenty of outdoor games options for all the family.
4. Noah’s Ark Maze, Somerset
This is one of the cutest mazes for toddlers, on a working farm just outside Bristol.
The Noah’s Ark Maze is the longest hedge maze in Europe, at 3.2 metres – good luck getting out of that one!
The maze outdoor play area is open to the public and provides various activities options like:
- Zip wire
- Termite mound play zone
- Elephant slide
- Sandpit
Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm houses big zoo animals like African elephants, giraffes, lions, spectacled bears, giant anteater and white rhinos. You can watch over a hundred species of animals in this maze, and it covers hundreds of acres of Somerset countryside.
5. Longleat Maze, Wiltshire
As a land of adventure where you can find lions and tigers strolling and monkeys swinging, the Longleat Maze is one of England’s most magical maze that holds exotic creatures.
Children will enjoy the Adventure Castle, whereas nature lovers can roll up their sleeves and come face to face with some exclusive fauna species.
Plan a fantastic day out with your whole family at the Longleat Maze, especially with Longleat Safari Park right on site too.
Longleat Maze is one for the fearless, as the largest maze in Britain. You’ll need to walk through 2 miles of path, which usually takes 20 to 90 minutes to complete.
Enjoy the animal interactions on your way round!
6. Blenheim Palace Maze, Oxfordshire
Blenheim Palace’s Marlborough Maze was opened in 1991. It is famous for its ‘V’ sign included amid maze to honours Winston Churchill, who was born at the palace.
If you have eyes for detail, you can recognize various military symbols included in the labyrinthine design that includes cannons and bugles.
Marlborough maze is located in the Pleasure Gardens, situated a 10-minute walk from the palace. You may use the miniature train to reach the entrance. This maze is two miles in length and is made up of hundreds of yew trees, planted in the design inspired by the history of Blenheim Palace.
This is one of the most popular mazes in England.
7. Dragonfly Maze, Gloucestershire
The Dragonfly Maze was opened in 1997. It’s a traditional hedge maze for visitors but also, with a difference.
You can walk around half a mile of pathways and look out for the 14 numbered clues. If you get all the correct answers written on your card, you will know how to find the golden dragonfly hidden in its roundhouse.
There are many more tricks that will keep your adventure soul busy in this maze, and it’ll take 20 to 30 minutes for complete exploration.
After completing your maze trip, take a look in the shops full of traditional toys, puzzles, and gifts.
8. Leeds Castle Maze & Underground Grotto, Kent
Since 1998, Leeds Castle Maze has been one of England’s most challenging and fun-filled mazes for adults and youngsters alike.
Your task is to navigate this labyrinth of around 2,400 yew trees to find the centre. When you reach the centre, you’ll notice a section of the maze that resembles a queen’s crown. Then, to exit the maze, you’ll descend into an underground grotto that’s filled with mythical beasts made from shells, wood and minerals.
If you’re looking for a castle maze for the entire family, you can’t go wrong by visiting the maze at Leeds Castle. By the way, Leeds Castle is rumoured to be one of the spookiest castles in England.
9. York Maze, Yorkshire
Made up of over a million maize plants spread across 32 acres, York Maze is one of the biggest mazes in England. Better still, it takes on a new theme each year.
In the past, York Maze has been marked by designs that pay homage to popular culture. Previous themes have included Dr Who, Star Wars and Harry Potter.
Besides getting lost, fun activities at York Maze include fairground rides, live performances and events. We don’t yet know what this fantastic maze in England has in store for 2023, but we’re confident it’ll be one of the best days out in North Yorkshire.
10. Horrible Histories Maze, Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
Another amazing castle maze is the Horrible Histories Maze at Warwick Castle, where visitors gain an insight into centuries of history while making their way through the labyrinth.
While tackling the maze, you’ll face obstacles with special effects that reflect periods in history such as the Measly Middle Ages, the Frightful First World War and the Vile Victorians.
The Horrible Histories Maze is open daily and is included with your ticket to Warwick Castle, which is one of the most famous landmarks in England. Prices for one adult and one toddler start at around £20.
Buy your ticket to Warwick Castle before you go to save time and money!
11. Cornish Maize Maze, Cornwall
The Cornish Maize Maze takes on a new design every year on a working farm on the Duchy of Cornwall Estate. Previous themes have included a wizard, a Mayan jaguar and a dinosaur. Follow the three miles of pathways through the maze to find the two look-out towers that offer sweeping views over the farm.
On top of the maze, this farm in Saltash is home to rare-breed farm animals, a gift shop, a café and a children’s play area. You can also feel free to bring a picnic to enjoy with the family under the Cornish sun. If you’re staying in the area, you might want to find out about more unique days out in Cornwall.
12. Wistow Maze, Leicestershire
Occupying an area of eight acres, Wistow Maze is redesigned every year using GPS satellite technology.
Adding to the fun are clues hidden in the maze, which you’ll need to find to answer the quiz questions correctly. For the youngsters, there’s the Activity Funyard, a space hopper track, a variety of mini mazes, and a football shooting game.
If you’re looking for more family-friendly activities after completing the Wistow Maze, read about more of the best days out in Leicestershire.
13. Minotaur Maze, Northumberland
One of the more unusual mazes in England, Minotaur Maze takes inspiration from the Greek myth of Minos and the Minotaur.
The maze sits within the stunning grounds of Kielder Castle (which is home to one of England’s best Gruffalo trails). But unlike most castle mazes, Minotaur Maze is constructed entirely from stone. Your goal is to find your way to the maze’s centre, where you’ll find a glittering room made from recycled glass.
Take on Virtual Mazes in England
Want even more mazes to explore? There are now virtual mazes you can try to master. Using the free Walkwyse app, you can locate these trails in over 200 public parks across the UK, and try to navigate them in record time to beat others, or collect virtual treasure along the way.
Some trails are as short as 1.5km, while others are a whopping 20km! So there’s plenty to discover on a day out with this webapp. It runs on a smartphone, and uses GPS guidance, compass and multimedia to help you find your way through the maze. Walkwyse aMazing trails are great activities to do with the kids, a fun way to get more exercise, and you’ll be helping to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research at the same time. Find out more on the Walkwyse website.
The best mazes in England
European royalty used these mazes as entertainment sources for their guest and as sneaky spots for secret meetings. Now you have an excellent opportunity to solve these giant puzzles by booking a family expedition to these spots. The best mazes in England are perfect for kids who love outdoor adventures.
Are you ready to get lost in England’s best Mazes?
Quick list of the best mazes in England
- 1. Hever Castle Water Maze, Kent
- 2. Hampton Court Palace Maze, Surrey
- 3. Glendurgan Maze, Cornwall
- 4. Noah’s Ark Maze, Somerset
- 5. Longleat Maze, Wiltshire
- 6. Blenheim Palace Maze, Oxfordshire
- 7. Dragonfly Maze, Gloucestershire
- 8. Leeds Castle Maze & Underground Grotto, Kent
- 9. York Maze, Yorkshire
- 10. Horrible Histories Maze, Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
- 11. Cornish Maize Maze, Cornwall
- 12. Wistow Maze, Leicestershire
- 13. Minotaur Maze, Northumberland
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