King’s Childhood Passion Set to Benefit Lake District Visitor Attraction

A Lake District visitor attraction is anticipating a surge in visitors, thanks to the royal seal of approval for the experience a maze can deliver.

The Lakeland Maze Farm Park, which opened its annual maize maze at Sedgwick near Kendal on July 17, believes statements by King Charles, which have recently circulated in the press, will drive many first-time visitors to its door in the weeks ahead.

The King has just opened his third royal maze, at the royal residence of Sandringham, having created one at Balmoral in 2023 and another at Dumfries House 2016.  The reason for this is said to be that he was absolutely fascinated by the maze he played in as a child, which was an earlier maze at Sandringham.

The King is on record as saying, “There’s nothing more enjoyable than getting lost in a maze” and that, “I’m rather indulging in my childhood fantasy of mazes.”  For this reason, the Lakeland Maze Farm Park believes many parents will introduce their children to the ‘amaizing’ experience for the first time this summer, allowing them to have tremendous fun getting lost in its 7-foot-high maize crop.

For those who have never tried this, it is a great way to enjoy the great outdoors, whilst also getting some exercise as a family.  It challenges the mind, as the puzzle of how to find the right route through the labyrinth unfolds. The activity also requires concentration.  It is important to remember which routes you have already tried and which were dead ends!

At the Lakeland Maze Farm Park, the theme this year is that of a sailing boat.  Whilst that may be visible from the air, it is much harder to work the pattern out at ground level.  This can give a visitor or family up to 90 minutes of entertainment, trying to figure things out.  If they get stuck, there is help and advice at hand but many really do not want to admit defeat and prefer to work it out themselves.

Much fun and laughter can revolve around getting it wrong, whilst finally accomplishing the solving of the puzzle leads to a real sense of accomplishment.

There is also a much smaller maze, for those who want to spend less time on the activity but still explore the appeal of mazes that so fascinates the King. This year, the mini maze is shaped like a medal, with a far less elaborate ‘escape route’. This can be conquered in under 30 minutes.

King Charles’ quirky hobbies were said to greatly amuse the late Queen, with mazes being one of them.  Fittingly, the Lakeland Maze Farm Park’s design for 2022 depicted the late monarch, in what was her Jubilee year.  That year, an RAF fighter jet actually tipped its wings in tribute to the Queen, as it flew over the maze.  No doubt King Charles would have greatly approved.

Whilst the maize maze is just one of the numerous things to do at the Lakeland Maze Farm Park, which has opened a brand new ‘Cresta Run’ toboggan ride this year, alongside its gigantic Super Mega Ride n Slide, the royal influence is likely to encourage far more maze visits.

Owner of the Lakeland Maze Farm Park, Graham Wadsworth, says, “We were delighted to read of the King’s true passion for mazes, particularly as we believe this is an experience that has passed many people by.  Many of us would never have experienced a maze during our own childhood, as the arrival of maize mazes has really only been something that has occurred over the last 19 years or so.  Unless you lived near Hampton Court, you are unlikely to have explored one.

“The King’s words probably demonstrate that you are never too old to get lost in a maze for the first time and that the whole experience is tremendous fun for the kids.  He even hopes that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will share his passion for mazes!  As a result of the King sharing his love of mazes so openly, we expect to see many more maze first-timers this year.”

Entrance to the Lakeland Maze Farm Park, which includes maze entrance and offers a whole day of other fun besides, costs £12.45 for tickets bought online, with a reduction for seniors and carers.  The maze is open from 10am to 6pm every day to September 3 and then at weekends only, until daily opening resumes during October half-term.  Head to www.lakelandmaze.co.uk for more details.  

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Editors notes

The Lakeland Maze Farm Park is located at the gateway to the Lake District, in the village of Sedgwick near Kendal, just a few minutes drive from the M6 junction 32. Since opening in 2004, it has twice been awarded the Maze of the Year title, for its annual maize maze - spread over 8 acres and cut into 8-foot-high maize - and its min-maze. However, the park is much more than just the mazes, with animal petting, feeding and demonstrations, a daily tractor and trailer ride, Air Bouncer pillows, wooden panel maze, Water Wars water battle attraction, a 150-foot Super Mega Slice n Ride slide, karts, climbing wall, bouncy castle, indoor play area, outdoor ball game area, coin-operated quad bikes, vintage tractors and much more. Families can bring picnics and enjoy those indoors or outdoors.