Maize mazes take you back to nature in a big way – an 8ft high way to be precise – but the fun to be had from them is a serious business.

Managers at Penshurst Place, who first unleashed their field of fun onto the public back in 2012, use GPS to plot their special design into the six-acre field.

It’s proved a popular move and visitors often come back again and again over the summer to tackle the giant maze.

Penshurst’s general manager Ben Thomas said: “We wanted to introduce something extra for the summer holidays which would be fun. We are a very traditional rural estate and attraction, we didn’t want something artificial. We grow maize on the estate anyway.”

The gardening team begin back in April or May when they plant, or “drill” the maize. It’s a tense time as the ground temperature needs to be just right.

Maize may be picky about its planting time, but not so much when it comes to growing.

Ben said: “When you’re growing any crop you’re never 100% sure it’ll go right. It often makes a slow start, but by August it will be shoulder height. Some years it has grown to be eight or nine feet. ”

'We rarely have to rescue people. Visitors are given a flag on a long pole and can raise it if they need help'

“They are very sturdy plants and once it gets going it’s amazing – it can grow an inch a day. It really races away! When the sun comes out it’ll be roaring.”

Visitors at this year’s maze receive a map with clues and a game card to be stamped along the way.

Ben said: “The large maze can take about 40 minutes but the average is about an hour.

“We are mindful, though, that not everybody wants to get lost for hours! We rarely have to rescue people. Visitors are given a flag on a long pole and can raise it if they need help.

“We try to make it so that it’s reasonably challenging. But it can get very hot inside. We tell people to take a bottle of water and they think we’re joking.”

At the end of the summer, it’s not the end of the story for the maize. It is harvested like any other crop by a farmer from Hall Place Dairies, turned into silage to be fed to his herd of dairy cows whose milk is turned into ice cream and cheese, sold on the estate.

Children can enjoy the maize maze, but for smaller ones, there is also a mini maze, which is shorter and is suitable for toddlers and small children, taking about 15 minutes to complete.

Maze stewards are on hand to help and adults need to accompany children.

“It’s nice for little children and not so scary!” said Ben.

DETAILS

The Maize Maze at Penshurst Place opens on Saturday, July 16 and runs until Sunday, September 4. Visit between 10.30am and 6pm (last entry at 5pm).

The maze is just one of a number of summer activities at the attraction. There will also be falconry displays from the Hawking Centre on Sundays from Sunday, July 24, and live-action stories with the folk behind Wallace and Gromit, Aardvark Productions, also on Sundays from Sunday, July 24.

There will also be craft workshops during the August bank holiday and Bushcraft overnight summer camps for kids, which include wild swimming and toasting marshmallows over a campfire. There is also an adventure playground on site all year round.

For details go to penshurstplace.com

OTHER MAIZE MAZES TO DISCOVER THIS SUMMER

Romney Marsh’s Haguelands Village will unveil what managers believe is their trickiest maze yet on Saturday, July 16. The farm in Burmarsh will have almost four miles of paths of maize to explore and navigate.

For opening times and prices call 01303 874727 or visit haguelandsvillage.co.uk.

Try a maize maze by moonlight. Quex Park in Birchington, near Margate, will run Moonlight Maze nights on Saturday, July 30 and Saturday, August 27 from 7pm until late where you can explore by torchlight, play games and tuck into a barbecue.

There is also a giant tractor maze where visitors can navigate and try to find a lost tractor on their travels. Open daily this summer between 10am and 5pm, for details and admission prices visit quexpark.co.uk or call 01843 841119.