Home   News   Article

Pupils enjoy 'amaizing' fun as new dino maze is unveiled at Skylark in Wimblington

By Sarah Cliss
-
sarah.cliss@iliffepublishing.co.uk
Published: 10:46, 13 July 2018
 | Updated: 10:46, 13 July 2018

Children from a local school were involved in a dinosaur hunt on today (Thursday) when the Skylark Garden Centre launched this year's maize maze attraction.

Owen Askew, 7, Amelia Hathaway, 6, and Annabell Wesley, 11, with the dinosaur at the entrance to the maize maze. (3047051)
Owen Askew, 7, Amelia Hathaway, 6, and Annabell Wesley, 11, with the dinosaur at the entrance to the maize maze. (3047051)

The centre on Manea Road, Wimblington, invited pupils from Guyhirn CofE School to help launch the maze which has seen a giant 150m tall Tyrannosaurus Rex carved from a living field of maize plants.

The view of the new T-Rex shaped maize maze at Skylark captured from a helicopter. (3047043)
The view of the new T-Rex shaped maize maze at Skylark captured from a helicopter. (3047043)

Created by Skylark's Ed Gowler the monster dinosaur is just one of a host of new attractions for this summer and the children who were from three of the school's year groups: Year 1, Year 2 and Year 6, got to try them all out.

A giant inflated mattress was enjoyed by pupils from Guyhirn school at the Skylark launch. (3047045)
A giant inflated mattress was enjoyed by pupils from Guyhirn school at the Skylark launch. (3047045)

Ed and his team have painstakingly cut over 3km of pathways in his 12 acre field of maize plants to create the giant T-Rex which is over 150m (500 feet) tall - 25 times bigger than the real thing.

A giant straw bale mountain proved a challenge for pupils from Guyhirn school as they helped launch the Skylark maize maze and other attractions at the site. (3047074)
A giant straw bale mountain proved a challenge for pupils from Guyhirn school as they helped launch the Skylark maize maze and other attractions at the site. (3047074)

The Guyhirn pupils were invited by Skylark to join the official launch of the maze with the school choosing three year groups that have just completed government-required tests.

On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047058)
On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047058)

The children had a great time climbing a massive straw mountain, bouncing on an air trampoline mattress, and sliding down from the top of the newly-created 9m high wooden castle in three tubes.

They also whizzed along the zip wire, and enjoyed playing in the sand.

On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047085)
On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047085)

Journalists were taken on a helicopter flight over Skylark to see the gigantic dinosaur shaped maze from above and take in the full scale of the monster, which includes a puzzle solving mission for visitors to complete.

Skylark has invested millions in the site since it first opened in 2003 and has become a popular family attraction adding new fun activities each year.

On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047063)
On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047063)

Also new for 2018 are plans for a new extension to the award-winning cafe and an extension to the garden centre itself. Already completed are new toilets and a relocation and extension to the car park.

Ed said: “A giant T-Rex maze design is the perfect image to represent our big development plans. We are delighted to be unveiling phase one today, the development to the visitor attraction side of the business and providing exciting new facilities for families to enjoy in time for the summer school holidays. The extension to the café and garden centre will be phased in over the coming year.”

On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047081)
On the look out for dinosaurs in the Skylark maize maze: Annabell Wesley, 11, Owen Askew, 7 and Amelia Hathaway, 6. (3047081)

Ed added the new developments to the play area unveiled on Thursday will create 12 new part-time jobs, with a further five full time jobs being created when the extension to the café and garden centre are complete.

The Skylark Mazie Maze and Funyard opened to visitors on Saturday (14) and will be open daily until Monday September 3. For details visit www.skylark-events.co.uk.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More
AGREE