I risked getting lost in Cowdray’s Maize Maze when it opened last week, and as you’re reading this, I clearly made it out! If you are looking for a summer day out, this really is one for the diary.

The maze overlooks the picturesque Cowdray ruins and the polo fields. On a clear day, the views of West Sussex are stunning, but even on thundery days – like the day I went – the atmosphere is electric.

Not daunted by the heavy downpour and the occasional crack of thunder, I entered the maze and enjoyed the high walls, various dead ends, and all the twists and turns. I was rewarded with a double rainbow when I found the exit.

This year, the maze has a theme of "Farming Through the Ages," offering a fun experience for visitors of all ages. The maze features a stamp trail, a viewing platform, and a flower-picking patch where you can pick sunflowers alongside a colourful array of wildflowers.

Planted over two hectares, the maze has a horse, plough, and tractor design, and young maze-goers will be given a stamp sheet to complete by collecting eight hidden stamps along the way.

If the maze isn’t enough, visitors can also enjoy refreshments at the Cowdray Farm Shop Café and browse a pop-up Cowdray Lifestyle outlet.

The maze will be open from August 1 to August 26, from 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday to Thursday, and until 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are £6 per person, with free admission for children under 3 and carers. Flowers cost £5 a bunch.

Tickets are available both online and at the gate, with a percentage of ticket sales going to Cowdray’s nominated charity, Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex.

To buy tickets and find out more, visit: https://www.cowdray.co.uk/maize-maze/