The Maze at Traquair
The maze at Traquair House and I have something in common. We both turned 40 in 2021. Middle age sits well with the beech and leylandii labyrinth, it is still a big draw on the estate and offers a challenging 20 minutes or so to reach the centre. I must have been round it a hundred times but still seem to get lost after the fourth sub-centre every time. There is a quicker way out from the centre which cheats can also use to gain the prize, however as my mum would say “you are only cheating yourself”. The centre needs to be earned! Film fans can’t help but get Stanley Kubrick or Harry Potter vibes (you can pay your money and take your choice there), but no axe wielding maniac or dark wizard awaits in here, just lost bairns and frustrated grown ups.
The leylandii hedges were planted first, but most were lost after a tough winter so the much hardier, but slower growing, beech was used to fill the gaps. As a result it took a bit longer to fully knit together but now looks stunning and is apparently the largest hedge maze in the country.
So have you had a go at the maze? The grounds are shut for the year but I suggest giving it a go next year. Best avoided if you’ve had a glass or two of the Jacobite ale, as you’ll probably never get oot…
