A maize maze?

I've been attempting to visit a maize maze for a couple of weeks now.  It's on my 'autumn list of things to do'.  Our local one was cancelled due to a poor crop.  I found another one 40 miles away and tried to arrange a visit with a friend.  The friend didn't want to go, so we went somewhere else instead.

Today was maize maze day, with friends Caden and Miles.  I checked the website for opening times.  I packed a lunch, waterproofs and wellies.  We arrived, the maize maze was closed.  Nooooooooooo!

Luckily, there was plenty of other things to do.  The garden centre had a big sandpit, big Jenga, and some *extremely* expensive water features (£10,999 - eeek).  Freddie and Betsy spent ages making a sand house.

There was a playground with an excellent roundabout, and £1 a go diggers.

There were lots of animals, inculding kune kune pigs, goats (with their own troll bridge!), alpacas, cattle, Jacobs sheep, ducks, geese, ponies and guinea pigs.  There was also a falconry centre, but we didn't go in.

I've made a shawl for Rob's mum, using an alpaca/silk blend.  It's her 75th birthday this weekend.  When we were looking at the alpacas I told the kids about the shawl, and how soft it is.

There was another filed beyond the last animal enclosure, and we walked through to have a look.  We found some big sculptures.  It was very unexpected and quite exciting.  There were two big blue waves, and a large round moon-like face.  The kids enjoyed walking around them and getting up close.  It reminded me of the Henry Moore sculptures that were around Kew Gardens when Freddie was little.  That was totally fantastic.

By now the kids were tired, so we walked back to the garden centre and bought Rob a little living stone plants - he likes desert plants and has a small cactus collection.

So, a good day, even though the maize maze didn't happen.