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EXCLUSIVE: Unique, Willow, Handmade Maze In Country Park Wows The Isle Of Wight

Eddie Glew and Graham Biss

Islanders are being encouraged to visit, explore and engage with a new, stunning, willow, handmade maze that is one of a kind in the UK.

EXCLUSIVE... Scroll for a video and pictures.

As part of a new project called the Golden Celebrations, Golden Hill County Park in Freshwater has not only been improved with signage and the site maintained - it is now home to an incredible, new, unique installation.

Natural Enterprise, the charitable trust that owns the site has 30 across the Island and Islanders are invited to visit the 12ft high maze!

The willow structure has been made with Island-sourced materials over a two week period by weaver and basket maker, Eddie Glew and his team at Blithfield Willow - who cleverly crafted the masterpiece.

Inspired by the hexagonal footprint of the original fort there - which is now in private hands - and using local willow coppiced from nearby Afton Marsh, this organic structure is not only visually striking, but it also invites investigation with twists and turns, lookouts and dens.

The 20-hectare park in Freshwater where it is located offers spectacular views, large open expanses of grassland, wooded areas, ponds, guided nature trails, geocaching hunts, a community orchard.... and now the wonderful willow maze.

Eddie Glew, says he was “lucky” to be asked to build it and spoke exclusively to Isle of Wight Radio:

“It’s about the fort really, the fort has been taken back and is private so we have this beautiful bit of land so it was to represent the fort. Hopefully, it does that justice and evokes the spirit of the fort...It is from the Island, for the Island and hopefully just blends in… I don’t think there is anything else like this in the UK so it is one of a kind.”

He adds that there has been a fantastic response with children (and adults) playing in it and exploring it.

The only one similar is one Eddie made in Winchester. There are hopes for another Maze to be installed at another Gift to Nature site in future.

Graham Biss, Managing Director of Natural Enterprise told Isle of Wight Radio:

“It [the maze] has had a fantastic reaction but why would it not? you only have to come and see it, smell it and touch it. We wanted it to be Island sourced so the willow has come from other parts of the Island and we have been able to use it to create this fantastic structure. It has had such an impact, we would love to be able to raise the money to have another - we have thirty sites across the Island and would love to put another one there.

"Vanessa Langley from our team came up with the idea of the maze but actually what's special for me is every remember of the Natural Enterprise team has been involved in a very significant way. We couldn't have done this without the public as we are a charity and they have been supporting us - so thank you to the public and my team.”

Watch a video below

Pictures of the maze can be seen below

 

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