The Dragonfly Maze

The Dragonfly Maze sits on Rissington Road on the edge of Bourton-on-the-Water, a traditional hedge maze that adds a puzzle challenge to the usual business of finding your way through. On entry each visitor receives a notebook and the first clue in a trail that winds through the maze to fourteen waypoints, hidden along the paths. Only once all fourteen have been found can you unlock the ornate central pavilion and discover the golden dragonfly concealed inside.

The combination of maze and clue trail gives children a focus that holds their attention well beyond the initial thrill of getting lost. The paths are formed by tall, dense hedges that make the interior genuinely enclosed and satisfying to explore. The puzzle scales naturally with age, with younger children happy to follow the route while older ones read the clues and work out the next step. Most families take around an hour at a relaxed pace, occasionally more if the maze proves particularly tricky.

At the ticket price it is one of the most affordable independent attractions in the village and works well as part of a wider Bourton day. Birdland, the Motoring Museum, the Model Village and the Model Railway are all within easy walking distance on Rissington Road and the High Street, so the maze slots naturally into a morning or afternoon of village exploring.

Good for: outdoors, sensory. Ages: 3–4, 5–7, 8–11, 12+.