Edge of the Forest

The headline addition for this year is Edge of the Forest, a chilling new maze set within the Dark Forest. The story centres around a sinister new spirit, “Leshwall”, who lurks in the shadows, waiting to prey on unsuspecting visitors.

From the very beginning, this maze impressed us. It feels like one of the strongest new creations Merlin has produced in years. The set design is detailed, atmospheric, and cleverly used to disorient guests.

You begin inside a small cottage on the forest’s edge, where an elderly woman welcomes you to warm yourself by the fire. Just as you settle, the lights cut out and she vanishes, leaving you to step through a mysterious door into the dark forest beyond.

The maze cleverly loops back through the cottage several times, but with each return the setting becomes more twisted and corrupted. On our first run-through, we almost thought we were walking in circles, but the theming gradually revealed that we were being drawn ever closer to Leshwall’s domain.

A top tip: keep an eye on the car wreck outside the cottage. Each time you revisit, it grows more damaged, and the radio plays fun Easter eggs, including references to Thunder Rock Radio.

The finale brings you into a decayed bedroom where you finally come face to face with Leshwall himself. This climactic scare is captured on video for guests to purchase afterwards. The final scenes felt somewhat reminiscent of Stranger Things, with reality consumed by a nightmarish parallel world.

Overall, Edge of the Forest is a superb addition and sets a high benchmark for future Scarefest mazes.