In this post I will show you how to draw a 7 circuit Caerdroia labyrinth. I first became aware of this type of labyrinth, a variation of the Cretan labyrinth, when I saw it in the film, The Night House, which has a maze theme weaved into the storyline. This type of labyrinth is Welsh and they were used for gatherings of singing and dancing. To learn more about them check out Wikipedia.
How to Draw a 7 Circuit Caerdroia Labyrinth
Step 1 Draw the seed pattern
I came up with 2 possible seed patterns for this. The first is based on the classical 7 seed labyrinth and adjusted for the unique shape of this labyrinth. You can see this below in black overlaid onto the complete labyrinth in red. It uses a center cross (in this case offset), 4 L’s and 4 dots just like that seed uses.
The step by step instructions will use this seed, however there is another seed option I will review below.
Step 1 - Draw the seed pattern
I think of all of them labyrinths I have drawn this one is best made using a grid to guide your drawing. Here is the seed pattern shown against a blue grid. I also added a single green line that is only used for the arches across the top of the labyrinth.
Step 2 Note the Connection points
All seeds become labyrinths by connecting one point to another around the entire shape. For a 7 circuit you will need to make 8 connections as labeled below.
Step 2 Note the connections
Step 3 Note the location of the peaks and shape changes
In the northern part of the labyrinth, you have all circular pathways, and all of them have a peak that is centered between the first connection points (also centered above the center goal).
In the southern part of the labyrinth you have a square labyrinth. This portion of the labyrinth fills bottom half and a half step above the seed (this is an aesthetic choice by me - you may also use the seed as the point of shape change if you prefer)
Step 3 Location and shape changes
Step 4 Draw and connect the pathways to create the labyrinth
After all the explanation above, connect the same numbered pathways to create the labyrinth. Connections 1-5 require (mostly) the drawing of semi-circles, while 6-8 require pathway extensions before drawing the semicircles.
Connect the pathways in order from left to right. Here are the connections drawn using different colored arrows:
Here is the labyrinth being made with the grids shown which may help. Again the green line is only used for the peak of the top side arches.
That completes the labyrinth, BUT let’s look at the other seed I mentioned above.
ALTERNATIVE Step 1 Draw the seed pattern
To simplify the connection drawing this seed requires only the drawing of semicircles, but a much larger seed which looks more like a very wide tree. There are still 8 connections to make, but they are more uniform. Just make sure you align all of their transition points from square shaped to circular shaped.
All other step are basically the same, with just the drawing of your walls changing since you did more upfront work ! Either method ends with this final drawn version of the 7 circuit Caerdroia labyrinth.
(OPTIONAL) STEP 5 Make any Aesthetic Changes
You can make many aesthetic choices for this labyrinth.
You have options for the wall to pathway ratio. Below I made them equal with gives the labyrinth a bolder look. The display of corners is also a choice (I chose soft curved edges below vs. sharp corners above). And finally, how the ends of lines will look (I chose rounded vs squared). Personally, I prefer this bolder look. You can also add some color if you prefer.
That concludes our instructions. Good luck in making your own design !
One thing that is difficult to find is a real world example of this type of labyrinth in the US. However if you are ever in Wales check out the Caerdroia, Gwydir Forest which contains a labyrinth built into the woods. You can plan your trip and get more information at the link above.
Additional posts you might like:
Maze Construction - 5 Maze Design Decisions Make All the Difference
US Labyrinths to visit by state
10 of the Most Frequently asked Questions about Labyrinths, with Answers