Children’s Facilities
Become an eco-explorer in the coolest classroom ever!
Book a residential trip with How Hill and get exclusive use of our historic Arts & Crafts house and gardens during your stay! You’ll also have access to a uniquely rich natural habitat with amazing facilities – there’s nowhere else like it! Learn all about ecology in this one-of-a-kind setting.
How Hill House
House facilities include dedicated spaces for dining, teaching, relaxing, and a quiet space.
Grounds & Habitats
Freshwater Ecology Centre
Colin O’Riordan Building
A beautiful thatched building on our private field which serves as a base for many of our activities.
Accommodation
Catering
How Hill House
- Sir Lincoln Ralphs Room: A large, flexible space which can easily be adapted to schoolwork.
- Sun Room: An informal space with comfortable seating and fantastic views over the garden, river Ant, marshes and windmill. Double doors open to the garden. The room is decorated with period colours and there is a beautiful tiled period fireplace. A games cupboard, binoculars, television and DVD player are available for guests to use.
- Boardman Room: This atmospheric wood-panelled room lends itself well to meetings, quiet activities and handy luggage storage for school groups.
- Dining Room: The large dining room seats a full class of children and teachers, or can be reconfigured for smaller groups.
Grounds & Habitats
Our incredible site offers young visitors a fantastic opportunity to explore the diverse habitats of the Broads. We have a rich variety, including expansive reed beds, marsh meadows, and tranquil woodlands, alongside the beautiful river Ant. These habitats create a unique environment where children can discover the wonders of nature and learn about the importance of ecological balance.
Within our grounds, you’ll find specialized areas like the fenlands, which provide a home for unique plants such as milk parsley – the sole food source for the rare British Swallowtail butterfly. Exploring these diverse habitats allows children to witness firsthand the intricate connections between wildlife and their surroundings, making their visit both educational and unforgettable.
Freshwater Ecology Centre
This wooden building beside the woods comprises of a classroom, small kitchen area, laboratory and toilets with a veranda overlooking our large grassy field. Outside of term time this building is available to hire.
Colin O’Riordan Building
Our charming thatched barn houses a fascinating display of traditional marsh crops and tools. This space serves as both a learning center and a base for school day visits, typically running from 10am to 2pm. Day visitors can also utilise the Colin O’Riorden building in our private field, conveniently located near the restrooms. Each visit includes three engaging activities led by our experienced teaching staff.
Accommodation
Our comfortable accommodations feature rooms designed for 3-6 children, each with single beds and private ensuite bathrooms, ensuring a restful night. Teachers enjoy dedicated rooms with twin or single beds and their own ensuite facilities.
“Having smaller rooms with fewer beds helps the children get to sleep and makes such a difference.”
Alpington and Bergh Apton CA VA Primary school
Catering
Enjoy delicious, freshly prepared meals throughout your stay! Our on-site kitchens at How Hill maintain a 5-star food hygiene rating and provide healthy, balanced, and child-friendly menus with options to suit every taste.
We are able to catering for any special dietary requirements and allergies but please be sure to inform us in advance, when making your booking. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we provide regular snack and drink breaks to keep energy levels high throughout the day.
“The dinners are always a highlight of our How Hill trip. The kitchen team were incredibly kind and flexible and helped us keep our little tribe full at all times. We cannot thank everyone enough and parents have commented that children ate dinners they do not usually have at home!”
Arden Grove Infant and Nursery School
