Young Visitors
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Teachers & Leaders
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Parents & Carers
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Children
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Our Facilities
How Hill offers a range of fantastic facilities for children, including accommodation and catering.
Visiting How Hill
Stay at How Hill House or visit us for a day or evening. Immerse yourselves in the outdoors and connect with nature as you discover our riverside location with woodland and marsh habitats on our doorstep.
Children can spot dazzling kingfishers and hear booming bitterns on our boat trip into the Broads.
They can dip the dykes for aquatic invertebrates, prize open owl pellets to see what they ate for lunch and test their thatching skills by standing under their finished roof to see if its waterproof.
Our Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge is a hallmark of quality and safety, you can be assured we have everything covered.
How Hill can provide day visits and / or residential stays of up to four nights. Our aim is to tailor visits to the needs of schools and youth groups.
When you choose How Hill you get:
You get the house to yourself
Sole occupancy of How Hill House and the house gardens
Dazzling Location
Unique Ecologically
Value
Facilities
We have competitive prices, which include accommodation, catering, expert tuition and leadership on activities. There are no hidden costs.
Dedicated Teaching Team
Experienced teaching team bring How Hill to life for children with their knowledge and passion for the environment and natural world. Ensuring children have a memorable trip.
Accredited
We are Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge accredited, so you can be assured we have everything covered for you and paperwork is minimal
What to Expect
How Hill House is a charming and characterful Grade II listed building dating back to the 1900s. With wood panelling and original fireplaces the house and has been adapted to provide comfortable residential stays for both adults and children.
The classroom and sunroom offer a place to relax with the children in the evening including beautiful sunsets over Turf Fen Mill and the River Ant. A games cupboard and access to TV for a film night or to look through your camera trap videos of wildlife at How Hill will keep your group entertained and a bookcase full of fiction and non-fiction for all to enjoy. You are welcome to use our private field for any evening activities you wish to facilitate.
How Hill House has 12 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms sleeping up to 34 children and 5 adults. All bedrooms have single beds. We have 3 adult bedrooms (one single bedroom and two twin rooms) our 9 children’s bedrooms sleep between 3 and 6 per room.
You will be fully catered for during your stay with our cook providing delicious home-made meals and meeting all dietary requirements.
Curriculum linked activities and tailored packages to meet your needs.
Activities
Learning should be fun – and that’s exactly what How Hill’s range of activities aims to do, with varied, hands-on sessions that help young people learn about the nature and history of The Boards from creative crafts to dyke dipping, boat trips and action games.
Nature Trail
An adventure around How Hill including a visit to Cromes Broad, a walk through the Secret Gardens and the famous Mud Stick!
Dyke Dipping
Catch water invertebrates and work out what they are!
Toad Hole Cottage
This tiny thatched marshman’s cottage situated by the River Ant was home for a whole family in Victorian times.
Environmental Art
Children work in groups to produce some big art.
Woodlouse House
A hunt for animal homes before creating an imaginative luxury house for Wally the Woodlouse. Suitable for KS1.
Wooden Bookmarks or Wands
Use woodland materials to decorate a bookmark or turn it into a wand.
Thatching
Learn traditional thatching skills, then put them to the test! Suitable for KS2
Hawks and Blackbirds
This popular and energetic game provides a brilliant illustration of predator-prey relationships and the mechanics of food chains. Suitable for KS2
Wherry Experience
Experience life aboard a Wherry. Available during the summer term.
Woodland Ecology
An in depth study of our broadleaved woodland including identifying trees; calculating tree age; discussion of seed dispersal, competition and photosynthesis.
Boat Trip to Barton Broad
Travel up the River Ant to Barton Broad. Passing the idyllic thatched village of Irstead, borrow our binoculars for birdwatching. Spot otters, kingfishers and traditional sailing boats.
Aquatic Ecology
A half-day session for years 5 and 6 follows on from the Barton Broad Trip. Small group fieldwork investigating water quality indicators and chemically test water samples in the laboratory.
Owl Pellet Dissection
Learn about owls, their ecology and adaptations before heading into the laboratory for some owl pellet dissection. Find teeth and skulls of mice voles and shrews.
Marsh Study
Cross the River Ant by boat and explore the private marshes of How Hill including birdwatching from a hide overlooking Reedham Water and explore Turf Fen Mill
Orienteering
Years 2/3/4 practice their map reading whilst years 5/6 learn how to use a compass to navigate around How Hill finding special posts.
Rush Candles
Collect soft rushes then practice peeling off the outer green skin to reveal soft white pith within, which is then dipped in a saucepan of lard melting on our campfire.
Clay Models
Create animals using air drying clay. During longer stays they can be painted and varnished.
Watercolour painting or sketching
How Hill house is said to have “the best view in the Broads”. After an introduction to water colour painting children interpret the view for themselves.
How Hill Bingo
How Hill Bingo – A bit of fun for groups on longer stays. How Hill related questions and quite a lot of excited shouting!
Weaving
Use a wooden frame and wool to create some weaving to take home.
Environmental Tiles
Design and make their own clay tile with a nature conservation theme. Best suited to years 5 and 6 staying for four nights.
Den Building
Teamwork is put to the test building our woodland dens.
Camera Trapping
Look for animal tracks and clues then decide where we should set up one of our camera traps. In the morning the cameras are collected in and the children discover if they captured footage of a hedgehog, fox, squirrel, deer?
Booking Information
If you’re ready to book, we’re ready to help. If you still have questions, we’re ready to answer them. Just call us on 01692 678555 or email secretary@howhilltrust.org.uk