Nature and nostalgia at the house on the hill

For half a century How Hill on the Norfolk Broads has been giving children the chance to experience and enjoy nature, as Richard Batson reports.

- Richard Batson

Childhood days spent at a Broads landmark leave nature lessons deeply rooted in the heads – and hearts – of its young visitors. For 50 years How Hill has been temporary home to generations of pupils who learn about the creatures, plants, people and history of Norfolk’s famous waterland.

The country house overlooking the River Ant near Ludham has hosted them for day trips and overnight stays in its role as an environmental study centre, which began in 1968.

Activities include dyke dipping for bugs, nature trails, listening for birds, identifying trees and making dens. Youngsters even try their hands at the timeless craft of thatching – with their work tested for waterproofing by sitting behind it and having a bucket of water thrown over the reed!

That is the kind of lesson that sticks in the memory, and also draws people back to the ‘house on the hill’ when they are grown-ups.

Elanor Nicholls, a teacher at How Hill for 14 years, says: “We get so many adults here on family fun days who fondly remember their childhood visits. They particularly remember the boat trips – and for some it was their first. They also loved dyke dipping, the gardens, which some say seemed like a maze, and sleeping in the dormitories.”