Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre based in Bruton, Somerset has been welcoming children and adults for over 40 years. The Centre is set in a valley, with a river flowing through fields and woods, which cover 25 acres. It has an early Victorian farmhouse, converted barns and a newly renovated house which can accommodate up to 124 guests.

Striving to be the best outdoor centre in the UK, they’ve developed a holistic approach.Thrill-seeking activities – giant zip wires across the valley, canoeing, rafting, water slide, tunnelling, climbing and a brand-new high ropes course – run alongside team-building assault courses, challenge tracks and low ropes, that build confidence and resilience. Every activity is run by fun instructors. Food is integral to the ethos of the centre; a lot of the vegetables are home grown and locally sourced fruit and meat are put into thoughtful home-cooked meals.

Since it started in 1982, the centre has always had an environmental and sustainable ethos. They encourage all staff and guests to reuse, recycle, to conserve energy, water and to become aware of their environment. Leading by example, they’ve installed solar panels, a ground source heat pump and have instigated the Zero Hero Challenge for all guests and staff to try and not waste food.

They’re open throughout the year for residential and day school groups, birthday parties, adult team building and management training. In the summer holidays they run residential and day Summer Camps for unaccompanied children, up to a third of whom may come from overseas.

Last year, there were parents rolling rolling up the drive who’d done exactly the same 30 years ago.  The format hasn’t changed – it’s still magical with the added bonus of a complete digital detox!

Once kids have been once, they want to come back again and again. One parent told us that her daughter (who is now at university), went to her first camp when she was eight and then again over the following years, and is still friends with some of the people she met there. She’s now returning as a helper.

Coming up in 2024:

Mon 6 May:  Somerscience, when you can wander around their grounds on a ‘sustainability tour’ or investigate what’s in the River Brue.

Sat 1 June: try out loads of activities at their Open Day, in aid of local charity The Brue Larder.

Sat 15 June:  Dangerous Day for Dad (and mums and children) with assault course, zip wire, waterslide, back-to-basics bushcraft and cooking.

Sun 14 July – Fri 23 August:  residential summer camps

Mon 24 July – Thurs 22 August: day visits, from Mon to Fri, 8.45am – 5pm.

Wed 7 August: a Mini Mobster morning for 5 to 7 year olds.