National Trust - Houghton Mill & Waterclose Meadows — Attraction in Huntingdonshire

This mill has got everything you would need for a nice summer day - bit of history - yes as you ascend the stairs and reach the top - you would be greeted by NT volunteers(do not forget to get the questionnaire from the reception) and they would explain in detail starting from why there is a bicycle put up on the wall - the mechanisms of pulleys used - ratios 1:1 1:21:4 etc where you could have a go yourself - they exaplin why the floor is sloped - why those bunk beds are there-- the massive volume of grains that were stored that yielded massive amounts of flour produced in this mills - how early records that this mill is to be for service of abbey(even before documentations started - how many teeth the wooden crown has - why the gears were made of wood- well that s a bit of history (a lot) - nearby is the ouse valley where you could stroll for a walk - - as you leave the mill you could see on the banks -lots of boats canoes - one word of advice here is that there would be a board stating boating at hirer s risk and that s the only clue that you have to pay for the boats that you take for ride as during our visit we could not see any rates /rents displayed prominently nor the gentleman who gave us the boats did not mention anything about the fees(was chatting about his trip to kuala lampur)- only when we returned he was like - do you think i can do this for charity - you need to pay which came as a surprise - paid what he demanded - but you would not see any prominent display board showing details /prices - being a national trust member you may (as we assumed) well assume that this is a part of NT but is not - but I would like to recommend this boat hire where you could have nice ride exploring the stream -if you are beginner like me - who pulled the oars to one side thinking it will go to your right and the boat goes to your ;left- calm down and get used to it and it takes just 10 to 15 mts to get the hang of it -- do go for this boat ride you'll enjoy (advisable to get some life jackets if you are beginner)-- you can also enjoy having a small rest by the banks - splash in to the water and have fun -- the kids will love this place -- warning there is a tea room near the entrance - toilets are by the side - be prepared if its abusy day - had to stand in a queue - always 5 people queuing up - there are couple of toilets inside the mill - by the flour shop .......all the best for your...

The waterwheel is broken and does not turn - just wanted that to be nice and visible here as it's not mentioned on the website anywhere. The nice lady in the shop said that it needs replacing because it sat in the water during Covid being unused to part of it has rotted. The cobwebs on the sluice gates show it clearly hasn't been running for some time.

This was extremely disappointing as we'd travelled especially because the website said there are milling demonstrations every Sunday. Technically this is true, however they use electrically operated millstones so you don't get to experience all the machinery turning, just a couple of millstones and the grain feeding into it which to be honest is rather underwhelming. My son is interested in mechanisms and how they work so I had been hoping to show him something truly impressive.

Aside from that major disappointment it's a lovely place. Very knowledgeable volunteers to tell you all about the mill and its history. Great to see all the machinery. Lots of hands on things for kids too, my son enjoyed making flour on the rotary quern stone and turning the handles on the model of the mill to see how it all worked. There's also a telescope to do some nature observing however I was surprised to see it was on the sunny side of the building so care must be taken to ensure your little one doesn't accidentally burn their retina trying to look at the sun.

There are only two toilets so expect to queue. The parking machine is one of the few these days that only accepts coins so had to pay using a phone app instead. Arrive before 11am on a Sunday if you want to find a parking space easily. We got there at about 10:40 and it was almost full. When we left at around 12ish there was a small queue for the carpark with a one in one out system going on.

Worth a visit if you are in the area but personally I'd wait until the mill was back up and...

Houghton mill is a National Trust property of the mill and surrounding land of an old fashioned water mill on a branch of the river Great Ouse, just upstream of St Ives. The mill still turns and, although I've not seen it in action, I believe it still works. The area is lovely with walks along either side of the river.

During the summer months the river is a great place to swim, kayak or Stand up paddle board. There are boats on the river, and there is a lock on the other branch of the river to which the mill stands on, so obviously you can't swim up to the mill or the lock, but beyond that it is popular with kids wading and open water swimmers.

The river itself is remarkably clean and clear of weeds and silt. Many spots have sand or smooth rocks. There's nothing worse than swimming in open water and having to wade through thick, sticky mud, or have weeds snagging your ankles - well, possibly drowning is worse.

Houghton mill can be reached either by driving to Houghton and parking at the property, parking in the village (there are a couple of spots by the church sometimes) or by walking or biking from St Ives. The route from St Ives follows the river for much of the way before coming into the village of Houghton. The villages has thatched cottages and and old world feel. The garage there has old fashioned cars on display, and pub is welcoming to everyone.

For a longer walk/ride, you can cut across the meadows towards...