We had some friends and their children around for the weekend, so we planned a day out on the Sunday before they left at Houghton Mill, which is quite close to where we live.
Although Houghton Mill is close, we had never been there before and heard that it was a nice place to visit and spend a few hours, or the whole day if you wish, with the family.
Houghton Mill is in Houghton Village in Cambridgeshire on the Great Ouse River.
The mill is half brick and half-timber frame, it was built in the 17th century and extended in the 19th century to a three-storey structure.
The mill belongs to the National Trust and since 1999 it is being used as a tourist attraction.
At the visit you learn about the history of the mill and about the milling process and all the machinery used. You can see the machinery working and milling the flour, and children can also have a go at certain parts of the process. At the end of the visit, you can buy freshly milled flour to use at home.
We arrived there at about 11 o’clock and spent about an hour inside the mill, where we learned about the journey from the grain to flour. There were volunteer members demonstrating the process, explaining, and answering any questions. They have guided tours, but they need to be booked in advance, which we didn’t. After exploring the three floors of the mill and seeing the Victorian machinery still working, we went to their tea-room for some lunch.
We spent a good two hours there having lunch while the children played around with the dogs and had a very good time. After that, my friends had to go back to London, and we returned home. However, before heading home we took a little walk around the village, which is very attractive with its picturesque houses and gardens.
There is no doubt that a visit to Houghton Mill with the family is an excellent option for a day out, especially on a nice summer’s day.
Below you will find a list of where to stay and where to eat in Houghton and around. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
WHERE TO STAY AROUND HOUGHTON VILLAGE
1 – The Thorpe Guesthouse – Hemingford Grey – 3* – £
2 – The Golden Lion Hotel – St Ives – 4* – £
3 – Eagle Mill – Huntingdon – 3* – £
4 – The Old Bridge – Huntingdon – 3* – £
WHERE TO EAT AROUND HOUGHTON VILLAGE
1 – The Three Jolly Butchers – Pub – Houghton – ££
2 – The River Terrace – St Ives – ££
3 – Johnsons of Old Hurst – Old Hurst – Steak House – *** – ££
4 – The Cock – Pub – Heminford Grey – ££
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