Everyone who comes to Hinning House challenges themselves. It’s a motto that should be nailed above the entrance to Wigan Council’s outdoor education centre.
Nestled in the glorious Duddon Valley virtually in the shadow of England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike, Hinning House has been providing ‘challenges’ for generations of young people from Wigan since the early 1980s.
“We still get adults whose children are coming to the centre speaking fondly about their time here,” says assistant head of centre Dave Harvey. “Some even turn up for a look around if they are in the area. As soon as they come in you can see that light in their eyes flicks on and they’re 12 years-old again.”
Dave is a relative newcomer to the delights of Hinning House; he arrived in November after years at a similar set up on the Isle of Anglesey.
A plaque commemorating the official opening by one of the country's most famous adventurers.
And just like those many children who turn up at the centre with eyes growing ever wider, the familiar vision of the urban landscape giving way to a sense of space many have never experienced, Dave is also facing a challenge.
“For many children who come to Hinning House it is the first real adventure they will go on,” says Dave. “They are away from home and out in the countryside and it’s our job to help them to make the most of it.”
Dave admits that for some, the activities offered at Hinning House will be outside their comfort zone but they offer a chance to grow.
In a typical week at Hinning House you can expect to experience orienteering, gorge scrambling, bushcraft and mountain biking. Weather permitting you can rock climb and by linking with its sister site Low Bank Ground on the banks of Lake Coniston, you can even paddle your own canoe.
The boot room at Hinning House
“Taking part in the activities can help build confidence and inspire a sense of independence,” says Dave. “But it’s about a lot more than just the great outdoors. For many who come to Hinning House it’s their first time away from their parents. Being away from home and living with other people for a week can be just as challenging as any trek around the valley floor.”
Today the air is thick with snow, fog rolls off the peaks down into Duddon, it’s cold and wet – the perfect weather for an afternoon stroll in fact!
Dave and the team are awaiting the arrival of a party of 10 year-olds from St Cuthbert’s primary school in Norley Hall.
When they arrive, everyone is introduced and the house rules are explained. The children are given a chance to dump their bags before they sit down to lunch, a good chance to ‘fuel up’ before the day’s activities.
The children are joined by teachers Joanne Wadeson and Lizzy Halliwell as well as the area’s two police community support officers, Tony Smith and Dave Smith.
As everyone gets kitted out with wellies and rucksacks for the afternoon yomp, Joanne says: “The children have been excited about the trip for days and the parents have been really supportive. Many of them came to wave them off this morning and we’re just really looking forward to getting stuck in.”
Dave adds: “In recent years we have heard a lot of hype about the safety of school trips in light of the growing trend towards compensation culture, but here the children get the chance to stretch their wings in a safe and controlled way and thankfully the schools have supported us all the way. We still have weeks when the centre is empty and we want to encourage more schools to make the most of it. In many ways it’s one of the borough’s best kept secrets.”
Once everyone is suitably dressed and booted up, the door opens, the wild beckons and off they go.
Those first tentative steps mark the beginning of a journey that for many of the children won’t just be measured in feet and inches – and it’s certainly one they’ll never forget.
Wigan Council’s Outdoor Education Centres at Hinning House and Low Bank Ground are available for booking by school groups, as well as independent groups and organisations. They cater for both adults and children. To find out more you can visit the website: Lakeland Outdoor Centres (external link), call 015394 41314 or email: Low Bank
