The Ham Hill Centre includes the Rangers Office where you can usually find the Countryside Rangers from Monday - Friday at lunchtimes, but the rest of the time they are usually out working on site. There is an Education Centre that can be used by schools and community groups for slide/media talks, arts and crafts sessions, workshops, a meeting point for walks and more. Within the centre there is an interactive whiteboard, arts and crafts materials, Ham Hill artefacts, information displays and leaflets.
The Centre is usually open at weekends throughout the summer holidays and when the rangers are running events, otherwise it is best to phone in advance to see if there will be any staff around when you plan to visit (01935 823617). There are toilets at the Centre that are accessible at all times from dawn to dusk all year round, seven days a week, including a wheelchair accessible toilet (operated by RADAR key).
The Centre has several sustainable features:
It is made out of Hamstone extracted from Ham Hill; therefore it has only travelled a few metres, and blends nicely into the landscape.
It has local sheep's wool insulation in the wall cavity, which again hasn't travelled far, it is a good use of what is often a waste product with the availability of cheaper, man-made fabrics, and of course it keeps the heat in the building!
In the near future a small wind turbine is due to be installed on the roof of the building, which should provide some of the electricity needed in the building.
