Brocks Hill Visitor Centre

Visiting us

There is something for everyone at Brocks Hill Visitor Centre located within Brocks Hill Country Park.

There are also plenty of reasons to return time and time again.

There is a café, small shop, Exhibition Hall, toilets and free car parking.

The centre is fully accessible and there are hard surfaced paths suitable for prams and wheel chairs.

Cutting edge environmental design

The centre was designed in conjunction with De Montfort University, and is packed with examples of the latest sustainable technologies.

From the front entrance the building isn't particularly exciting; that's because the walls are insulated with earth piled in a grass verge up to small windows (to minimise heat loss), what remains is a very large roof space (used to harvest the rain water). It is only when you are inside that you appreciate the real size of the building.

In contrast the back of the building is covered in large, double glazed windows to maximise the natural light and heat from the sun. What little space is left is used to house photovoltaic panels to generate electricity.

Wind Power

Electricity is also supplied by a 20kw wind turbine further up the hill, and during the winter the building can be heated using our waste-wood (biomass) boiler.

What you cannot see hidden below the centre is the onsite treatment of waste water.

School parties are welcome at Brocks Hill and with prior arrangement tours and classroom workshops are available.

Beautiful Surroundings

The country park has plenty to keep a school group entertained for a morning and/or afternoon.

If you can get the children past the extensive outdoor play area, you can walk up through the meadows and woodland in search of local wildlife, or head down to the pond to see what's lurking within.

There's no excuse for children arriving back late as there is also a human sundial next to the centre!

As you would expect the centre is open to the public all year round, and is just a 10 minute drive from the M1 - making Brocks Hill an ideal family day out as well as a learning centre.

For more information visit http://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/brocks_hill_visitor_centre_and_country_park.