Mill on the Brue at Trendle Farm
Where the River Brue runs through a Somerset valley
Set in 25 acres of rolling Somerset countryside on the edge of Bruton, Mill on the Brue has been creating outdoor adventures since 1982. The centre sits at Trendle Farm, a former cider-apple orchard turned nine-hole golf course that the founding family rescued from chemical sprays and replanted with trees, hedgerows and gardens. Today, the same estate is home to more than 40 on-site activities, dormitory and camping accommodation for over 180 students, an award-winning dining hall, a wedding-licensed Longhouse, a working organic garden and one of the most popular summer camps in the south-west of England.
The site is unusually well connected. Bruton has its own railway station with direct services to Bath, Bristol, Weymouth and London (around five trains a day to and from the capital). The centre is approximately one hour from Bath and Bristol and around two hours from London, making it a practical choice for school groups travelling from across southern England.
Our story: from sprayed fairway to 7,400 planted trees
Mill on the Brue was founded by Tony and Tricia Rawlingson Plant, who met through a shared love of the outdoors and had been running activities in partnership at Gants Mill further down the river. In 1984 they bought Trendle Farm, which by then had been heavily sprayed, its hedgerows removed, its trees felled and its hillsides burned to maintain a barren nine-hole golf course on around 20 acres.
The couple introduced a no-chemical-spray policy from day one, replanted trees and reinstated hedgerows while continuing to build up the activity business. In 1990 the partnership at Gants Mill ended and Tony, Tricia and their team moved the whole centre to Trendle Farm, where the family has remained ever since. Tony Rawlingson Plant died on 23 December 2009, but his environmental ethos continues to shape the site.
The next generation is firmly involved. Matt Rawlingson Plant joined as a director in January 2004, having served in the Royal Tank Regiment and spent time on a volunteering expedition in Chilean Patagonia. He married Flora, herself a former Mill on the Brue group leader, in the newly built Longhouse in autumn 2005. Their daughters Polly and Islay both attended Hanford prep school in Dorset, and a sixth grandchild, Ruben, worked as a group leader in the summer of 2024.
Following Tony's death, the family set up The Tony Trust, a fully independent charity that provides bursaries so that young people who could not otherwise afford it can still attend an outdoor residential course somewhere in the UK. Visitors and supporters can donate to The Tony Trust at any time.
Over 40 activities, all on one site
The defining feature of Mill on the Brue is that almost everything happens within the 25-acre estate. There is no daily minibus transfer between activity sites, which the centre credits with building confidence faster and reducing logistical friction for visiting schools and groups.
High-adrenaline favourites
- Zip Wires. Two zip wires, each around 225 metres long, running across the River Brue valley at 6 - 9 metres high. Safe working load is 15 stone (96 kg). Often described by children as their single most memorable moment.
- High Ropes. Five elements built in 2023: Walk the Plank, Leap of Faith, High All Aboard, Crate Stack and Gladiator Wall. Each runs 1.5 hours per element and requires flexibility, strength and balance.
- Climbing Tower. A purpose-built tower with a sloped wall for primary groups and a vertical face for older participants, plus a separate bouldering wall. Duration 1.5 - 2 hours.
- Assault Course. Two separate courses with adaptable layouts for teambuilding, encouragement and physical challenge, run for 1 - 1.5 hours.
- Waterslide. A 60-metre hill slide, put out and packed away by the group itself. Available Easter to October only.
- Abseiling. Descending 30 feet from the tower: a popular choice for parties and school groups.
Water and river activities
- Canoeing (Open). An adaptable session on a sheltered stretch of the River Brue, focusing on skills, technique or pure games. Duration 1.5 - 2 hours.
- Raft Building. Tie knots, design and (hopefully) sail your craft down the river. Available April to October.
- River Splosh. Pond dipping in a gentle tributary of the Brue, identifying bugs and, occasionally, catching a fish.
- River Study. A more academic version of River Splosh, looking at pH, nitrate levels and natural habitats.
- Save the River. A teamwork task with an environmental twist, exploring the impact of pesticides and non-organic farming.
- Burma Bridge. Climb a rope ladder into the willow tree and traverse the river on the Burma rope bridge.
- Crossing the River. Build a bridge-like contraption with the whole group and try to cross without anyone getting wet.
Field and woodland sessions
- Archery and Archery Tag on the centre's sheltered range.
- Air Rifle Shooting. Run inside a purpose-built indoor range, tied into the Key Stage 2 national curriculum across science, history, maths, PE and English.
- Axe Throwing. A skill-based target activity: Viking with a safety briefing.
- Bushcraft. Fire-lighting and shelter-building in the New Wood, in any weather.
- Grass Toboggans. Head-first down the slope, progressively higher and higher.
- Orienteering. From basic map reading to a six-figure grid-reference course.
- Night Walk. A relaxed evening hike beyond the centre to spot flora, fauna, stars or local landmarks.
- Night Line. An assault course in the woods, blindfolded, with teams connected by ropes.
- Sustainability Tour. A guided look at the centre's solar panels, ground-source heat pump and zero-waste policy.
Problem-solving and team tasks
- Bottomless Pit (11+), Bridge Build (12+), Search and Rescue (12+), Sheep and Shepherd (12+), Trust Us (12+) and Gun Run for older groups, all of which lean heavily on planning, listening and communication.
- Challenge Tracks 1, 2 and 4: adaptable spaces hosting tasks such as Swamp Skis, Eternal Triangle and Plank Pass.
- Spiders Web, Low Ropes, Tangrams, Blind Fury, Icebreakers and Crazy Olympics for lighter warm-ups.
- Tunnelling. Over 100 metres of pitched, dark tunnels and chambers, used for everything from mapping to cave-rescue scenarios.
- Survival Game. Clans barter for materials, build shelters, compose a poem or song to earn water, then make hot chocolate on their own fire.
Food, animals and the garden
- Garden to Table: a hands-on tour of the organic garden.
- Apple Pressing: a seasonal autumn activity in which groups press their own juice from MoB apples and compare it with shop-bought concentrate.
- Animal Feed: meet Harry the donkey, Molly the mule, Merry and Pippin the pygmy goats, the chickens and the rare-breed Lincoln Longwool sheep, with pigs and lambs depending on the season.
- Pizza Making and Cooking in the Clay Oven.
Accommodation that sleeps up to 180
The centre can sleep up to 124 students in bunk-bedded rooms plus 11 accompanying staff across four separate buildings, with an additional semi-permanent campsite for 70 students open from May to September. All rooms are centrally heated, fully carpeted and secured by coded keypads.
- Rivermead House (34 students + 4 staff): a stand-alone house on the edge of the centre with six bunk-bedded rooms, all en-suite, plus a separate dining room for breakfasts and its own sitting room.
- The Club House (50 + 5 staff): a converted barn on three levels with nine rooms named Chestnut, Hazel, Cedar, Pine, Walnut, Rowan, Holly, Ash and Larch. The accompanying staff have en-suite twins and singles and a sitting room with TV.
- The Garden Cabin (12 + 2 staff): three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a teacher/twin room.
- The Main House (28 + 4 staff): Honeysuckle (12), Cherry (8) and Beech (8) on the first floor, with a separate staff flat on the second floor.
- The Campsite (70 + staff): raised wooden platforms, real beds and solar lighting, with the lambing barn for kettle and fridge, a campfire area, a football pitch and a "no poo loo" for emergencies.
The centre also offers subsidised staff accommodation in The Lodge - single rooms with shared bathrooms, kitchen and living area - which is mainly used by the instructor team.
School and group residentials
Mill on the Brue is best known in the education sector for its residential trips. More than 95% of schools return year after year, and individual schools have been coming for more than three decades. Residential courses can run for two nights, four nights or five nights between Monday and Friday morning, Monday and Wednesday morning, Wednesday and Friday afternoon, or late Friday to Sunday afternoon.
Because Mill on the Brue is a not-for-profit, no VAT is charged. All prices below are per student.
2026 residential prices
- Low Season: £210 (2 nights) / £384 (4 nights)
- Mid Season: £242 (2 nights) / £446 (4 nights)
- High Season: £311 (2 nights) / £545 (4 nights)
- 2027 Camping (from): £218 (2 nights) / £413 (4 nights)
For every 12 children, one free staff place is included. Schools can download a 2026 schools brochure or a 2027 residential brochure. Sample programmes are available emphasising team building, environmental education or general fun and development.
Day visits for groups
Day visits run February to November, seven days a week by arrangement, with five full hours of activities (or 2½ hours for a half day). Pricing starts at £67 per student for a full day (£43 for a half day) with a minimum group size of 10, rising slightly in some brochures to a headline £61 full-day / £41 half-day figure. The dedicated Day Visit Barn has separate changing rooms, loos and showers and can be used as a lunchtime space if the weather turns.
Camping groups
Schools can also opt for a summer camping residential from the beginning of the summer term through to the end of September. The camping field sleeps 70 students in sturdy waterproof tents built on wooden platforms, with camp beds, pillows, blankets and solar lighting. Staff tents have proper single beds, kettles and fridges in the Lambing Barn, and a campfire area with plenty of wood.
Summer camps and day camps for children
Mill on the Brue has run unaccompanied summer camps for more than 40 years, with many children returning year after year and forming friendships that last into adulthood. Summer 2026 runs from Sunday 12 July to Saturday 22 August with a maximum of 72 children per week, divided into groups of roughly 12 by age.
Residential Summer Camp 2026
- Length: one week (or two consecutive weeks for £180 extra)
- Cost: £877 per week, with a £100 discount code (100summermob) on the last few remaining places
- Deposit: £250 non-refundable on booking, balance due six weeks before arrival
- Ages: 8 - 15 at the time of the holiday
- What's included: all activities, specialist equipment, accommodation and full board
- Travel: optional private coach from Richmond Underground Station (£75 single / £150 return)
- Digital detox: no mobile phones permitted on site
Adventure Day Camps 2026
Adventure Day Camps run Monday to Friday between 13 July and 21 August 2026, 8:45 am to 5:00 pm, for children aged 8 - 13. Each day includes four different activities chosen from over 40 on the 25-acre site, including the 220-metre zip wire, raft building, high ropes, canoeing and rifle shooting. The price is £80 per child per day, and Childcare Vouchers are accepted. A packed lunch, water bottle and a change of clothes (including wellies) are required.
Mini Mobsters (5 - 7 year olds)
For younger children, the centre runs Mini Mobsters morning sessions on Thursday 30 July and Thursday 13 August 2026, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, packed with fun outdoor activities in the fresh air.
Birthday parties
Parties are available any day of the week, all year round, subject to availability, and run for three hours (9:30 am - 12:30 or 1:30 - 4:30). The 2026 price is £345 for up to 10 children, then £35 per extra child, with free use of the Barn or Wine Cellar for a 30-minute tea party. Children must be at least eight. The birthday party invite can be downloaded in advance.
Adults: team building, management training and fun days
The centre runs year-round corporate and adult programmes, all run by qualified HR trainers and outdoor tutors. Many courses are individually designed after a pre-course visit to the workplace.
Team building
Half-day (2.5 hour) or full-day (5 hour) programmes for groups of 8 to 100, available February to November. A current 2026 adult brochure is available to download.
Management training
One- to five-day programmes for up to 160 seated in the Longhouse, with breakout rooms including the vaulted Wine Cellar (which seats up to 30). Past clients include graduate trainees from a multinational company, for whom a five-day course with a 24-hour off-site challenge is a regular fixture.
Fun days - "Mud, Soak and Rope"
A new 4½-hour package for adult groups of 10 or more priced at £99 per person. Choose favourites from three blocks of 1½-hour activities:
- Mud: Assault Course and Tunnelling.
- Soak: Raft Building on the River Brue and River Crossing.
- Rope: one High Ropes element plus Abseiling.
The Longhouse: weddings, conferences and dining
The Longhouse, an eco-built dining hall with sweeping views over the Brue valley, seats up to 120 (or 160 for corporate events) and holds a civil wedding licence for ceremonies on the lawn, in the Longhouse itself, or in the more intimate vaulted Wine Cellar. Weddings are run in partnership with Longhouse Weddings, with exclusive use of the centre, no corkage and a recommended list of caterers.
Food: organic, local and award-winning
Catering is led by Chef Manager Barry and a team that includes sous chef Sarah and assistant Diana, with menu planning built around what is in season in the centre's own kitchen garden. The centre grows about an acre of organic vegetables, keeps three apple orchards and two polytunnels, and sources produce as locally as possible:
- Meat from Coles Family Butchers (5.4 miles)
- Cheese from Wyke (0.3 miles)
- Milk from Bruton Dairy (1.2 miles)
- Free-range eggs from Radstock (15 miles)
- All cakes baked fresh on site daily
The Longhouse was runner-up in BBC Radio 4's Food and Farming Awards, and the centre has run a successful "Zero Hero" food-waste challenge with visiting schools since 2013. In 2012, schools threw away 1,000 kg of food across the year; by 2018 an average of 40 schools per year became "Zero Heroes". In 2016 the centre bought a Ridan food composter, so no food waste goes to landfill.
Green ethos and accreditations
Sustainability is woven into everything. The Rawlingson Plant family had an allotment and hens in the years before they bought Trendle Farm and spent five years in the Outer Hebrides before that, experiences the family credits with their lifelong commitment to environmental responsibility. Since 1984 they have planted more than 7,400 trees (now 111 varieties, including all indigenous British species), reinstated hedgerows, banned chemical sprays, installed solar thermal panels on all buildings, geothermal heating, a 49 kW PV array, a rainwater harvesting tank that flushes the loos, a solar drying room, and a recycled rubber-tyre roof on several buildings.
Mill on the Brue is one of the longest-running Gold Standard holders in the Green Tourism Business Scheme, a founder member of the British Activity Providers Association, licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority, a member of the Institute of Outdoor Learning, a British Canoe Union Approved Centre, a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge holder and a Gold winner at the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards. The Tony Trust raises funds independently to widen access to outdoor education.
The team behind it
Founding Director Tricia Rawlingson Plant is a Member of the Institute of Professional Development who has run her own business for more than 30 years, with a background in counselling and extensive management training experience using the outdoors. Her son Matt Rawlingson Plant is a Director. Reece joined as Head of Operations in early 2025. Kate oversees sales and marketing, Hannah training and HR, Ryan the estate, Barry catering, Mike maintenance, Mel housekeeping and Sarah administration.
The wider team includes senior instructors, activity programmers, kitchen assistants, gardeners and a few non-human team members: Harry the donkey, Molly the mule, Nutmeg (head of squirrel watching), Pecan, plus office-security dogs Shackleton and Greta.
What's on and how to book
Upcoming charity events, open days, abseils and seasonal highlights are published regularly on the centre's online news page. A live availability calendar shows places for any of the programmes above. Enquiries from groups, schools and adults can be made through the contact forms on the centre's website or by phoning the office directly during opening hours.
Plan your visit
- Address: Mill on the Brue, Trendle Farm, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0BA, England
- Phone: 01749 812307
- Email: info@millonthebrue.co.uk (general) / admin@millonthebrue.co.uk (summer camps and billing)
- Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Nearest train station: Bruton (direct services to Bath, Bristol, Weymouth and London)
- Travel: one hour from Bath and Bristol, around two hours from London
- Social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and a YouTube channel with centre videos
Frequently asked questions
Is Mill on the Brue a vineyard?
No. Trendle Farm, the address of the centre, was originally a cider-apple orchard before becoming a golf course and then the activity centre. The only "wine" associated with the site is the vaulted Wine Cellar used as a small conference room and an intimate wedding-licenced ceremony space.
Do I need qualifications to work at Mill on the Brue?
No. The right attitude, a willingness to learn, and a desire to work outdoors with young people matter more. A current First Aid certificate and a Paddlesport Instructor qualification are useful; Pool Lifeguard, Archery GB, Climbing Wall Instructor and Lowland Leader are bonuses.
What is the charity of the year?
For 2026 the staff-chosen charity is The Brue Larder.