The site, which is at 226 metres above sea level, consists of camping fields, a small hostel, conference facilities (in the Millennium Room), hiking trails, a nature centre, a Beaver Scout playground and a large campfire circle.

[citation needed] The warden staff of the site, or the Meitheal, are voluntary members of Scouting Ireland and wear an orange neckerchief with the Larch symbol.

[1] The earliest existing buildings, however, were built as a summer house for a wealthy Dublin merchant, J.P., and Alderman John O'Neill (1768/9-1843) of Fitzwilliam Square, whose business premises were on Ormond Quay.

He was at Larch Hill by 1821 at the latest, when he engaged in a charitable parish project of the Rathfarnham Free School "for Educating and Clothing Ninety-four poor Children".

Another tombstone exists in the graveyard which bears the inscription "Courtney Kenny Clarke, Larch Hill, Died 1873".

The family of Clarke donated funds to the Whitechurch Church of Ireland Chapel which enabled a vestry to be dedicated in his memory.

During the years 1914 to 1918 it is known that Larch Hill became a military sanatorium, and may have been used by soldiers affected by mustard gas, used during the First World War, to convalesce.

The decision fell to the casting vote of Prof. Whelehan, whose "foresight saw that the Santry location would become part of the city much quicker than it's [sic] South-side counterpart".

[7] The funding for the purchase of Larch Hill came from the 3,000 pounds profit the association made from non-Scout fares on the 1934 pilgrimage to Rome, and a 500-pound donation from the Knights of Saint Columbanus.

Leo Mc Cann C.C., and was attended by over 400 Scouts from the Dublin Archdiocese (which received support around this time from John Charles McQuaid) who were participating in the inaugural camp over the Whit weekend.

Potato Field is named for the ridges of long forgotten cultivation that are still visible, sometimes called "lazy beds".

This trophy was presented to the association during the CBSI pilgrimage to Rome during the Holy Year of 1934 by Sir Martin Melvin.

The profits made from this journey are believed to have provided the capital that enabled the purchase of Larch Hill, under the then Chief Scout, Prof. JB Whelehan.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s an élite group of leaders formed a troop called the 1st Larch Hill (note the similarity with the 1st Gilwell Park) which wore a grey neckerchief and acted as a proto-National Training Team.

Aengus OFM Cap and Patrick Bradley of the 37th Cork (who led the only troop ever to win 4 consecutive Melvin trophies).

The garden area is almost 1-acre (4,000 m2) in size and contains several exotic species of trees, for example the Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana).

A pool on the River Glin, at the lower end of the estate, was built under the directorship of Paudge O'Broin, and lasted many years, though it was out of use as of 2018.

[citation needed] At the entrance to the Crow's Nest field is a large depression which is the venue of one of the earliest Scout attempts to provide a swimming pool at Larch Hill.

[citation needed] Activities onsite include orienteering, hiking, archery, high ropes course, and a zip line.

[citation needed] The forest in the North Eastern corner of the site has a canopy of Norway Spruce trees while the southernmost wooded area is populated by Sycamores, Elms and Larches which provide shelter for survival camping.