We are trying to be more environmentally friendly in our day-to-day living and hope that you will join us. Recommendations via our Enquiry form are welcome.
The property was repointed using lime mortar a few years ago and many of the windows are made from our own fallen trees. In 2022 the roof terrace was relaid with tiles made from re-cycled car tyres. The main living room floor is beech wood from a basketball floor which has been recently re-surfaced with a plant based oil.
For washing up, cleaning the property etc we provide environmentally friendly products such as Fill or Ecover. We use these and simple materials like vinegar, lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda for inter-rental cleaning. We try not to use bleach which compromises the septic tank function.
Our cotton bedlinen and towels are line dried - not in the tumble drier - and are not normally ironed.
Eco-friendly skincare and body cleansing products such as Faith in Nature are provided for guests.
Our drinking and bathing water comes from our borehole and runs through a state-of-the-art filtration system which is tested by the local council on a regular basis.
Despite having our own water source we try not to be profligate with it and use water butts for much of the garden watering. We ask guests not to run unwanted water and to turn off taps.
We have our own private drainage systems. Wastewater from the holiday-let goes to a Klargester septic tank.
Only human waste and loo paper should go down the lavatory; please put anything else in the pedal bins provided. Please do not use bleach or any harsh chemicals which might affect the treatment process.
We sort rubbish into non-recyclable, recyclable, food waste and compostable elements and would be so grateful if guests would too (out of concern for the environment but also because rubbish collectors leave behind anything not correctly sorted!).
Guidance is provided in the Barn where we have separate caddies for recyclable material. food waste and fruit, vegetable and plain paper waste for our compost heaps.
Pesticides are not used on the farm.
Firewood comes from off the farm from fallen timber, tree and hedge maintenance. It is all dried for at least a year before being used in the wood-burners so as to abide by government guidelines protecting health and the environment.
The woodland itself is only lightly managed: timber that has had to be felled because of safety concerns or to provide space for other trees is often left in piles to provide homes for wildlife. A stretch of land adjacent to the wood is a conservation area under Countryside Stewardship restrictions.
You are welcome to picnic anywhere on the farm but please do not leave litter.
Bonfires are not allowed along the river bank under the Site of Special Scientific Interest regulations. If you wish to have a fire somewhere else, please seek the owner's permission.
Please shut all farm gates carefully so that livestock cannot get out.
Please check first with the owner if you wish to feed any animals.
If you plan to embark on the river or wish to fish it is important to know that:
Since the flooring upstairs in River's Reach marks easily we would be very grateful if you could bring soft shoes such as slippers for use indoors. Thank you!