East Lochhead, Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire
Sailors, walkers and eco-warriors will love it here - in this solid,
comfortable farmhouse where the welcome is genuine and the owners come
showered with plaudits for their work with green tourism and Slow Food.
Large, light bedrooms have traditional furniture and floral covers, the
guests' sitting room is warmly cheerful with armchairs, paintings, grand
piano and log burner, and amazing views stretch over garden, hills and loch
beyond. Make the most of impeccably sourced breakfasts, delectable
home-grown beef or lamb at dinner, and veg from an immaculate garden.
Ross and Janet are strong supporters of the Slow Food movement, raise
Highland attle and Jacob sheep and avoid the use of pesticides on their
land. They have also planted hedges, dug a new pond and manage meadows to
encourage bird and animal life. Building materials and other produce are
sourced locally, thus cutting down on carbon emissions and food miles; their
energy and conservation initiatives are constantly evolving. A National
Cycle route passes right by the house and you can hire bikes.
Information: www.eastlochhead.co.uk
- doubles from £70, singles from £45.
Higher Lank Farm, St Breward, Bodmin, Cornwall
From January to October you may only come if you have a child under five!
This is a marvellous, unpretentious haven for families. Children adore
playing in the roofed sandpit and miniature farmyard, there are piglets and
chicks, a pony to groom and eggs to collect. Nursery teas begin at 5pm (and
don't miss cream teas in the garden) and Lucy will babysit while you slink
off later to the local pub - the highest in Cornwall. One bedroom is modern
with new pine; the other two are more traditional. Celtic crosses in the
garden and original panelling hint at the house's 500 year history. A rare
family treat.
Leave the nappies at home. Lucy can lend you re-usable nappies free of charge
for your baby's holiday; she promotes them to reduce the amount of waste
that is sent to landfill sites. Bio-degradable nappies are also composted.
There's a laundry service, too. Recycling is taken seriously here, with
special bins provided. The new 'nursery rhyme' barns are being completed
using the highest-spec insulation available, underfloor heating saves on oil
consumption and woodburning stoves use logs from their woods.
Information: www.higherlankfarm.co.uk
- three rooms, all with bath/shower, from £70. Singles by arrangement.
Lyndale House, Edinbane, Isle of Skye, IV51 9PX
01470 582329
The sky envelops you, sea, lochs and views surround you and Linda has created
a quiet, delightful retreat. The 300-year-old tacksman's house is hidden
down a private drive - and with what energy and enthusiasm it has been
renovated. Marcus is restoring the walled garden, too, which produces
certified organic fruit and veg. Lovely views from your bedroom and the
drawing room, both bathed in an explosion of golden light at sunset; fresh
flowers, bathrobes, peace and seclusion. Wander down to the shore through an
avenue of trees, explore the island by pony from the local stables.
Delicious wholesome breakfasts are prepared using fresh produce from Lyndale's
1.5 acre, Soil Association-certified, walled garden. So, no pesticides are
involved in the growing of fruit, free-range chickens or veg; they are also
members of the Slow Food movement. Rare breeds, indigenous to the islands -
Hebridean sheep and a Highland pony - also live here. Inside the house
chemicals are avoided, eco-friendly cleaning products are used and organic
soaps are yours to enjoy in the bathrooms.
Information: www.lyndale.net
- one double with shower, one with separate bath, one twin sharing bath (let
to same party only). From £80. Singles £50.
Trericket Mill Vegetarian Guesthouse, Erwood, Builth Wells, Powys
Part guest house, part bunk house, part youth hostel - all Grade II*-listed.
The dining room has been created amid a jumble of corn-milling machinery: B&B
guests, campers and bunkers pile in together to fill hungry bellies with
Nicky and Alistair's delicious and plentiful veggie food from a chalkboard
menu. Stoves throw out the heat in the flagstoned living rooms with their
comfy chairs; the bedrooms are simple pine affairs. Set out to explore from
here on foot, horseback, bicycle or canoe; lovers of the outdoors looking
for good value and a planet-friendly bias will be in heaven.
Energy consumption has been reduced by installing efficient lighting systems
inside and dusk-to-dawn switches out; there are thermostats on the hot-water
systems and loft insulation keeps the heat in. Recycling bins are available
for guests and as much waste as possible is composted. Delicious vegetarian
dinners include fair-trade, wholefood and free-range produce. The house is
set on an SSSI and the garden goes down to the river - the biodiversity of
flora, fauna and wildlife here is a joy.
Information: www.trericket.co.uk
- one twin, one double, both with continental bath/shower; one double with
shower. £50-£60. Singles from £35.
Grey Lodge, Summer Lane, Combe Down, Bath
You are in a conservation area, yet only a short drive from the centre of
Bath - the views are breathtaking from wherever you stand. The steep valley
rolls out ahead of you from most of the rooms, and from the garden comes a
confusion and a profusion of scents and colours - a glory in its own right.
The friendly and likeable Sticklands are conservationists as well as
gardeners and have a Green Certificate to prove it. Breakfasts are a feast:
bacon and eggs, cereals, home-grown jam, kedgeree and much more. Jane will
tell you all about wonderful local gardens to visit.
A real effort is made here to source food and materials locally - normally
within a 40-mile radius - and reduce carbon emissions. So, rather than using
items that have had to travel across continents by plane, alternatives are
found. As with many of our B&B owners, responsible waste control is
important, thus recycling, reusing or composting waste as much as possible
is also given serious thought. A solar heating system helps to ensure that
energy loss is kept to a minimum.
Information: www.greylodge.co.uk
- two twins/doubles, one family, all with shower.£65-£75. Singles £40-£45.
Self-catering available.
The Hall, Milden, Lavenham, Suffolk
When you find somewhere so alive with familial love, you've struck gold. Over
five generations of Hawkins have filled this seemingly grand 16th-century
hall farmhouse with splendid period furniture and odds and ends that weave
together in 'country' style. Some of the rooms are vast, all are
old-fashioned and spared from the sometimes homogenising hand of interior
design. Juliet is a passionate conservationist, full of ideas for making the
most of the surrounding countryside, on foot or by bicycle. Expect delicious
home-grown bacon, sausages, bantam eggs or fruit compotes for breakfast.
Christopher farms and Juliet is a conservation advisor and they manage their
land as sustainably as possible. Chemical use is kept to an absolute
minimum. Families can enjoy wildlife activities - scavenger hunts and pond
dipping - or venture out on planned, car-free trips from Milden by boat,
bus, bicycle or on foot. Heating is by woodburner, the wood is coppiced from
the hedgerows, much of the waste is imaginatively recycled and local produce
is promoted.
Information: www.thehall-milden.co.uk
- one family room, two twins, all sharing bath. £60-£80. Singles from £40.
British Bed & Breakfast is published by Alistair Sawday on
September 21. Information: www.specialplacestostay.com
