Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
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The Cottage is a show case of environmentally responsible building. Although there are a handful of straw bale houses in the UK, the Cottage and the smaller Cabin elsewhere on the farm are the first holiday homes. We aim to provide high quality accommodation in natural surroundings whilst demonstrating to the wider public that straw can be used to create a beautiful yet practical and durable home. Regular open days attracted many local visitors. Many more enjoy individual guided tours or listen to presentations we give about sustainable building.
The super-insulated walls of locally grown wheat straw are rendered externally with lime and internally with clay. They will keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer, reducing the amount of energy needed for heating. The roof is made of locally made clay tiles and insulated with sheep’s wool. Natural paints and finishes have been used throughout.
We have a great little railway station nearby; quiet but well served by trains from anywhere in the UK. To encourage train travel we offer a collection service on arrival, free use of bicycles, a buy local shopping service and in-cabin honesty shop. We provide lots of ideas for walks, bike rides and train trips so that everyone can enjoy everything the area has to offer.
We provide a kitchen composter and wormery, and collect glass, plastic, paper and tin for recycling. We provide recycled kitchen roll and loo roll and most of the furniture and fittings are recycled (carefully chosen for their good quality).
Our “Green” library contains many books and magazines about building with straw and other eco friendly materials and a photographic record of our straw bale journey. There are other books too – nature, poetry, romance and thrillers and a good selection of games, jigsaws and DVDs.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
