Deal hostel accommodation, Kent, England
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
The accommodation we provide for visitors sits alongside our daily work in 'show and tell' engagement with our natural world. Our commitment to sharing the local environment is shaped through 'seven themes of sustainability' -
1) Energy: With the assistance of The Carbon Free Group we are following, step by step, an 'energy descent plan' with a key objective of being fully self-sufficient in our own energy needs through onsite renewable energy generation by 2014.
2) Water: Through a range of water conservancy measures (including capturing c. 50% of the run off from the roof of the main building we manage the 3 acre site from our own water resources. The pond additionally provides a perfect space to witness nature's natural water-borne cycles.
3) Biodiversity: Enhancing our local biodiversity - both within our grounds, and within our local area, is a core purpose of the team who run the environmental educational experiences from the Centre. Our team can point our visitors to a large range of different animal habitats within the grounds and beyond, in particular taking measures to preserve the extensive range of flora within the chalk grassland.
4) Food: Our catering team source a high proportion of our food supplies locally, starting from our own, actively managed, allotment.
5) Shelter: We are committed to preserving the character and features of the beautiful old (c. 1830s) rectory building that is the heart of Rippledown. Our provision of outdoor shelter ('The Moot Hall' and the straw bale classroom) reflect our commitment to maintaining buildings that stay closely connected to their surrounding environment and landscape.
6) Waste - Nature doesn't 'do' waste - and we do our best to learn from nature, not only through the Centre's recycling area being sited in a prominent area adjoining the allotment but also by our team looking to upcycle many of the waste materials in some particularly creative ways. The centre has seen many changes (including complete new buildings) over the past 15 years and throughout that time we have never had a skip leave site!
7) Transport: We recognise the negative impact that transport can have on the environment. The best way of enjoying our beautiful surrounding area is by foot or bike. We are delighted to support any groups arriving for their stay by public transport by providing a further 5% discount on the price of their stay.
Community
We have been at the heart of local community life since opening our doors back in 1977. Our central commitment to the environment means that we make it our business to not only source local food but also play our part in expanding the amount and variety on offer – in particular we are partners in a local cooperative group establishing a 15 acre community farm 2 miles away. Things are starting with chickens, pigs and bees and we are providing much of the environmental expertise to enable this initiative to come about with the greatest benefits to our local community. Right now we can point you to the early stage work that is already underway (and hopefully stimulate you to thinking what you could do in the same vein in your back garden or local park). In due course the aim is that we can provide accommodation for 'towny' visitors who want to come down and work on the farm!
Meanwhile, heading north up the coast, we are working to assist Walmer and Deal communities take grand steps towards a more sustainable future – through partnering with our friends at ‘Deal With It’. Together, there are some great – and fun - opportunities for increasing our local resilience in areas such as food, energy and managing our waste.
Landscape
Rippledown is a founder member of 'First Light Coast and Country' - a grouping of local accommodation providers, visitor attractions and individuals committed to responsible tourism locally. At the heart of our activities is the sharing our collective knowledge of our very special local landscape - including its stunning coastline and beautiful chalk grassland hills, and the fascinating history that relates to the closest point in the British Isles to mainland Europe. We can also arrange for your own personalised tour of many local secret (or at least well hidden!) attractions. These include -
The Pines Calyx: Built only four years ago, this stunning events space was made almost entirely from the local landscape – including using chalk for all the walls – and is recognised as being one of Europe’s most sustainable buildings.
St. Margaret's Museum: Here you can find out about the many secrets of what happened locally at the times over the past 200 years when we were under threat of invasion from across the English Channel. You can then step outside and take a trail along the white cliffs and see some of the defences we had in place ready for Hitler, the Kaiser and Napoleon!
The Zetland Arms, The Coastguard and many other local coastal pubs: not so long ago haunts for smugglers but these days providing fine brews and local food, with beautiful sea views!
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