You know that feeling when you first open a box of Green and Black’s chocolates? Butterscotch is better than…Ok, let’s not go there. Well, when I first went on Canopy and Stars website, it had the same impact really. Each web page unwrapped a delicious, quirky place to stay,and the choice almost overwhelming. Which is why I have invited them to write a guest blog, featuring places which are all accessible by public transport of one sort or another. I am all for leaving the car at home, so hopefully these places will inspire you to do the same. And after all those chocolates, it is best for me to get walking, cycling, canoeing there anyway. Over to the gang who created it…
“Holidays are great. Getting there… less so. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to stop at the M&S at the service station. You might even have a really good mix CD…
But it doesn’t have to be like that! Canopy & Stars, the leading new glamping company, is encouraging you to leave the car at home, and make your journey part of the fun! To get you started, here is a selection of unusual places that can be reached by unusual means…
The Gypsy Camp , Essex – where two Romany bowtop caravans lie between the apple trees in a private orchard – is connected to central London by the National Cycle Network, so you can cycle all the way there from ‘town‘. Or, if you don’t fancy propelling yourself, you can catch the train and arrange for Ann, the owner and creator of this rural gem, to pick you up in her pony and trap from Wickham Bishops, a short bus ride from Witham Station.
Millstream Camp, Shropshire – To reach this hideaway under the stars, you can take the single track line to Bucknell, a rural station so tiny the train will only stop if you ask the driver. Let Carolyn know and she can arrange to have two bicycles waiting for you on the platform. Then it’s just a three miles down quiet Shropshire country lanes to the Millstream Camp, where a homely shepherd hut just for two awaits you. You can even cool off after your journey with a dip in the dammed Millstream.
A stable by the shore at Lochhouses Photo: Canopy and Stars
If you have access to a noble steed, you can gallop along the beach right up to the Lochhouses Safari Tents near Edinburgh, and stable your horse there, too! If you don’t have your own horse, don’t worry! Trains from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick take about half an hour, and there’s a trekking centre next door, so you can still go riding on the beach.
A ‘post bus’ sets off daily at 3pm from Llandovery, Dyfed (where the railway station is) and goes right to the bottom of the drive of The Cabin – a cosy octagonal space in the lush Cambrian mountains. If you can’t be bothered with all the stopping and starting as they pick up the post, you can always hire a mountain bike from the station (a very reasonable £3.50 a day) and cycle there.
Inshriach Yurt in The Cairngorms Photo: Canopy and Stars
The Cairngorms are cool, especially when you discover them by canoe. You don’t even have to bother with much portage, with Inshriach Yurt, right on the water’s edge at. Take the train to Kingussie, and paddle all the way there in around three hours (with a guide from Spey Descents, if you don’t have your own canoe). Go down the Spey, through the Insh marshes and across Loch Insh. Enter Inshriach waters half a mile from Loch Insh and 2 miles later keep your eyes peeled for a yurt on your right hand side. Disembark for divine canopy, and of course, stars.
And if you really want to make an entrance, why not charter the Yacht Infanta to take you to By The Beach– a luxury yurt with a private beach on the Isle of Wight. Canopy & Stars has a wonderful collection of glamping places including a treehouse, luxury yurts, Gypsy caravans… even a boat in Regent’s Park!
A campsite where there are just a few tents in a luscious meadow, no cars, a breakfast buffet, and a shebeen onsite is a rare thing. Even rarer, it does not involve an overnight ferry crossing, just a two hour crossing from Rosslare to Fishguard (stenaline.ie). From here, a thirty kilometres drive, taxi or indeed cycle, will take you through the gates of Fforest, one of the UK’s coolest campsites. It is just outside the village of Cilgerran, in the heart of Wales’ beach and beauty-filled Pembrokeshire.
And it keeps getting better, as all tents and equipment are provided at Fforest. These are no ordinary tents either, with a choice of very funky, cream canvas geodesic dome tents, tipis, bell tents and a more basic tunnel tent, known as the Nomad. All have wood-burning stoves except the Nomad which has, however, like all Fforest’s accommodation, the inspired touch of reindeer hides to keep you toasty, or gorgeous Welsh woollen blankets if skins don’ t do it for you. You need to bring sleeping bags and towels, however, although a double duvet is provided in the dome tent. All tents are positioned on raised wooden bases to keep damp at bay, and adjoining kitchens are covered and fully equipped. Even the shower blocks and loos are beautifully designed using green oak, larch and cedar, and effluent is channelled to a reed bed filtration system.
We opted for Fforest’s latest development, the Crogloft, which was originally a stone barn, and now home to those who love the outdoors but can’t do canvas. I love canvas but it was April, so we chickened out, and opted for solid walls and doors. The four croglofts are equally stylish, with cabin beds for the children and mezzanine bed for us, all draped with Fforest blankets, and a sofa bedecked with another reindeer. And the luxurious wetrooms are heaven for those who just hate to wade through nature when nature calls. You still get the camping vibe in the crogloft, however,
Canoeing on the River Teifi at Fforest campsite
because the kitchen areas are outside, albeit covered from the elements, but in full view of the meadows, moon and stars.
Despite the cosiness of the croglofts, I must admit I still pined for canvas, wood burning stoves and fresh air. I got my daily fix of wood-burning in the woodland sauna, which is in a cedar barrel, heated by a wood stove, with a shower round the back for cooling down moments. The kids were delighted as they got to come in too, usually a health and safety no-no in conventional spas. But then most conventional spas don’t have a field full of buttercups to run through afterwards either.
The space at Fforest is impressive. There are only a handful of tents in each field, each one strategically positioned for privacy. There are just enough people in each field to be sociable, but you never feel crowded out. Just head to the main wooden lodge for the real social scene, where a delicious breakfast buffet is served every day, with endless pots of good coffee on the go, home made breads, eggs and fresh local produce such as jams and honey. I loved the communal breakfast as it gave everyone a focus for the day, whereas we never seem to get going before about midday on normal campsites.
Activities abound at Fforest, although you could easily come here and just do nothing. However, I highly recommend taking the canoe trip down the river as well as the woodland creations sessions, when the boys made pencils out of green hazel wood, freshly cut in the forest, and necklaces out of elder. All those bushcraft things they love and which I get overly neurotic about like lighting fires, sawing wood and playing with penknives.
Chillin' as the sun goes down over Fforest
Fforest owners James Lynch and Sian Tucker have pulled off something special here. Although stylish and sustainable, they have avoided the current trend for designed-to-death campsites which kill the very thing we all want from the outdoors. Spontaneity, fun and nature. And plenty of dirt under the fingernails. As a result, the clientele is more green wellies than pink, choosing local cider over chardonnay. What they need now to add to the fun is just a few more Paddies.
For more details on Fforest see coldatnight.co.uk, 00-44 (0) 1239 623633
An edited version of this article was first published in The Irish Times, 17 July 2010
Copenhagen has, despite everything, planted seeds of change. As world leaders debate degrees and dollars, those of us who are trying to embrace sustainability into our everyday lives can do so without feeling like we are ‘do-gooders’ anymore. Green is going mainstream, and ethical holidays are no longer seen as simply ‘the right thing to do’, but as fantastic experiences in their own right. So, at last, we can come out of the closet.
Green travel is no longer a fad. It is moving rapidly from niche to norm, with many Tourism Boards and leading tour operators realising that people who offer superb tourist experiences, without compromising their commitment to local environment, economy and culture, are onto a good thing. This is great news for everyone, as these businesses are now being given the support they need by destinations that are on the ball about such things, helping to create even better holidays for all of us.
For example, in New Zealand, a tiny Maori community now runs one of the country’s most prolific tourism businesses, a whale watching company (whalewatch.co.nz), which is totally community-run. This revival of people-led tourism rather than cold corporate ‘products’ is, thankfully, on the up. In Thailand, The Community Based Tourism Initiative has key players signed up as partners, listening to the needs, interests and passions of local people (cbt-i.org) In Italy, they have not only kept tourism firmly in the hands of rural residents through their agritourism movement (en.agriturismo.it), but also as pioneers of the world-famous Slowfood ethos which aims to “counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat and where it comes from”. In Ireland too, Slowfood is rapidly becoming part of the food culture (slowfood ireland.com) and, consequently, part of tourism.
Cycling is no longer just for yellow shirt travellers either and, along with the recent addition of Dublin, many European cities have free or cheap bike hire schemes. Join the citizens on a saddle inParis, Barcelona, Seville, Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne, Oslo, Lyon, Rennes, Seville, Cordoba, Giron, Brussels, Vienna , Oslo and of course, wonderful , wonderful Copenhagen. A decent green accommodation often has bikes available, or organises bike hire for them, as well as providing information on local cycling trails.
Travelling between these cities without stepping on a plane is a breeze now too, with European train travel on the up. Unfortunately that breeze turned to a Christmas snowstorm, when Eurostar came to a halt. Assuming it will get itself back on track eventually, and sort out what exactly went wrong, this link between London and Paris, Lille or Brussels is, usually, the most civilised way to cross the Channel. if you haven’t experienced the 2 hour 15 minutes trip from London to Paris yet, then it’s a must for 2010 (from €44 one way). Even better for Brussels at one hour 51 minutes door to door (eurostar.com). And with the opening of high speed lines between Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne in December 2009, London to Amsterdam is do-able in four hours and 16 minutes.
However, as this feelgood wave is gathering speed, it also drags a load of rubbish along with it. Businesses which change their practices from dodgy to do-good overnight are often to be avoided. Some of the green policies which are being copied and pasted onto websites are laughable. ‘Ecoresorts’ with four swimming pools, a golf course and a spa equate ‘eco’ with planting a few trees, or giving books to a local school. Look out for well certified businesses, with a proven track record in responsible tourism practices. Companies which say they are green, responsible, ethical or eco, (they all more or less amount to the same thing) are those which have had detailed visits from experts in the field, been certified accordingly or awarded accolades for their work. Similarly, if a place shouts about being green, but has no evidence of low carbon transport options, then you can often question its validity.
There are, however, many organisations, big and small, leading the way in ethical travel. Picking a few from the rich crop of the latest for 2010 was hard, but here are a few just to get those travel juices going.
You don’t need to be heading off to an ecolodge in the rainforest to be ethical. You could be camping on
Really Green Holiday Company, Isle of Wight. Photo: Catherine Mack
a farm, buying food at their farmshop, drinking at the local, cycling from beach to beach, and coming home by train and/or ferry. Glamorous camping, or ‘glamping’ as it has become known, allows you to leave your two man tent in the shed, and discover the wonders of yurts, tipis, geodesic domes, circus tents and even nomadic bivouacs. The glampest site around is goglamping.net, also worth following on Twitter to keep up with regular updates of canvas creations around the globe (twitter.com/Glamping). Not listed on their site, but just reopened for this skiing season, is one that is so green it is pure white. Check out the jaw dropping beauty of Whitepod, hidden away in the Swiss Alps. (www.whitepod.com).
Travelling ethically on a landmass as vast as the Indian subcontinent has been made so much easier with the recent creation of The Green Circuit (thegreencircuit.net). It is the baby of five local tour operators spread throughout India and Nepal, all specialising in deep rooted community-based responsible tourism initiatives. Unlike many tour operators, which compete fiercely against each other, the companies on this
Yak Safari in Himalayas, Photo: The Green Circuit
eco-circuit, such as The Blue Yonder in Kerala (theblueyonder.com), or SocialTours in
Nepal(socialtours.com) have collaborated to provide a wide range of natural and cultural heritage trips. Experiences vary greatly, including a yak safari into the trans-Himalayan deserts, monitoring elephant migration corridors in East Himalaya, and learning traditional drumming with villagers living along Kerala’s River Nila. Watch the roots of this exemplary circuit grow and grow into the next decade.
In Ireland, one of many dynamic green hostel devotees, The Wicklow Hostel, re-opens its doors just in time for the Tinahely Walking Festival 17th April, after a long process of sustainable building renovations to get this converted schoolhouse up to top notch green spec. From traditional hemp and lime plastering to a new cedar clad timber- framed extension with geothermal heating, this will soon take pride of place on Ireland’s green map. Located on the Wicklow Way, the
The Wicklow Hostel, Ireland
opening will coincide with three new looped walks making the hostel, and the town itself, a hikers’ hub. It’s not just about boots and backpacks here though, with planned courses in cookery, literature, creative writing, fly fishing, stone sculpture and wood turning. It is already taking bookings, so get in quick. With such impressive eco-credentials the Hostel will get huge international attention, and much deserved too (wicklowhostel.ie). For details of other innovative Irish hostels, check out my book, Ecoescape
Ireland (ecoescape.org).
Moving from Ireland to Wales will be much easier in 2010, with the return of the Cork to Swansea ferry on 1 March, operated by Fastnet Line (www.fastnetline.com). It will carry foot passengers, so you can leave the car at home, and discover the wonders of walking in Wales, for example. One of the most quirky, ethical accommodation providers, awarded many accolades for its commitment to restoration and heritage, is Under the Thatch. Browse through some of its heavenly hideaways at underthethatch.co.uk. One other exciting development is the spring launch of a 50 minute high-speed ferry link across the Bristol Channel from Swansea to Ilfracombe, North Devon (at least four hours by car). This opens up a whole world of cream teas and uncrammed beaches, superb coastline and moorland cycling, and cyclists are welcome on board (severnlink.com). For green places to stay in this area see greentraveller.co.uk.
Many African countries are dependent on tourism for vital income, and Rainbow Tours is one of the most respected and well established ethical tour operators to take you there (rainbowtours.co.uk). One of its most exciting trips for 2010 is to Mozambique’s GorongosaNational Park, recently rescued from the
Yellow billed storks, Gorongosa. Photo: Rainbow Tours
ravages of civil war, and now safe in the hands of conservationists. The dying populations of lions, oribi, reedbuck and waterbuck, to name but a few, are being re-stocked – in 1992, when the war ended, only 50 of 14 000 buffalo remained, and nine of its 3500 zebra. Rainbow Tours have access to a bushcamp on the banks of the
MusicudziRiver, run by the first safari operator licensed to work inside the Park. After two decades of war, the flora and fauna are returning, and so too can the tourists.
An edited version of this article was published in The Irish Times,
