I am so excited to bring you our Green Parent Family Travel Awards - we asked you for your favourite places to stay, best travel products and more. Look no further to find the best break for you and your little ones in the coming year
BEST SELF-CATERING HOLIDAYS
DEVON - WINNER: NORTH HAYNES FARM COTTAGES
Self-catering farm holidays that support nature (with nature trails around the farm and tree planting) and the local community (using local suppliers in their welcome packs). They are Plastic Free Champions and provide beach clean bags for guests to borrow. North Haynes are also accredited members of the International Exmoor Dark Skies Reserve programme and have a star gazing pack complete with telescope available for young astronomers. They also offer bat walks and talks, a forest school club, sensory activities and more. The cottages are heated using a bio mass heater and air source heat pump. They are North Devon Biosphere Partnership members and last year were announced as Gold Tourism Award winners. northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk
DEVON - HIGHLY COMMENDED: PICKWELL MANOR
The heating system and hot water is generated by bio mass plant. 40% of electricity is generated by a solar plant with the balance coming from 100% renewable electricity. Water is provided by on site bore hole and treatment plant. There are electric bikes available to hire to explore the Devonshire hills, they’ve swapped out for all green toiletries and Who Gives a Crap toilet roll plus set up beehives to boost biodiversity. They have achieved the Green Tourism Gold award and Trip advisor 5-star rating. pickwellmanor.co.uk
CORNWALL - WINNER: SEASCAPE ESCAPE
This is truly a chance to switch off – there’s no Wi-Fi at this old stone longhouse, built of local materials. The house systems are all powered by the sun, a local tree surgeon and by the guests. This is a holiday unlike any other. It’s gloriously quiet – and the views over land and sea are stunning. The house stands in a secluded location within 70-acres of private nature reserve, so guests can get up close to wildlife. There’s a home-built wood-fired hot tub, and at dusk, nestled in here you might spot bats, foxes, deer. Windsworth won Gold in South West Tourism's Better Environment Award in 2023. windsworth.org.uk
CORNWALL - HIGHLY COMMENDED: LOWER TRENGALE
Lower Trengale Farm Holiday Cottages, are committed to promoting sustainable practices. They have solar panels to generate clean energy, cottages are fitted with water saving devices, eco cleaning products are provided and recycling encouraged. Even down to thermal curtains being used to reduce the need for excessive heating. The on-site honesty shop offers locally sourced products. Find out more at trengale.co.uk
SOMERSET - WINNER: MIDDLEWICK
The Middlewick is run by Jill Barker, founder of Green Baby and author of Baby Green. Jill's new venture is run as a sustainable business setting an example for other businesses on how to be eco. The cottages, glamping, Spa, Farm Shop and Cafe are all powered with alternative environmental energy. The Farm Shop and Cafe use Local or Organic Sustainable ingredients throughout. The Spa uses natural and environmentally friendly products. Ingredients for the delicious food from the café is mostly grown in the cottage garden on site and there’s a commitment to zero waste policy for the farm shop and cafe. themiddlewick.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED: RIVERSIDE HOLIDAY VILLAGE
In partnership with zero carbon specialists, Energy Oasis, Riverside Holiday Village have invested in a mass solar panel installation. No waste goes to landfill. The appliances are all being swapped out for energy efficient models and there is LED and PIR on demand lighting. Water is air-infused for lower consumption. Plans are in place to bring in heat pump technology. Last spring, they took the David Bellamy Blooming Marvellous Pledge for Nature. westcountryparks.co.uk
GLOUCESTERSHIRE - WINNER: BIBURY FARM BARNS
At Bibury Farm Barns there is no oil or gas on site - all heat and hot water within the 5 luxury (and heavily insulated) barns is provided by ground source heat pump. The solar scheme they fitted powers four of the properties and the office in the daytime. They use sustainable, ethical brands, such as Ecover wherever possible in guest supplies. They partner with the most local food producers for the generous complimentary breakfast hampers. This minimises food miles wherever possible. They use glass over plastic wherever possible and have a strict recycling policy. biburyfarm.com
OXFORDSHIRE - WINNER: ECO CHIC HOLIDAY COTTAGES
Ahead of the curve in so many areas, Eco Chic Cottages has been run as a carbon neutral business since 2010. They installed an EC charger in 2013. They live by the maxim – ‘where luxury and sustainability meet’ and advocate the ‘many small steps’ approach to building sustainability into their business model. Insulation has been installed in each nook and cranny of the cottages. Gardens are managed organically where possible and there’s a wild meadow area. There’s an owl nesting box, hedgehog houses, bat boxes and bee hotels. ecochiccottages.com
SUFFOLK - WINNER: THE TUDOR BARN
Sustainability has been an important part of The Hall at Milden since the 1990s. In 2003 they won the first and only Gold Green Tourism Award in Suffolk. The Tudor Barn is partly heated by woodburner using wood coppiced on site. They generate more solar energy than the electricity they use. They run an annual Green Guest Champion award with a prize of a weekend stay and offer several challenges to guests such as the Green Transport Challenge. There’s plenty of bikes available to hire. They save rainwater and compost for the gardens, grow their own veg and support wildlife across the site. thehall-milden.co.uk
WALES - WINNER: BRECON RETREAT
At Brecon Retreat, the owners believe that being green isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. They work to raise awareness of living more green, to encourage guests to adopt greener ways of living, for when they return back home. There’s eco-friendly cleaning products, bath products packaged in biodegradable packaging and welcome hampers filled with local items. There are plants in the barns to help purify the air. Landscaping has been carefully designed to attract bees, butterflies or birds to feed. Properties are heated by a mix of ground source heat pump and a new biomass boiler. All employees are local residents. breconretreat.co.uk
EUROPE - WINNER: LITTLE CLOGS
This is a collection of baby and toddler friendly holiday accommodation in Holland and Belgium. They feature holiday parks in natural woodland or coastal settings with woodland and dune trails, cycle networks and organic produce sold in the on-park shops. Each location is accessible by train or ferry. One of their locations is the first ever sustainably built holiday park in the Netherlands in partnership with Landal GreenParks. At each site, families are encouraged to explore and learn about the nature on the doorstep. little-clogs-holidays.co.uk
BEST CAMPING CLUB
WINNER: GREENER CAMPING CLUB
The Greener Camping Club is committed to a number of environmental projects, such as the Trees for Life, where a tree is planted for every member. They’ve planted over 17,000 this year, that’s nearly 18 acres of woodland. The Club also distributes mixed variety wildflower seeds to each of its campsites, helping to provide food and habitat for a wide variety of butterflies and insects - as well as colourful, natural landscapes. To date over 1000 bat and nesting boxes have been donated. They also educate about renewable energy and resource consumption. greenercamping.org
BEST CAMPSITE
WINNER PEGS AND PITCHES, SUSSEX
This is off-grid camping at its best – it’s all about living lightly on the land. The only power used at Pegs and Pitches campsites are solar lamps, wind-up lanterns and low energy battery led units. The majority of the loos are compost toilets, meaning less water usage and great fertiliser for the trees. The outdoor bucket showers use ten times less water than a power shower. All shower gel, shampoo, hand soap and washing up liquid provided is ecologically friendly. These campsites (in Sussex) are based on a philosophy of living in harmony with nature. The forest camping ethos is to protect and enhance the environment. Fallen branches and decaying trees help to maintain a healthy and vibrant ecosystem which enhance your interactions with nature. They ask campers not to collect any firewood from the surrounding forest and to only to use wood supplied by them or from a sustainable supplier. pegsandpitches.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED: THE SECRET CAMPSITE, SUSSEX
The Secret Campsite has been landscaped for wildlife. The pitches are large with trees left to grow in between. They opened in 2012 and make every decision based on the permanent residents at the site, the mammals, birds, reptiles, butterflies and plants that live there. They harvest rainwater for toilet flushing, no cars are allowed on site, so safe for kids and wildlife and there are 3 EV charging points. The camping areas are grazed by sheep over winter. This maintains an open habitat which is great for wildflowers and our native fauna. They host regular 24 Hours in Nature events aimed at families and small groups and an annual Secret Wildlife Festival. thesecretcampsite.co.uk
BEST GLAMPING
WINNER: PENHEIN, MONMOUTHSHIRE
Penhein is a family-run farm in Monmouthshire, South Wales. In the centre of the farm, tucked away in secluded woodland surrounded by countryside, is Penhein Glamping, eight beautiful alachigh (alla-cheeg) tents, each designed with everything needed to feel at home in the great outdoors. Winners of the Green Tourism Gold Standard, the Welsh Green Key Award for sustainability in the hospitality industry, amongst many others, the farm and glampsite are run with sustainability and conservation as the guiding principles. Water is from the spring on site and all wood comes from fallen timber or dead trees on site. New trees and hedgerow are being planted every year. There is a strong recycling policy and a commitment to buy locally and sustainably. penhein.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED SECRET MEADOWS, SUFFOLK
Secret Meadows was set up in 2012 to provide high-end glamping accommodation with a ‘green’ ethos. Profits go directly back into the nature conservation charity which owns the 115-acre Soil Association registered site. They have held a Green Tourism Gold Award since opening. All but two of the accommodation units are off-grid. There’s an off-grid wood-fired hot tub and organic towels, eco-friendly products etc. provided. A wealth of information is provided to guests including local places to eat and visit, cycling and walking routes, night sky maps, and flora and fauna to be found through the seasons. secretmeadows.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED RUNACH, THE ISLE OF ARRAN
Sustainability and green ethics lie at the heart of Runach. These Scottish made yurts are located on a nature rich site with an orchard and meadow. They are off grid with solar lighting, log burners to provide heat and cooking (using local wood) and quirky upcycled furniture. Each yurt has a private bathroom with luxury waterless, compost toilet (with waste composted on site), bamboo toilet roll and all green electricity for the hot water and showers. Alongside the glamping, there’s a food forest garden which is an accredited demonstration site for regenerative agriculture and permaculture. runacharainn.com
BEST TRAVEL ACCESSORIES
WINNER: LITTLE LUGGAGE
Sustainability is really important to The Little Luggage Co; they didn't want to create just another 'fast fashion' brand. All luggage and packing accessories are made from recycled polyester and contain other recycled and eco-friendly materials where possible. 5% of the sales of our suitcase sticker set are donated to the Marine Conservation Society UK. They use minimal cardboard and recyclable packaging and do small things like keeping things local in terms of photoshoot locations and packaging suppliers; and supporting local mum-owned businesses for photography and marketing etc. to keep their environmental impact as low as possible. littleluggage.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED: NUNA
Nuna products are mindfully manufactured in their factory that is ISO 14001-certified, which means that they have implemented environmental management systems in the manufacturing process such as the use of solar power, exhaust water treatment and recycling programmes that work to reduce waste created from plastics and packaging. While all these initiatives are worthwhile individually, Nuna strives to continually improve the overall systems that they have in place to maintain their position on the cutting edge of environmentally conscious production and design. nunababy.com
BEST TRAVEL BRAND
WINNER: TRUNKI
Kids are at the heart of the Trunki brand. The factory where the UK made cases are produced, in Plymouth, uses 100% green energy. Since 2012 the shipping carton can be reused as a kennel for your Trunki. Several years ago they cut the card used in retail packaging by 50%, sourcing PEFC card and eco inks. The Trunki is now made with 50% recycled plastic and can be fully recycled at the end of its life at local recycling centres. There are no metal screws or pins included. trunki.co.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED: WIGHTLINK
Wightlink is the leading cross-Solent ferry operator and the new Green Solent Project uses the latest energy-saving technology, lowering emissions. The introduction of the hybrid energy flagship ferry, Victoria of Wight, uses 17% less fuel than the next largest ship in their fleet. They are undergoing a trial to install solar panels to generate electricity at the ports and onboard. Wight Taste partners with a range of local suppliers and eliminated single use plastics in 2018. They are proud to send zero waste to landfill. General waste that cannot be recycled is turned into an alternative fuel that displaces fossil fuels. wightlink.co.uk
BEST FESTIVAL
WINNER: JUST SO FESTIVAL, CHESHIRE
The annual festival for families (from 16-18 August) is part of ecolibrium, a ground-breaking initiative which has balanced emissions from over 13 million travel miles to events since 2015, with donations helping to power wind turbines in India. They have also funded a community-owned wind-turbine in the Forest of Dean and contributed to Solar for Schools. They reduced waste significantly in 2018 by 35% with recycling bins around the site and in the campsite. No single use plastic is sold on site and all traders offer a discount for those who bring their own cup. They work with the same traders year on year so that they know the audience and quantities of food to bring with them, reducing wastage. justsofestival.org.uk
HIGHLY COMMENDED: HEBCELT, THE HEBRIDES
HebCelt takes place in the Outer Hebrides from 17-20 July, and is one of the most unique locations for a festival, but the islands are of course being impacted by climate change. HebCelt is committed to finding ways to lessen their carbon footprint and to run a more environmentally sensitive festival. They are using more green energy (they are teamed with Plus Zero to test hydrogen power supply), use reusable cups and compostable foodware, have banned single use plastic and have a dedicated volunteer team to oversee recycling and waste. They encourage sustainable travel for festival-goers. hebceltfest.com
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