Wild and Green Escapes

Go Green For Your Holiday – It’s Easy

Being green can reach all corners of your life – from what food you eat, to where you shop, how much energy you use in your home and what car you drive. Nowadays you don’t have to forget about your green conscience when you take a holiday, there are lots of people out there who care as much about the environment as you do and embrace green practices in the running of their tourism services and businesses. Wild & Green can help you find green B&B’s, cottage rentals and camping options, eco friendly cafes and restaurants and places to visit throughout the UK.

Whatever kind of holiday you’re looking for there’s a good chance you can find a green version of it. Being green doesn’t mean putting up with less quality or having to compromise on your holiday. The UK has some gorgeous boutique style hotels with eco friendly and green attributes. Prefer something a bit less formal for your accommodation? Opt for a farmhouse bed and breakfast that has adopted its very own green agenda... Want to self cater and have greater space and flexibility? There are plenty of green cottages and eco cabins out there to rent for a holiday or short break. Is camping more your thing? Caravan and camp sites obviously haven’t forgotten the importance of being green either. If you prefer camping with a touch of glamour – or glamping as it is fondly known – then you might even fancy a stay in an amazing yurt... the adventure and eco credentials of camping but, most would say, with a bit more comfort!
To discover green holidays in the UK check out our property guides in England, Scotland and Wales.

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What Makes A Holiday Green?

Accommodation providers can choose to join one of the national accreditation schemes and have their hotel, b & b, cottage or camp site assessed against set eco criteria or they can opt for a less formal approach and declare their own green agenda instead. If you’re wondering what kinds of things make accommodation greener then here are some ideas:

• An energy efficiency drive - use of low energy light bulbs or lighting fitted with motion sensors, high levels of insulation in a property, use of renewable energy such as solar panels for generating hot water
• Using local produce on menus as much as possible - think of eggs from the chickens in the garden, meat from the farm down the road, home-made marmalade and jams - adds up to low or zero food miles and supporting the local economy
• Promoting local walks, cycle hire and providing local transport information to encourage car free days

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Being a Responsible Tourist

If you want to help protect and support the places you visit on your holidays then you might want to consider these ideas:

• Shop local - help support the local people and the economy by purchasing food from local butchers, bakers, farmers markets and delis rather than chain supermarkets where possible
• Visit local events - craft fairs and local shows are a great opportunity to meet the people of the area, learn about rural crafts and traditions and help rural communities to thrive
• Consider visiting areas at quieter times of the year away from the busy peak times, helping to ease things like congestion and pressures on the local environment
• Think about leaving the car behind for one day of your holiday and plan an adventure instead - get the bus, the train, hire cycles or walk to and from your door
• Treat your accommodation the same as you would your home in terms of turning off appliances, not leaving things on standby, and switching off lights when not in rooms, remember to still recycle items such as plastic bottles and packaging, cardboard, papers and magazines
• When eating out look for establishments that are part of a town, county or regional 'eat local' campaign - they should display stickers in windows
• If you're exploring the great outdoors then remember to respect local flora and fauna, and observe any wildlife in such a way as not to disturb it

If you're heading to Scotland to watch marine wildlife you might want to click here to find out about the Wildlife Watching Code and download the Guide to Best Practice for Watching Marine Wildlife.