The Cotswolds – green by name and green by nature
Now, perhaps more than ever, there is a lot of noise around climate change, being eco-friendly aware, and about what we can do to minimise the impact we have on the environment.
The Cotswolds is the ideal destination to consider when it comes to planning an eco-friendly break. It’s the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the country and the conservation work by the Cotswold Conservation Board, which was created to protect this remarkable region, is ongoing in many ways, both big and small.
Take for example, the Cotswold National Landscape Project. They are working in partnership with the Cotswold Conservation Board on the Glorious Cotswolds Grassland. This ambitious project hopes to create the largest network of wildflower-rich Jurassic limestone grassland in the country supporting a huge diversity of wildlife including bees, butterflies, bats, and birds.
If you want to know how the Cotswolds contributes on a global scale, have a look at the Cotswold Wildlife Park Conservation Trust. They are dedicated to the conservation of animal species and endangered environments around the world. The money raised comes from a variety of sources and you can play your part when you visit the Cotswold Wildlife Park.
On a much more local and personal scale, the area is strewn with farm shops, farmers markets and local people producing exceptional local produce. Food miles are kept low thanks to the plethora of locally available ingredients and, there is a real sense of field to fork dining.
It’s also easy to minimise your carbon footprint by choosing one of our handpicked cottages that lie within easy reach of a railway station and leaving the car behind. Although it is undeniably easier to get around by car, the Cotswolds are a walkers (and cyclists if you don’t mind hills) paradise, and with a little careful planning, it is possible to still see and explore a great deal using local bus routes and the rail network. The Cotswold Way National Trail is a great way to really see the countryside without the car.
With the increasing demand for electric vehicles, here at Bolthole Retreats we also have a small but growing portfolio of cottages with EVC charging points:
Bellhouse, Nympsfield
Maisey Cottage, Kencot
Orchard View, Upton Snodsbury
Aylworth Manor Granary, Aylworth
If you decide to stay at Aylworth, you’ll be staying at a property that has eco-electricity powered by photovoltaic cells, otherwise known as solar cells.
