greentraveller
February/March 2024 Issue 4
THE MAGAZINE
CARBON
smart
Make the most of the great outdoors in West Sweden – maximum joy with minimal footprint
+
Community-run enterprises in the UK How to travel as a ferry foot passenger The latest global news for greener travel
TREEHOUSE HOLIDAYS
MENU FROM ESTONIA
CONSERVATION TRAVELLER
IT’S TIME TO TAKE STEPS TO TRAVEL BETTER
AT SUSTAINABLE JOURNEYS, WE AIM TO OFFER UNFORGETTABLE TRAVEL
EXPERIENCES THAT NOT ONLY SHOWCASE THE BEAUTY AND DIVERSITY OF OUR
PLANET BUT ALSO SUPPORT THE WELL-BEING OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO ALIGNING OUR PRACTICES AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE
WITH THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION’S DEFINITION OF
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, WHICH EMPHASISES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, SOCIAL INCLUSIVITY, AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY.
Ready to start your Sustainable Journey? WWW.SUSTAINABLEJOURNEYS.CO.UK
WELCOME
Welcome to
Green Traveller
Green Traveller ©GREENTRAVELLER 2023. GREEN TRAVELLER and CHARITABLE TRAVEL of Fundraising Futures Community Interest Company, Contingent Works, Broadway Buildings, Elmfield Road, Bromley, BR1 1LW, UK have a memorandum of understanding to create this magazine as publisher. For any enquiries please call T: 020 3092 1288 E: help@charitable.travel W: greentraveller.co.uk
Welcome to the fourth issue of Green Traveller magazine. I often get asked which destination is the most sustainable, and while many places are now putting sustainability at the heart of their strategies, I recommend looking at our feature on an initiative in West Sweden that aims to provide visitors with low
distinguish between those trips that can be reached overland with those that bring genuine benefits to destinations through nature conservation, local community empowerment and humanitarian aid. Our regular spotlight about local, seasonal food is on the world-class cuisine in Estonia, and we’ve got the low-down on how to travel as a foot passenger out of the UK to Ireland the Global Ecosphere Retreats mainland Europe. go beyond mitigating their Plus we have a feature on the negative impacts and work to ten high profile Global Ecosphere positively impact the well-being Retreats that are part of The Long Run, an alliance of natureof the planet and local people based tourism businesses committed to preserving vast areas of biodiversity that go beyond merely carbon options. These ‘Climate Smart mitigating their negative environmental Holidays’ (pp 20–24) bring together effects and actively work to positively impact a group of small businesses whose the well-being of the planet and owners generate their own electricity and keep their energy use down to a minimum, local people. offer pick-ups from local train stations, provide high-quality, local-sourced food, Happy green travelling! and help guests make the most of the great outdoors in a low impact fashion. As in previous issues, keep an eye out for the flight-free and positive impact icons throughout the magazine that Editor, Green Traveller Magazine
While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, GREENTRAVELLER and CHARITABLE TRAVEL cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. FRONT COVER: Main image: ©Copenhagen Wildnerness; inset images, L-R: ©Living Treehouse; ©Hans Markus Antson/Visit Estonia; ©CrookesandJackson ICONS: flaticon.com. GRAPHICS: freepik.com unless stated otherwise. MAPS: freevectormaps.com CEO: Melissa Tilling; MAGAZINE EDITOR: Richard Hammond; DEPUTY EDITOR: Rebecca Miles (editor@charitable.travel); MAGAZINE DESIGNER: Claire Gates
GOOD TO KNOW
POSITIVE IM
FLIGHT FREE
Where you see these symbols throughout the magazine you can be assured that the destinations featured can be reached without flying or that the activities featured will have a positive impact for the community, environment or wildlife in the region.
CT PA
Contents February/March 2024 4
Get the picture in Albania
15 The menu from... Estonia
6
Global green news
16 7 of the best treehouses
9
Armchair travel
20 Climate Smart Holidays in West Sweden
10 How to be a green traveller 12 Little green traveller
26 Low carbon travelling
FLIGHT-FREE
13 A postcard from... Green Spain
28 Meet the pioneers of responsible tourism
POSITIVE IMPACT
14 WIN Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2024
34 Best in Britain – community-run enterprises greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
3
GET THE PICTURE
Get the PICTURE
4 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
Meeting people on your travels is one of the single most special things about being a world away from your own home, but language can often be a barrier to properly connecting. On a recent tour with Intrepid, who always use bilingual (if not multilingual) local guides with a wealth of cultural knowledge and insight, I was lucky enough to spend some time with the Rrasa family near Karavasta Lagoon in Albania.
GET THE PICTURE
3
views of
AN ALBANIAN FAMILY
Words & pictures by Diana Jarvis (dianajarvis.co.uk)
Adriatik Rrasa is a stone mason, wood carver, metalworker and all-round enthusiastic master craftsman. We were welcomed into the Rrasa homestead via the intricately ornate yard decked with stone carvings and sculptures adorning every available wall and invited to share a homecooked lunch with the family.
Eva Rrasa is an expert in Tasseomancy – the art of fortune telling by interpreting the patterns in coffee grounds – and she uses thick Turkish coffee to divine innate truths. She starts by swilling a drop or two of water around the cup I’ve just drunk from and sets it upside down for 10 minutes. With her daughter Arnisa translating, she reveals insights that really do make more than a hint of sense.
It’s often tempting to take photos of people on your travels without ever speaking to them. While there are some instances where ‘candid’ or ‘street shots’ work better without the subject being aware, it’s far better to use photography as a reason to strike up a conversation – and even make a new friend in the process. greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
5
NEWS
Global good news Katrin Laurson/Estonia
FOR SMARTER TRAVEL
INNOVATIVE UK TOUR OPERATOR LAUNCHES
CANOEING ON AHJA RIVER, ESTONIA
A new tour operator dedicated to helping people take steps to travel more sustainably has launched in the UK. Sustainable Journeys, part of the social enterprise Charitable Travel, will provide itineraries worldwide that take into consideration environmental conservation, social inclusivity, and economic benefits to local communities. The operator says it will provide “climatefriendly ways to enjoy the beauty and diversity of destinations”, reducing traveller emissions by using trains, electric vehicles, buses, bikes, and hikes, with stays at sustainably focused accommodations and enjoying activities which support local communities and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. For those holidays 6 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
that require flights, the operator says it will review aircraft, routing, and cabin choices to minimise the impact. Each itinerary will show the carbon footprint of the trip, calculated by Path Net Zero who will also manage a Carbon Fund for Sustainable Journeys, supporting developing world projects that have through their actions reduced carbon emissions. Sustainable Journeys is also working with NGO Planeterra to add a ‘Ripple Score’ to each itinerary, detailing the percentage of money spent which stays locally in the destination, an important principle of sustainable tourism. Trips are currently available in Estonia, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland, with
more destinations soon to follow. Melissa Tilling, CEO of Sustainable Journeys said: “We believe tourism should benefit everyone involved, especially local communities and our mission is to bring a pragmatic enabling approach to sustainable travel to support customers who are often confused by labelling, terminology, and what to trust. While no one can take away the act of emitting carbon into the atmosphere, Sustainable Journeys hopes to make it easier for consumers to travel more responsibly, understanding their choices and ensure that visitors contribute positively, from an environmental, social, and economic perspective.” sustainablejourneys.co.uk
NEWS
GOING FOR GREEN AT QUEENSBURY HOTEL The Queensbury Hotel on Russel Street in Bath is offering a 10% ‘Going for Green’ discount for guests that arrive by any mode of transport other than a car. thequeensberry.co.uk
WEATHER WORRIES TOP THE CHARTS
PELION, GREECE IN AUTUMN
Extreme weather and events caused by climate change – such as the flooding and wildfires experienced last summer – have become the leading reason British holidaymakers think they’ll have to change their travel plans, according to a survey of 4,000 people by Holiday Extras. Almost two-thirds (61%) of those polled said that extreme weather conditions were most likely to make them rethink their plans – approximately double the number who said the same in September 2023. Elizabeth Hogg, COO at Holiday Extras, said that travel habits are changing as people make plans to avoid the most likely disruptions. “Greece, for example”, she said, “may see increased demand for shoulder-season bookings as people avoid high summer on the islands”. global-warrior.com
Massive Attack has announced that their first show in five years will be powered totally by renewable energy. The one-day event will be on 25 August at Clifton Downs, Bristol. The band has previously teamed up with the University of Manchester’s Tyndall Centre to map the carbon footprint of tours, producing a roadmap for the industry. massiveattackbristol.com
Richard Hammond
GREEN ATTACK
CITIZEN WARRIOR Citizen Science project Global Warrior has launched a new expedition for travellers wishing to take part in oceanographic research. Participants of its Ocean Warrior expedition will work alongside scientists to gather data on annual trips on a large wooden schooner out of Plymouth to Upernavik on Greenland’s west coast via Reykjavik and Svalbard.
greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
7
NEWS
FLIXBUS EYES SPANISH HOTELS’ UP INDIA NATURE INITIATIVE
International coach operator Flixbus is to roll out its service in India. It currently operates in 42 countries across Europe, USA, Canada, Brazil and Chile, and now plans “to bring its unique business model to one of the largest bus markets in the world”. According to the operator, coaches emit “six times less carbon per passenger than car and nine times less than plane. Coaches reduce vehicles on the road, therefore improving congestion and air quality.” 8 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
PARADOR DE BEILSA
Spain’s state-run hotel network has launched a programme for hoteliers to raise awareness of the country’s regional life, culture and natural diversity. One of the adopters of the programme is Parador de Bielsa in the Spanish Pyrenees (reachable via a scenic rail journey through France followed by a shuttle bus transfer into Spain), which is offering a range of immersive experiences with local guides such as shepherds and an interpretative route of the geological and social heritage of the Pyrenees.
ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Armchair
TRAVEL
BOOK AND WEBSITE: THE NATURAL NAVIGATOR Tristan Gooley’s UK-based courses on natural navigation teach you how to find your way using only natural clues, such as the sun, moon, stars, land, sea, weather, plants and animals. His books and website help you understand your location before you automatically reach for a map, compass or GPS. naturalnavigator.com
This month, we’ve got a website that has recordings of birdsong taken from all over the world, a book that provides information on how to be a natural navigator, and three helpful apps
WEBSITE: THE EARTH PROJECT On The Earth Project’s website, listen to recordings of birdsong taken from all over the world, from the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia to the rainforest of South America. You can also record and upload your own local birdsong for others to enjoy. theearthproject.world
EXPERIENCE: GOURMAZE
APP: BIKEMAP
A treasure-hunt based app described as a cross between an escape room and a food walking tour. You’re given riddles to solve that lead you on an adventure to some of the best of London’s independent food scene, from street food stalls to restaurants.
Founded in 2014, Bikemap was created by cyclists with the goal of sharing routes with cyclists around the world. To date, more than 8.2 million users have created over 12.5 million unique cycling routes in over 100 countries worldwide.
APP: FAIRTRIP A free collaborative guide that helps travellers find and share local and authentic places that have “a positive social and economic impact on the visited place”. Users can propose new places provided that they meet the FairTrip criteria: authentic, green, local, social and fair. Each place is submitted for approval to the FairTrip team before appearing on the app and, afterwards, users can still report those who no longer meet the criteria or have closed.
A comprehensive, jargon-free guide to sustainable travel and how to navigate it Pavilion Books (£18.99)
HOW TO BE A GREENER TRAVELLER
HOW TO BE A
greener
traveller
These services allow foot passengers; check-in for foot passengers is usually between 60 and 90 minutes before departure: Brittany Ferries Poole to Cherbourg; Portsmouth to Cherbourg; Portsmouth to St Malo; Portsmouth to Bilbao; Portsmouth to Santander; Portsmouth to Le Harve; Portsmouth to Caen; Plymouth to Santander; Plymouth to Roscoff. brittany-ferries.co.uk Stena Line Harwich to Hook of Holland; Cairnryan to Belfast; Liverpool to Belfast; Holyhead to Dublin; Harwich to Hook of Holland; Fishguard to Rosslare; Rosslare to Cherbourg, and additional journeys across the Baltic Sea. stenaline.co.uk P&O Ferries:Dover to Calais; Hull to Rotterdam; Cairnryan to Larne. poferries.com DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe; Newcastle to Amsterdam. dfds.com Ferries can be booked via the websites of the individual ferry operators as well as via the following ticketing agents: aferry.com; ferrysavers.co.uk; directferries.co.uk.
10 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
DISCOVER FERRIES There’s lots of information about ferry services from the UK on the website run by Discover Ferries – an industry body representing 13 ferry operators in the UK, Ireland and the British Isles. It includes the latest news from its members and information on changes to ferry regulations, such as those being rolled out post Brexit. It also runs campaigns, such as the Big Ferry Fortnight, usually at the end of March, which celebrates ferry travel and includes promotions, special offers and prizes. discoverferries.com
FLIGHT FREE
HOW TO BE A GREENER TRAVELLER
Richard Hammond shares his tips and tricks for travelling as a foot passenger on a ferry
T
Richard Hammond
he modernisation of ferry services has revolutionised the experience of travelling across the Irish Sea, North Sea and The English Channel, especially for longer overnight crossings to the Continent. Start your holiday in style and travel on spacious ships, enjoy fine dining in à la carte restaurants, relax with a spa treatment and sleep comfortably in en suite cabins; on arrival you feel refreshed for the onward journey. There also plenty of facilities to keep children entertained during the crossing, including soft play areas, games rooms, live entertainment and cinema. The good news for green travellers is that you can travel as a foot passenger on many of the ferry services out of the UK and enjoy all the benefits of modern ferry travel – bars and restaurants, plenty of entertainment and facilities for families, comfortable overnight cabins and no bag restrictions. The ports on both sides of the crossing are well connected by public transport, so it’s easy to travel by bus or train to the ports in the UK, as well as disembark on the other side and continue the journey overland. Europe has never felt closer.
SAIL & RAIL BETWEEN BRITAIN AND IRELAND There are several ferry options for travelling between the UK and Ireland: you can choose a ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ ferry and travel as a foot passenger. Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries allow you to book both the rail and ferry legs of your journey in one go, known as a Sail & Rail ticket, at a price that is much lower than if you booked the two legs separately. This combined train and ferry ticket can be for journeys from anywhere in Great Britain to anywhere in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland via the UK ferry ports of Holyhead, Fishguard or Cairnryan. The Sail & Rail option is also available back from Ireland to the UK. There is no option to upgrade with these special Sail & Rail fares, but one of the distinct advantages of this Sail & Rail package is that the fares come at a fixed price that doesn’t increase in peak travel periods or is dependent on how far in advance you book. You can book the Sail & Rail tickets on the website of Transport for Wales, which manages Sail & Rail fares on behalf of all British train operators. There’s a 50 per cent discount for children aged 5–15, while those aged 0–4 travel free. You can also buy Sail & Rail tickets online at trainsplit.com and avantiwestcoast.co.uk. greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 11
FAMILY TRAVEL
Stay green
MILDEN HALL, SUFFOLK
Eat green
A farmhouse B&B on a seventh-generation 500-year-old working farm, Milden Hall takes a holistic approach to farming and conservation. There are rooms in the main house for up to six, plus you can go self-catering in a glorious 16th-century Tudor barn, which sleeps up to 23, or in the Old Brooder – a 20-bed modern bunkhouse with oak beds and colourful kantha bedspreads. Sustainability runs through all its operations – energy is solar and sustainable timber-powered – and it runs a range of creative art weeks and group activities for children, including a science and natural history day. There are 20 bikes available to borrow and guests can help themselves in the herb garden. thehall-milden.co.uk
RUBIES IN THE RUBBLE
An award-winning range of ketchups, mayos and relishes, sold nationwide, Rubies in the Rubble’s condiments are made from ingredients that would otherwise have been wasted because they’re the wrong shape, size or colour, from over-ripe bananas to curly cucumbers and other ‘wonky’ veg. rubiesintherubble.com
Little
greentraveller The latest news, tips and places to stay to help the whole family travel green
Snorkel green
Walk green
Freepik
Find hundreds of car-free walks in the UK at carfreewalks.org and a network of walking routes that connect Britain’s towns and villages at slowways.org. Keep an eye out too for the ‘Walkers are Welcome’ logo given to over 100 towns and villages that are particularly welcoming to walkers.
Graham Madge at Unsplash
Go on a snorkel safari on Lundy Island off the north coast of Devon. Managed by the Landmark Trust, Lundy was the first Marine Nature Reserve, Marine Conservation Zone and No Take Zone, and an experienced guide will take you to explore the shallow waters of the Landing Bay, home to spider crabs, ballan wrasse and scarlet and gold star corals, as well as beautiful cup corals and magnificent kelp forests. You may even encounter one of the island’s resident playful grey seals. landmarktrust.org.uk
This is an edited extract from The Green Traveller (£18.99 Pavilion Books) by Richard Hammond 12 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
POSTCARD FROM...
Postcard from
Chris Willan
GREEN SPAIN
O
ver ten days in winter, we travelled from Bilbao along the spectacular coastline of northern Spain to the historic city of Santiago de Compostela, passing through the spectacular mountains of the Picos de Europa. The highlight of our trip was staying at Posada del Valle in the foothills of the Picos de Europa. It’s a family run hotel in 18 acres of organic orchards, pasture and a vegetable
garden that supply the restaurant with much of its produce. We were treated to homemade apple juice and bread for breakfast, while in the evening the daily changing set menu included a soup, salad, main course, dessert or cheese, much of it picked just hours before it was served. Food is often a product of geography and history, and no more so than in Green Spain
Chris Willan
The Altamira caves just outside Santillana del Mar is the site of 145,000-year-old paintings of bison, doe and horses where the local fare goes far beyond the typical seaside menu – there are many familiar items such as tortilla, paella and squid but also products of the terroir, such as beef, cheese and beans. One of our favourite places was Casa Vergara 1948, a pintxos bar (small snacks held together with toothpicks) in San Sebastian’s old town, which specialises in cod, including cod cheeks and bacalao, but there
Chris Willan
Words by Ginny Light
were also the pintxos classics, such as tortilla and jamon Iberico. The vibe, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, is buzzy and the staff, in fashionable white shirts and black aprons, are ebullient and efficient, pouring local cider and wine from a height while diners choose from the buffet along the bar. The joy of pintxos here is that everyone eats together – old, young, tourists and locals. Gastronomy is a big draw for Green Spain, but so too is the huge variety of activities and attractions in a relatively compact area, especially given the proximity of the mountains to the coastline and the region’s avante garde cities such as Bilbao and San Sebastián. One of the most dramatic we saw was Eduardo Chillida’s three steel sculptures mounted on rocks at the western end of Ondarreta beach in San Sebastián. The situation was chosen by Basque architect Luis Peña Ganchegui to be within the tidal ranges so the sculptures look very different when viewed at high or low tide. For more information, see Green Traveller’s Guide to Spain greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
13
COMPETITION
WIN LONELY PLANET’S
BEST IN TRAVEL 2024
To mark Lonely Planet’s 50th anniversary, the publisher has expanded from its annual lists of top 10 best cities, countries and regions to include two new categories – best value and best sustainable destinations. It brings the total bests to 50 locations across the globe that offer amazing experiences to enjoy in 2024. Presented in a beautiful hardback book and now in its 19th year, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel hotlist is voted for by its community of staff, local writers and publishing partners. Aiming to provide expert insight into lesser-known destinations and new takes on popular places, this list seeks to both inspire and follow the instincts of 2024’s traveller. Expect to see entries from Spain, which tops the sustainable travel list having taken great strides to boost off-season travel and expand renewable energy, Wales, thanks to its revamped railways that makes it easier to explore its wild, wonderful west, and Normandy, Algeria and the USA’s Midwest, all praised for their great value. 14 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
Topping the list of cities is the sizzling cool Nairobi in Kenya, joined by scenic Mostar in Bosnia and revitalised Izmir in Turkey, while Patagonia, Ecuador and the Baltic Trails of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are highlighted for providing responsible ways to connect with nature. “Best in Travel is Lonely Planet’s heart and soul of travel inspiration, responding to the enthusiasm of travellers who want to explore the world in a way that is authentic, led by local guidance and has sustainable values at its core,” says Nitya Chambers, SVP content and executive editor. “With new takes on iconic destinations and 50 fresh ideas across five categories, we’re confident Best in Travel opens-up a year of incredible adventures.” Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2024 is out now in hardback for £11.99, available where all good books are sold.
WIN!
We’ve got 10 copies of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2024 to give away – to be in with a chance of winning one, visit charitable.travel/lonely-planet to enter our competition
Hans Markus Antson Visit Estonia
TARTU
Photo Renee Altrov Visit Estonia
ONE OF THE BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED DISHES SERVED AT PÕHJAKA MANOR
Riina Varol Visit Estonia
MENU FROM...
ESTONIA’S YOUNG CHEFS ARE TAKING INSPIRATION FROM WHAT GROWS LOCALLY
The menu from
ESTONIA
Words by Richard Hammond
E
stonian cuisine, from traditional farmhouse fare to modern classics, is world class. With forestland dominating the country’s geography, many of the new crop of ambitious young chefs are taking inspiration from what grows in the nearby landscape, making the most of local produce in their menus. Here’s are three innovative restaurants where you can make the most of Estonia cuisine.
is brought to you on plates made from the baking trays of a former bread factory, cabbage paste (instead of butter) is served on a cut-out section of a wine bottle, and the minimal food waste is composted. The menu is mainly vegetarian, but you can add the meat or fish of the day. In the summer, sit outside on the terrace for splendid views of how the city is fast developing. fotografiska.com
RESTAURANT FOTOGRAFISKA, TALLINN
ÖÖBIKU GASTRONOMY FARM, KOHTLA
Within a sumptuous light-filled room in the eponymous international photography museum close to Tallinn’s main railway
Ööbiku is less than an hour’s drive from Tallinn yet feels like another world, where guests feast on a five-course set menu of
Two restaurants in Estonia – Põhjaka Manor in Mäeküla and Fotografiska in Tallinn – have been awarded a MICHELIN Green Star for their commitment to sustainable gastronomy station, Fotografiska’s pioneering zerowaste food and drinks are based on the idea of ‘Sustainable Pleasure’. Sour bread
fine dining at this charming farm in the heart of the countryside. Owner and head chef Ants Uustalu is passionate about sourcing
his ingredients from local farmers and seasonal forest fare (berries, mushrooms and wild animals), creating imaginative dishes using traditional methods that he pairs with wines. If the taste and experience inspires you to learn more, join a full day’s cookery course led by Ants. oobiku.ee
KIHNU GURMEE, KIHNU
A remarkable cultural culinary experience on the island of Kihnu, here you can choose up to five courses of high-quality local food, including vegan options. For those who want to stay here (it’s just 500m to a beach), there are several options, including a lovely guesthouse with six double rooms, a old barn with two rooms, and two camping houses for up to four beds each. Don’t miss the sauna, built in an old fishing boat. kastanimajutus.com For more inspiration, see Green Traveller’s Guide to Estonia
greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
15
7 OF THE BEST...
7
of the best TREEHOUSE HOLIDAYS
Treehouses have come a long way from makeshift wooden shacks with flimsy rope ladders at the bottom of a garden. The modern constructions are carefully crafted, state-of- the-art structures often in beautiful, secluded woodland locations, cocooned but with plenty of creature comforts, including double beds, woodburning stoves, running water, fully equipped kitchens and spring-water showers. Some of these magnificent arboreal abodes have rope bridges to children’s rooms or require a harness to reach them, and all enable you to live the high life in the lofty boughs of a tree; lie back, count the stars and listen to the owls. 16 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
7 OF THE BEST...
MALLINSON’S WOODLAND RETREAT, DORSET
These three remarkable treehouses are the stuff of dreams, and lovingly crafted by the owner Guy Mallinson and his team of skilled woodsmen. Dazzle is a camouflage design inspired by patterns used to conceal First World War ships; Pinwheel is in a clearing between a ring of mature oak trees in a corner of a bluebell wood; and Woodman’s is a stylish, secluded haven for two, sensitively perched in the bows of an ancient oak. DETAILS Two nights self-catering starts from £790 for two. mallinson.co.uk
RUFUS’S ROOST, YORK
Clair Pickworth
Walk across a raised boardwalk through the forest to this wonderfully secluded large treehouse in a private woodland on the Baxby Manor estate. It sleeps up to six in three tree-top rooms, and between two turrets there’s a large veranda with a log-fired pizza oven and a hot tub. The kids will be in den heaven when they discover the hidden doorway under the stairs that opens up a wooden slide down to a secret room with bean bags and comfy cushions. Magical. DETAILS Four nights mid-week self-catering starts from £1,180 for six. baxbymanor.co.uk
PERCHÉ DANS LE PERCHE, NORMANDY, FRANCE
A perfectly formed abode that sleeps up to six in an old sweet chestnut tree, Perché dans le Perche has a large terrace and summer kitchen. It sits in splendid isolation among a naturalist garden within 25 acres (10ha) of sustainably managed countryside in the Le Perche Regional Nature Park. Hiking trails lead to La Renardière and through sunken lanes to the Bellou-le-Trichard valley. DETAILS One night’s B&B starts from €170 for two perchedansleperche.com
THE LIVING ROOM, POWYS
These six state-of-the-art architectural wonders in wood, are high up in the tree canopy in a dense woodland in the heart of Wales, with double beds, fold-down bunk beds, and wood-burning stoves that heat springwater showers. DETAILS Two nights self-catering start from £379 for two. living-room.co greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024
17
7 OF THE BEST...
Jonny Keeley
THE TREEHOUSE, ARGYLL
HUDNALLS HIDEOUT, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
TREEHOUSE HOTEL, FALKÖPING, WEST SWEDEN
Hoist up your organic breakfast every morning to your wooden cabin, set 21ft (6.5m) high in a cluster of oak trees in a tranquil setting near Falköping in western Sweden. There are three cabins: The original Andrum, the statelier Seventh Heaven and the latest addition – Himlajord. All have double beds and were built sustainably: natural colour pigments were whipped together with linseed oil and eggs from the neighbour’s hens; organic textiles adorn the interiors; and you’ll drift off to sleep on organic double mattresses listening to the rustling of the leaves in this very special arboreal abode. DETAILS One night’s B&B starts from SEK3,150 for two. islanna.com
This is an edited extract from The Green Traveller (£18.99 Pavilion Books) by Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Indulgence for couples only at this large, carefully crafted luxury treehouse in the Wye Valley. Sited in ancient woodland with access to a wildflower meadow for picnics, massages, reflexology treatments and yoga can all be arranged. DETAILS Two nights selfcatering start from £800 for two. hudnallshideout.co.uk
An eight-sided eco build with triangular dormer windows, the Treehouse has underfloor heating and a traditional slated roof. There’s just a double bed, but an oak staircase spirals around the central oak tree up to a mezzanine level where the kids can stay. This unique eco-friendly abode is in an 18th-century orchard by a woodland on the historic Kinlochlaich House estate, halfway between the railway stations of Oban and Fort William in the west of Scotland. DETAILS Four nights mid-week selfcatering starts from £501 for two. treehousescotland.co.uk
18 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
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LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
Sarah Baxter takes the train from London to West Sweden and hires an electric car to visit five family-run businesses that have created stays with low-carbon footprints. Billed as ‘Climate Smart Holidays’, they ensure as minimal an environmental impact as possible while maximising the joy
GETTING SMART
in Sweden D
alslands’ glasshouse had curtains. But I didn’t draw them. Out here, in a forest at the lake’s edge, there was no one to peer in, except the birds and perhaps a beaver. So, exposed to the alarm clock of Mother Nature, I woke at first light and watched the day begin to form. Eventually I left my bed’s warm hug, flung open the doors and walked a few steps, over smooth rock and pine needles, to plunge into the lake’s chilled stillness. Electricity? A hot shower? Who needs those? It was the final day of my trip to West Sweden and I was getting used to such idyllic simplicity. I’d come to try out the region’s new Climate Smart Holidays, a new strand in West Sweden’s Stepping up Sustainability initiative. These are packages with the lowest possible carbon emissions, where travellers stay at small, family-run businesses with locally-sourced food and easily accessed by public transport (with pick-ups from nearby stations in electric cars, if required). At Dalslands Aktiviteter that meant low-impact kayaking down the Stenebyälven River, eating locally-caught wild game, lounging 20 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
in a wood-fired hot-tub and sleeping in the aforementioned glass cabin, totally off-grid and completely out of this world.
ARRIVING IN STYLE
The fun had begun from my front door, having reached Sweden on a train odyssey via London, Brussels, Cologne, Hamburg (overnighting in Germany’s first cabin hotel), Copenhagen and finally Gothenburg. After an opulent sleep in the grand Hotel Eggers, right by Gothenburg’s main station, it was a four-minute walk to pick up a Polestar, an electric car with a range of 400km and perfect for my eco adventure. Soon, the city faded into tree-flanked highway, the roads squeezing progressively narrower and narrower as I drove east into the forests of Västergötland, to Erikson Cottage. This farm near the shores of Lagmanshagasjön Lake has been in the same family since 1850; now sisters Elisabeth and Katarina run it as a bakery, pizza-making workshop and place for people to relax and de-stress in their three gorgeous glass cabins. “There’s no electricity,” Elisabeth explained as she showed me to my
FLIGHT FREE
LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
FIND OUT MORE DALSLAND’S GLASSHOUSE
Video produced by Green Traveller productions
To help guests understand the climate impact of their trip, including the accommodation and the return travel from London for two people, West Sweden Tourist Board provides the carbon emissions of these ‘Climate Smart Holidays’ using the digital platform travelandclimate.org. For more on this see: westsweden.com Read more about these Climate Smart Holidays in West Sweden on greentraveller.co.uk To book a holiday in West Sweden with a UK tour operator, visit: sustainablejourneys.co.uk
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LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
SARAH WITH JESPER UVESTEN, INFOREST
LUGNÅSBERGET EKOHOTELL
I could have stayed, sunk into Erikson Cottage, for days. But I had a date further north woodland dell, home to a glasshouse with separate kitchen and toilet huts. “We also have solar panels, our own well and septic tank, and a charging point for cars. Yet lift up and take away any of the glasshouses and huts and you’d see no trace.” They also have something special, a mood conjured from the exhalation of the trees, the 22 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
lap of the lake, the smell of fresh-baked bread, the soft music and candlelight, the twittering birds and the dashing deer. Ingredients, when mixed, that create something supremely comforting and delicious. I could have stayed, sunk into Erikson Cottage, for days. But I had a date further north at Inforest, near Hjo, where Jesper Uvesten has hidden a handful of off-grid cabins around his family forest. I was staying in Esther (named after Jesper’s oldest daughter), a cosy, self-catering bolthole for up to four with a large fire pit outside and a hare living underneath. Esther is also supremely smart: her solar panels powerup batteries that can last two days, even when the sun’s not shining; the waste from
LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
SARAH AT ERICKSON COTTAGES
her toilet is turned to compost; and her big water tank and meter mean you can happily shower while keeping an eye on your usage. She was a charming, secluded, peaceful place to stay. I cooked up a feast on the campfire, listened to the snap-crackle of the woods – perhaps wild boar, snuffling for acorns? – and cycled to nearby Lingonudden (Lingonberry Head) to watch the day’s last rays reflected in the little pond.
SMALL AND SPECIAL
From Inforest it was only an hour’s drive to Lugnåsberget, one of the smallest mountains in Västergötland but – as I soon discovered from Pia Åkesson and Jesper Persson – one of the most fascinating.
Determined to live a more sustainable life, the couple bought an old farm here 13 years ago; after two years of renovations, involving recycled materials, second-hand furniture, grazing goats and sheep, and plenty of hard work, they opened it as Lugnåsberget Ekohotell. Rooms are simple and comfortable, food is locally-sourced and homemade, power comes from solar panels, and heat comes from the biomass boiler. Of the five climate-smart properties, it’s the most efficient: one night here creates around 0.2kg CO2-equivalent per person (the average hotel in Sweden creates around 6.8kg CO2-eq). I plugged in my car, fortified myself with one of Pia’s cinnamon buns and set off to explore.
The mountain, though small, is special. Cistercian monks, who came here in the 12th century, discovered its top layer of bedrock was especially well-suited for making mill stones. For 800 years this industry was vital to the people here; more than 600 quarries and 50 mines were cut into the slopes. I hiked the 6km Stenhuggarstigen (Stonecutter’s Trail), which begins near the eco-hotel, and found it littered with reminders. Abandoned mill stones lay higgledy-piggledy among the oak and birch trees, wigged with moss; the ruins of a smithy sat by an overgrown quarry; old workers’ cottages were subsumed by the forest. Lugnåsberget rises just below Lake Vänern greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 23
LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
SWEDISH COUNTRY LIVING
ERIKSON ECO COTTAGE
This rural retreat isn’t far off the main road, but it feels a million miles away and, next, I steered around the southernmost tip of Sweden’s largest lake, to enter the province of Dalsland. After a smooth two-hour drive, I arrived at Swedish Country Living. This rural retreat isn’t far off the main road, or from the nearest train station. But it feels a million miles away. There are three individually designed tiny houses here, well-spaced between the native trees, pond and pasture surrounding David and Marie Naraine’s own home. Aesthetically, the hermitages are a delight. The Slate House, 24 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
SWEDISH COUNTRY LIVING
in which I stayed, looked snatched from a fairytale. It was handmade from wood felled on site, and clad in gingerbread-like tiles; inside were candle lanterns, sheepskins from the farm and antique kilns. But even more impressive was the couple’s eco-ethos, from their use of recycled building materials to the shower block’s circular water system to their regenerative farming techniques. “We learnt the skills as we went along,” David told me in the orangery (also built from second-hand glass
and brick); it’s here the former chef serves delicious dinners. Tonight: slow-cooked lamb, reared and butchered on site, and homegrown potatoes, lemon, parsley and garlic. “We wanted to keep it small scale,” he added, “so you feel part of the family when you’re here.” I felt it. Because, like all the other climatesmart places, David and Marie have created something sustainable without sacrificing one bit the splendour, the cosiness or the joy of being in nature.
LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
overland HOW TO TRAVEL
TO WEST SWEDEN
FLIGHT-FREE JOURNEY PLA NNER
greentravel ler.co.uk/ flight-freejourney-pla nner
Here’s Green Traveller’s guide to getting to West Sweden without setting foot on a plane – instead travelling overland by train from London St Pancras via Brussels, Cologne, Hamburg, and Copenhagen to Gothenburg
Journey Time: about 36 hours Approximate cost (one way): Eurostar to Brussels from £63.50 Train from Brussels to Hamburg via Cologne from £43.25 Train from Hamburg to Gothenburg from £51.38
HOW CAN I BOOK THIS?
If you want someone to book the whole journey for you, get in touch with Byway.travel. If you’re happy to book it yourself, visit Eurostar.com or either of the two main pan-European ticketing agencies – thetrainline.com and RailEurope.com. Both charge a small booking fee but allow you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. They also offer a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available. To book ferry tickets, visit ferryhopper.com.
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LONDON TO BRUSSELS
Our journey starts on the Eurostar, the UK’s international high-speed rail service that runs from the magnificently renovated London St Pancras International Railway TIP Keep an ey e out on th Station. Take an early morning e platforms at Brussels, Co Eurostar to Brussels Midi station and Hamb lo gne urg for the handy guid to the layo – it’s a journey of less than two e ut of incom ing trains, which show hours and on board, there’s no s you wher e your carriage will arrive into weight limit for your luggage the station so you can make your (though you should be able to way to the correct part of the carry and lift your bags safely). platf
2
orm before the train arrive s.
ONWARD FROM BRUSSELS TO HAMBURG
At Brussels Midi station, there’s an easy same-station platform change to board the high-speed Thalys or ICE trains to Cologne, where again there’s an easy same-station platform change to take another train to Hamburg. The best thing about overland train travel is that you have the time and space to walk around the train, visit the buffet carriage, play cards, read the newspaper or a book, catch up on emails and text, watch a film, enjoy a meal, or just gaze out of the window and enjoy the views out of the large windows as the train whizzes across the picturesque Belgian and German countryside.
Richard Hammond
SUMMARY
Eurostar to Brussels, then train to Cologne and Hamburg (where you stay overnight). Train the following morning to Copenhagen then on to Gothenburg
Richard Hammond
FLIGHT FREE
LOW CARBON TRAVELLING
COLOGNE RAILWAY STATION
COPENHAGEN
HAMBURG
LONDON
Richard Hammond
COLOGNE
ARRIVING AT GOTHENBURG
There are plenty of places to stay close to Hamburg’s railway station. I recently stayed at CAB 20 (Level 3+ on Booking. com’s Travel Sustainably initiative), it’s about a 10-minute walk from the station. The city’s tourist board has put together a collection of climate friendly and sustainable hotels that “have already paid attention to climate friendliness during construction”, “focus their purchases on bio-dynamic, fair or regional products”, and “support social projects”.
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TRAIN FROM HAMBURG TO COPENHAGEN
5
ONWARD FROM COPENHAGEN TO GOTHENBURG
In the morning, catch the train to Copenhagen. It’s just under five hours away, so you might want to stop over in Copenhagen for another night (it’s a fabulous place to stay), or there are plenty of connecting trains that enable you continue on to Gothenburg the same day. If you decide to stay in Copenhagen, the centre is relatively compact and very pedestrian friendly (the principal shopping artery, Strøget, is one of the world’s longest pedestrian streets), so exploring on foot is a viable and inviting option. However, for longer stays, the city has an excellent integrated public transport network. If you intend to visit many of the city’s major museums and sights and will be travelling by public transport a lot, consider buying a Copenhagen Card, which gives free admission to over 75 attractions, unlimited bus, train and metro travel, and various other discounts – you can choose to buy a card for 24, 48, 72, or 120 hours.
GOTHENBURG
BRUSSELS
3
STAY OVERNIGHT IN HAMBURG
STATION
The final leg to Gothenburg travels over the impressive Öresund bridge from Denmark to Sweden. On arrival in Gothenburg, the railway station is in the heart of the city, with the city’s excellent tram network outside the station. I recently stayed at the magnificent Hotel Eggers opposite the station on Drottningtorget Square, and the city has been ranked ‘world’s most sustainable destination’ six times in a row according to the Global Destination Sustainability Index. Happy green travelling!
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POSITIVE IMPACT TRAVEL
W
hen The Long Run says it collectively conserves 23 million acres of land and its biodiversity, it can be hard to grapple with just how large a space that is. Picture the size of Portugal and you’re pretty much there – it’s a lot. A global alliance of nature-based tourism businesses, The Long Run was founded in 2009 by Jochen Zeitz (who’s also founder of the ZEITZ Foundation for Intercultural Ecosphere Safety), when it was profiling nine destinations chosen for their commitment and unique approach to sustainability. 28 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
The collaboration of these nine destinations provided the basis on which The Long Run developed its approach and strategy — “protecting wilderness in perpetuity” via the 4Cs, a holistic balance of conservation, community, culture, and commerce. The initiative has evolved to become one of the world’s largest naturebased business initiatives and now has over 60 members worldwide. “Bringing like-minded people together and leveraging connectivity between them to accelerate change makes The Long Run a very powerful community”, says Dr Anne-
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MEET THE
pioneers
OF RESPONSIBLE TOURISM Richard Hammond introduces The Long Run, a global alliance of nature-based tourism businesses that’s had a recent flurry of new members. These pioneering holidays are based on a holistic balance of conservation, community, culture, and commerce, protecting important biodiverse habitats while building local livelihoods
Kathrin Zschiegner, executive director at The Long Run. “Because then you’re sharing best practice and inspiring one another; what somebody did in Costa Rica can be replicated in New Zealand, can be replicated in Kenya; in a different way, but ideas and sparks come from talking with others. The Long Run has a lot of diversity of approaches, locations, business models – and that diversity really helps create change and drive innovation.” Accommodations, lodges, and privately protected areas join The Long Run as Fellow Members (recently joined members include Castle Leslie in Ireland and Sirikoi Lodge
in the Lewa Conservancy, Kenya) and work towards becoming a ‘Global Ecosphere Retreat’ (GER), a standard for best practice that involves a rigorous, onsite, external assessment recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Spot this accreditation and its a marker of excellence. The GER standard looks for evidence that the business goes beyond merely mitigating its negative environmental impacts and actively works to positively impact the wellbeing of the planet and the local people. Members must be commercially profitable or commit to attaining commercial viability,
“demonstrating that conserving nature is an economic imperative beyond the ethical arguments of posterity”. While many of The Long Run members serve the luxury travel market, the organisation is looking to widen its portfolio of businesses to cater for all budgets. “It’s a very accessible model,” explains Holly Tuppen, head of communications at The Long Run. “Anyone can apply the 4Cs to their business, whether a community-owned wildlife reserve or a 20,000-acre conservancy involving multiple stakeholders.” For more information: thelongrun.org greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 29
POSITIVE IMPACT TRAVEL
BORANA LODGE, KENYA
THE CRÈME
de la crème Book a stay at one of The Long Run’s 10 Global Ecosphere Retreats and know you’re supporting nature conservation and local livelihoods
One of East Africa’s original fully hosted, family-owned lodges, the lodge is within the 32,000-acre Borana conservation area at the foot of Mount Kenya, home to black and white rhino and many other endangered species. Guests are encouraged to get involved in conservation initiatives tracking rhino with the scouts on foot, monitoring lion movements, and engaging in local community projects. All retained earnings generated by Borana Lodge and other ranching enterprises are re-invested into the sustainable conservation of natural capital and the wildlife it supports, along with building local livelihoods.
SASAAB, SAMBURU, KENYA Close to the Buffalo Springs National Reserve in Kenya’s Northern Frontier District, Sasaab is a joint venture between The Safari Collection, Westgate Community Conservancy and The Northern Rangelands Trust. With far-reaching views across the Laikipia Plateau towards Mount Kenya, the reserve is home to the ‘Samburu Special Five’– beisa oryx, reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk antelope and Somali ostrich. The local Samburu community plays an active role in the conservation of endangered species while also benefiting from Sasaab-supported health and education projects (that improve the lives of over 600 families).
GROOTBOS NATURE RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA In one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, amid mountains and ancient indigenous forest, Grootbos – together with the Grootbos Foundation – protects 790 plant species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Its five-star eco-lodges and exclusive use, private villas provide an immersive luxury experience among the fynbos and offer expansive views over the rich marine haven of Walker Bay. Recently, Grootbos has undergone an external audit that found that Grootbos sequesters more carbon than it emits. 30 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 | greentraveller.co.uk
POSITIVE IMPACT TRAVEL
COTTAR’S 1920’S SAFARI CAMP, KENYA
On its own 6,000-acre private conservancy in south-east Mara, guests are well placed to experience the great wildebeest migration from July to October. The area is home to the remaining 7% of woodlands that support several species that are under threat, including Impala, buffalo, and giraffe, and it is also home to a large proportion of the Mara’s rhino population. Since establishing the Cottars’ Wildlife Conservation Trust (CWCT) in 1996, the camp has persuaded local communities that it is more financially viable to protect wildlife than damage it. The CWCT is now advocating for the establishment of a new Olderikesi Conservancy, which would be managed by CWCT on behalf of the community and help conserve 6,600 acres of acacia and cedar forests, natural springs, grasslands, and salt pans.
NIKOI ISLAND, INDONESIA
A 37-acre private island resort, two and a half hours by boat from Singapore, Nikoi’s co-founder Andrew Dixon set about to conserve as much of this natureabundant enclave of rainforest, beaches and coral reefs as possible while creating a community-friendly resort. The 15 villas were constructed from sustainably sourced driftwood and alang alang grass roofing; a nod to both traditional Indonesian architecture and modern design. Designed to maximise air flow, there is no airconditioning (or fridges) in the villas, and solar panels provide the hot water. Catering to a maximum of 50 guests at any one time, Nikoi bills itself as “a paradise island where the environment is king”.
CAIMAN, PANTANAL, BRAZIL
Founded 35 years ago by a nature-loving conservationist, Caiman is named after one of the many species found within its 53,000-hectares — the caiman Yacaré — and is also home to jaguars, blue-fronted parrots, hyacinth macaws, giant anteaters and howler monkeys. Caiman uses income from ecotourism to fund conservation efforts, while simultaneously preserving traditional ranching methods. The refuge is also the base for pioneer conservation initiatives such as Onçafari, Hyacinth Macaw Institute and Blue Fronted Parrot. greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 31
POSITIVE IMPACT TRAVEL
TAHI, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND Maori for ‘first place of plenty’, Ohuatahi in New Zealand’s North Island is home to the secluded sanctuary of Tahi: 800 acres of golden sands and South Pacific surf meet estuaries, wetlands and native forest. As the result of an extensive wetland restoration, indigenous planting and pest control programme, Tahi is a model for commercially-minded conservation. The owners adhere to sustainable principles in everything they do; luxury hospitality is integrated with a profound respect for natural surroundings. Over 11 years, 280,000 indigenous trees have been planted and 14 wetlands have been restored. As a testament to their success, birds have returned to Tahi, having vanished after years of neglect as a run-down cattle farm. The sanctuary is now home to over 65 species of native birds, including the endangered Australian brown bittern. The reawakening of Tahi is as much about the local Maori community as it is about the land. Priority is given to neighbouring residents when it comes to procurement and employment and the sanctuary carries out several Maori education initiatives.
Video produced by Green Traveller productions
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POSITIVE IMPACT TRAVEL
WOLWEDANS, NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE, NAMIBIA A portfolio of luxury camps within one of Southern Africa’s largest private reserves – over 400,000 acres of the otherworldly landscape of the NamibRand Nature Reserve in southwestern Namibia. As the principal concessionaire, Wolwedans has contributed more than $1.5 million towards the conservation of NamibRand Nature Reserve. Namibian culture is also at the heart of the business – the Wolwedans Foundation supports the social uplift of local communities through vocational training at the Desert Academy and the Namibian Institute of Culinary Education. The camps have been designed using low-impact building techniques and sustainable technologies; the environment can fully restore itself within just a few months of a camp’s deconstruction. A ‘sustainability tour’ educates guests about the onsite organic garden, grey-water system, solar farm and organic waste management.
SEGERA RANCH AND RETREAT, KENYA
Established by The Long Run’s founder Jochen Zeitz in 2005, Segera’s 50,000 acres of African wilderness, “proves that luxury can be sustainable”. It’s here that the Zeitz Foundation, The Long Run and the 4C’s were pioneered. What was previously overgrazed land, struggling to support the surrounding communities and wildlife, is now thriving; Segera has been a catalyst for positive change. These days elephant, lion, buffalo and eland, as well as the endangered Grevy’s zebra, patas monkey and African wild dog, roam freely. Alongside establishing a Conservation Unit Programme with the Laikipia Wildlife Forum to train rangers in conservation issues, Segera runs a 20-acre agriculture plot at one of the local primary schools – to demonstrate best practice in sustainable farming and provide a valuable food resource. Citizen Science is also utilised at the ranch, with programmes like the Resource Use Assessments to empower local elders to take control of the issues that concern them, rather than relying on external experts.
SINAL DO VALE, SANTO ANTONIO, BRAZIL A retreat and education centre nestled in Brazil’s lush Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlantica), 50km from Rio de Janeiro. Founded in 2012 by Thais Corral, a renowned social innovator, Sinal’s purpose has been to be a catalyst for tangible social and environmental change. Surrounded by one of the world’s most diverse and threatened biomes, six stucco houses and event spaces facilitate creativity, sustainable development and getting in touch with nature. Its Living Laboratory provides a platform for sustainable experimentation, providing solutions for waste management, water quality and infrastructure. The organic gardens and bio-construction projects help Sinal to explore and develop ecological food systems and eco-building techniques – both of which are passed on to the local and international community. greentraveller.co.uk | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 33
Rhiannon Batten
5 THINGS...
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THE PUB The Pack Horse Inn is a 17th century pub in the village of South Stoke on the outskirts of Bath, and was given a makeover when it was bought by the local community in 2016. The interior has a wonderful olde English charm with inglenooks and ancient beams, while outside there’s a lovely beer garden from where you can feast on locally inspired dishes and sup cider and local ale looking out over the glorious Midford Valley. packhorsebath.co.uk
COMMUNITY-RUN ENTERPRISES
Tapping into community-run ventures and social enterprises is a great way to get into the heart and soul of a place while giving back to the places you love to visit. Some of these hubs are run as non-profits, others are run by passionate local people and volunteers and wouldn’t exist without their commitment
PUB IS THE HUB
Inspired by Prince Charles in 2001, Pub is the Hub is a not-for-profit organisation that works to strengthen the connection between pubs and their local communities. There are over 150 across the UK, including many that have diversified into other retail outlets, such as delis, bakeries, farm shops, and village stores. To find one near you, search pubisthehub.org.uk
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THE HERITAGE CENTRE Maidenhead Heritage Centre is run mainly by volunteers to showcase the history of the town, particularly the operations of the Air Transport Auxiliary, whose headquarters was at White Waltham Airfield during the Second World War. The star attraction is the Spitfire Simulator Experience, where you can sit in the pilot’s seat of a Spitfire rigged up to a wide-screen electronic simulator and get a taste of the thrill of flying these awesome machines. maidenheadheritage.org.uk
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THE RESTAURANT Brigade Bar + Bistro is in a beautiful old Victorian fire station near London Bridge Station, serving brunch, lunch and dinner. It’s run by a social enterprise, Beyond Food, that helps homeless people get into work by giving them work experience in the kitchens and training them to become chefs. thebrigade.co.uk
Richard Hammond
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Brigade
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THE VILLAGE SHOP
In the historic Somerset village of Mells, the shop and post office is run by a team of about 50 volunteers, rotating shifts, jobsharing, fundraising and caring for the window displays and plants. It supports a wide range of local producers, including cold meats from Thorner’s of Somerset and home-baked cakes from Frome Country Market. The community also raised funds to build a café next door to the shop, which was opened by Mary Berry and serves hearty breakfasts, home-cooked lunches and teas seven days a week. mellsvillage.co.uk
THE ARTS CENTRE Dartington Trust is an arts, ecology and social justice charity, which runs a social-enterprise hub for retreats, festivals and summer schools as well as a visitor centre on a 1,200-acre estate near Totnes in South Devon. There’s a campsite, hostelstyle rooms and a fisherman’s cabin next to the River Dart. Explore the glorious gardens and deer park trails and dine on local food in the medieval Great Hall. dartington.org
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