SUSTAINABILITY

At Churchdale Holidays we try to run our business as sustainably as possible.

The farm is a small working sheep farm with permanent pasture. We do not use artificial fertilisers or pesticides.

Below are some of the measures we have taken to run the holiday cottage business with the environment in mind.

Electric Car Charging Point

We have a 7.5kw Rolec Electric Car Charging Point on site for the use of guests at a reasonable cost.

Cycle Storage on site

We encourage guests to bring their bicycles and store them in our shed.  The farm is close to the Monsal Trail which is perfect for cycling and results in your being able to have a great holiday out without using the car.

Local Produce

We are farmers and are keen to encourage our guests to buy local food.  On arrival we provide a local Bakewell Pudding and a bottle of cool Derbyshire water in the fridge.  Our local tap water is soft and delicious and so we hope once guest have tasted it they will not buy plastic bottled water for their walks, but use our water instead.

Re-Cycling

There is a re-cycling area especially for our guests near the car park.  Guests are encouraged to split their waste between the different bins.

Energy

 Recently we have fitted solar panels on the roof of a barn to provide some of our electricity.  Energy efficient LED light bulbs have been fitted throughout to reduce the use of electricity.

Each cottage has a log burning stove.  These are checked and the chimneys swept annually.  Sadly we have experienced ash die back and so all the logs provided are sourced from our farm and have been dried in an open barn for at least 2 years.  The drier the logs the less carbon dioxide is produced.

Water

Aerated shower heads are used to reduce water consumption. All water for the cottage garden is collected in a water butt.

Cleaning

Ecover washing powder and cleaning products are provided to our guests. The laundry is washed using non-biological powder and line dried when possible.

Previously guests were supplied with individual plastic bottles of bath foam and shampoo. We have replaced these with re-usable larger bottles which can be re-filled on site.  This is one way that plastic waste has been reduced.

Local Walks and Transport

In each cottage there is a detailed map showing all the local walks.  Other information on walking is available. The cottages are only ¼ mile from the famous Monsal Trail and offer walks in all directions.  The market town of Bakewell is only a 2 mile walk away and so it is quite possible to walk there, enjoy the cafes and River Wye and stock up on provisions without using the car.

In 2023 a new open air bus service was introduced. In the summer it runs every half hour and stops at both Ashford and Monsal Station (both a 20 minute walk away.)  A day ticket can be purchased and it is possible to hop on and off at a number of stops including Chatsworth and Bakewell.

Awards

Churchdale Holidays has received a Green Tourism Gold Award and Visit England Walkers Welcome and Cyclists Welcome Awards.