Environmental Policy

At Lôn Lodges we are committed to providing a good quality of service and luxury accommodation whilst minimising the environmental impact of our activities.

As part of our commitment, we are members of the Green Tourism Business Scheme, which provides accreditation and encouragement for tourism businesses to help the awareness and responsibility we have for our environment.

The Green Tourism Contact is Mrs Kerena Pugh – Please get in touch if any queries through the website Contact page.

The following issues relate to how we have tried to offer a low impact holiday for our guests, who can be reassured that they are having a good time as well as being kind to our environment. A Carbon Footprint calculator created by CO2balance.com will work out how energy efficient you are in terms of carbon emissions, as well as calculating the footprint of your travels.

Location

The Lodges have been sustainably built on a traditional Radnorshire farm using locally sourced timber and local craftsmen. The Pugh family has farmed the Lôn for half a century and have naturally maintained the farm and improved the wildlife habitat by using traditional methods.

A fresh water pond has been landscaped that attracts many species of birds and wildlife.

Hedgerows have been laid and fenced to help keep the natural habitats unspoilt.

We have worked with the RSPB to plant a section of the farmland to flower seed for the purpose of attracting rare species of birds, including the Yellowhammer.

Guests are welcome to walk the farmland, with guidance given on arrival. Nature Trails have been developed from the doorstep and guides are made available to help discover the habitat and its inhabitants. A record of guest’s findings can be put in the Lodge Nature Journal.

A guest copy of the Countryside Code is available.

In the close vacinity of the Lodges and their gardens, a number of ladybird houses and bird boxes are positioned to encourage nesting within a safe environment.

A relationship with the community has been developed to promote the local area as the “Wildlife Centre of Mid Wales” and booklets/information are available in the Lodges for guests to explore the wonderful walks, nature reserves and information centres that are close by.

The Lodge design, that has been drawn up and built by the family, is of a unique style that has comfortable accommodation, sits well in the landscape and has a layout and outlook on the countryside that enables guests to enjoy and appreciate the natural beauty of the land and the flora and fauna that surrounds them during their stay.

Accommodation

The Lodges are built using a timber frame that has been clad with Douglas Fir wooden boards that were grown and sawn locally.

The underfloor heating system runs on a combi-boiler (which operates on a 93% efficiency burn rate). Where possible, the lighting is low energy and naturally the Lodges are fully insulated to a high level and double glazed, thus keeping the environmental impact minimal.

There is provision given for guests to dispose of used bulbs and batteries, these will be taken to a local collection point.

Facilities

We provide guests with a Sustainable Tourism Visitor Code to highlight the ways to recycle paper, card, metal, plastics and glass. On departure, the recycling is collected by Powys County Council or is taken to the nearest recycling point. We take the re-cycled paper to Nantmel Primary School, where it generates funds for the school in a money-back scheme from the Council.

Guests are given the option using a compost bin for kitchen waste. This is combined with farm waste to produce the rich humus used in the Lodge garden pots and in the surrounding flowerbeds and hedgebottoms.

The toilet rolls provided are produced from recycled paper and are certified FSC that helps support the principles and actions that protect our air, water, and overall quality of life. Other purchases of paper materials are of a re-cycled nature.

The guest hospitality toiletries are environmentally friendly.

The under floor heating is controlled by individual room thermostats. Guests are shown how to use these on arrival and are encouraged to switch off all appliances and lighting when not needed.

Amenities

Guests are welcome to follow the countryside code signs that are positioned on farm gateways. These show where access is permitted and an Ordnance Survey map is provided showing nearby footpaths and walks. An extensive tourist information pack highlights places of interest and natural beauty to visit, which helps the low impact on sustainable tourism. Public transport timetables are available.

Each Lodge has a lockable garden shed that will house bicycles, if guests wish to bring these with them on holiday.

Ash Lodge and Sycamore Lodge have an Electric Vehicle Charging Point. A Rolec 7.2 Kw Type 2 EV station. Guests will be charged for the usage per Kw on a not for profit basis to cover the electric cost. Please ask for more details.

We encourage guests to support the local producers, shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes and we promote local tourist attractions and events.

A farm produce stall selling seasonal vegetables grown on the farm is available for guests to buy from, depending on the season.

Guests can pre-order hampers of local organic fresh foods and locally produced Welsh wine. Homemade cooked meals using local fresh produce can be delivered to our Lodges and well being treatments can be booked with our therapist who will treat guests in their own Lodge during the holiday.

We have partnerships with various local activities including the Living Willow Shakespeare Theatre (guests are given information on visits and performances during the year) and Fungi Forays with Dan Bultler (explore the world of edible fungi).

Thank you for reading our Environmental Policy