Energy policies at Tranwell Farm

• Reducing energy use. The eco lodges and Ireby are

extremely well-insulated.

• renewable energy. Power is supplied by a solar panel and

solar battery system that provides all the power for the lodges,

we also have a solar panel system for Ireby House which

works alongside batteries to supply the house when no solar is

being produced.

• Buying renewable energy. When we’re not generating, our

grid connection is with green supplier Scottish Power.

• Renewable heat. Firewood for our wood-burning stoves

comes entirely from our own managed hedges and woodland.

Accommodation policies at Tranwell Farm

• We do all our laundry onsite, and powered by renewables.

• We use low-impact washing powders (Splosh) and cleaners

• Tranwell Farm has a simple smart cleaning system to minimize

chemical use.

• Asking guests to place all bedlinen and towels in wash bags

before the leave means we don’t need to wash what you

haven’t used.

• When we have to replace fridges and ovens etc, we buy the

best possible rated appliances.

• New purchases are made from recycled materials wherever

possible – duvets, pillows, dishcloths, toilet roll.

• Tranwell farms eco lodges are made from sustainably sourced

local larch, upcycled fittings and as many eco-features as we

can cram in. We’ve built something inspiring with a really low

carbon footprint.

• All our holiday accommodation was built specifically as holiday

lets – they are not second homes, and there’s no planningpermission for year-round occupation. So your stay at Tranwell

Farm boosts the local economy without taking accommodation

away from local people.

Waste policies at Tranwell Farm

• We always look to repair rather than replace

• Tranwell Farm asks guests to join us in recycling paper, glass,

cans, plastic & cardboard. We send at least 80% of so called

‘waste’ back into recycling. The remainder is incinerated for

energy reclamation.

• Compostable Food waste goes into our farm muck heap where

it rots down and become soil conditioner for the farm.

• Containers are provided for potentially hazardous waste, like

dead batteries, so we can ensure they don’t end up in landfill

sites.

Water policies at Tranwell Farm

• Outside water for washing and watering is mostly from water

butts (themselves recycled containers)

• Fine spray shower heads conserve water, and flows on basin

taps are regulated.

• Tranwell Farm is not on mains drainage, and our ditches and

streams are a precious part of our Nature Reserve. So we take

care what we put down the drains, using biodegradable

washing up liquid and laundry detergent.

• Tranwell Farm’s waste is treated in bio rock water treatment

plants which feed into a reedbed or soakaway system. The

reedbed also provides habitat for birds, insects and even

harvest mice. We plan to expand our the reed beds over time.

Transport policies at Tranwell Farm

• Tranwell Farm offers free station transfers to those arriving by

train (you can take a car free holiday here),• Everyone can borrow free ‘farm bikes’ for local trips, and

walking and cycling maps,

• We want you to experience the best the area can offer, so

Tranwell Farm has webpages with ideas for local days out , all

within 30 miles of us, including including those accessible by

public transport. We post local events on our Facebook page.

Land management policies at Tranwell Farm

• By reinstating traditional management, we are sowing the field

in front of the lodges with a wildflower and legume grass mix

with a mixture of vetches and red clover for carbon capture,

which is also great for our resident barn owls and hares.

• Tranwell Farm’s 600-acres has small fields delineated by

hedgerows, managed actively for wildlife.

• We have nest boxes for our bats, barn owls and dormice, as

well as garden birds, and we’re managing vegetation around

our Nature reserve to improve its value for wildlife.

• Wherever possible, we manage Tranwell Farm Nature

Reserve and Lodges without chemicals. It’s our policy to use

hand tools where practical (scythe rather than strimmers etc).

• Tranwell Farm is in a Stewardship Scheme, bringing

investment in hedging, fencing, scrub clearing and orchard

trees that will all help us manage the land for wildlife.

• Several rare and locally important plants grow at Tranwell

Farm, including orchids. We are cutting back encroaching

brambles, opening up over-grown ponds and marshy areas,

and regenerating old coppiced hazel stands.

• Your stay at Tranwell Farm makes our ongoing conservation

work economically viable, and we hope you’ll enjoy the place

as much as we do.

Sustainable business policies at Tranwell Farm• Tranwell Farm promotes local food producers and retailers

(including a neighbouring farm shop with chemical free

produce).

• We use our professional skills to run Wheatland Farm

sustainably and to conserve UK biodiversity. We have used

local ecologist Ruth Hadden’s advice to continue improving our

ecology.

• Our office records are kept electronically, or on re-used paper.

• We heat our own house and office using our own sustainably

managed wood.

• We are members and supporters of the Northumberland

Wildlife Trust.

• The Tranwell Farm environmental policy is on our website and

in our visitor information packs, and we also blog our green

choices, recording and assessing our sustainability-related

business decisions. We want to show that a low carbon

Northumbrian holiday doesn’t mean giving up all the good

things.