How to have a sustainable holiday in Cornwall
Sustainability is important to us, and we know its important to our customers too. We also know that many of them love to come to Cornwall on holiday, and we understand why. Its scenic beaches, ancient landscape and vibrant culture have drawn travellers to our home country for centuries.
If you are trying to live more sustainably, Cornwall is a great place for a sustainable holiday. In-fact Cornwall has been a leader in developing a sustainable approach to tourism with the CoaST Project. Under the tag line, one planet tourism, CoaST has set up a global network around sustainable tourism.
Sustainable tourism is not just about being friendly to the environment, it is also about ensuring that tourism also helps the local economy as well as social issues. These ideas also feed into our way of doing things, as we make some of our products locally and use British materials as much as possible.
If you are planning a Cornish holiday this year and want to ensure that your holiday is as sustainable as possible follow our top tips.
Book some green accommodation
There have been many enterprising people in Cornwall, who have transformed old farms, cottages and hotels into eco-friendly accommodation. Some have done this by using renewable energy, including Merlin Farm, who have used a ground source pump to power underfloor heating as well as installing solar panels. Others generate their own water, ensure biodegradable items are composted and use other sustainable ways to generate power, such as wind. If you want to make sure that your accommodation is as green as possible, look out for the Green Tourism Award
Use local independent businesses
Using local independent businesses helps to keep our towns and villages vibrant, as well as contributing to keeping jobs and money in the local economy. So, whether you are looking for a place to have coffee, lunch, dinner, a pint or for somewhere to buy some souvenirs or clothes, choose a local business over a chain when you can.
When it comes to eating out, Cornwall has a huge number of restaurants that range from Michelin star fine dining establishments to small local eateries. Many of our locally run restaurants, source as much of their produce as possible from the local area. This helps our local farms and fisherman stay in business as well as keeping food miles down.
Use public transport when possible
It is possible to have a car-free holiday in Cornwall. Most of the county’s major coastal destinations have train stations and to top it all off the routes are scenic, giving unique views of the landscape. Cornwall also has an extensive bus network that connects many of its towns and villages. Another way of getting around is by ferry, there are a number of ferries that connect coastal destinations such as Falmouth, Truro and St Mawes.
If you want to be car-free but still have the maximum amount of freedom possible, bring a bike or hire one. There are plenty of cycle routes to explore for both road bikes and mountain bikes, with many being traffic free.
Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures
No one is quite sure where the term ‘leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures' comes from, but it's the perfect way to describe how to keep your holiday sustainable when visiting nature. Whether you are at the beach, walking the coastline or exploring inland, ensure you take any rubbish away with you and don't pick any wildflowers, stay on the footpath and enjoy your time outside in nature.
Whatever you love doing when you come to Cornwall, we hope you have a wonderful time exploring our beautiful and inspiring home.
Shop our holiday essentials today!