We have over many years tried to work in the most sustainable way possible without reducing the 4 Star comfort of our home. By attempting to minimise our impact on the environment we hope our guests will understand and assist with that aim. Our house Energy Performance Certificate rating is C. We hope to move towards a B rating when further work is undertaken.

Here are some of the actions we undertake to lessen our environmental impact.

  • We supply information for walking, cycling or exploring using public transport and hope our guests might also travel light and travel by public transport either to get here or at some point during their stay.

  • Cycle Storage is available in the garage.

  • Dispose of litter responsibly and follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

  • Minimise energy and water usage by switching off unneeded lights, turning down room thermostats and reducing showering time.

  • Follow Scottish Water’s “Bag it and bin it” code by not flushing rubbish down the toilet. The only things which should go there are human waste and toilet paper.

  • Re-use your towels as much as possible.

  • Support local efforts to improve countryside access when you buy one of our footpath maps or walking guides.

  • Help us recycle all glass, metal, cans, plastic, paper, batteries by keeping waste items separated.

  • We compost household and garden waste in the large compost bins and send any food waste to the Council biodigester.

  • We grow tomatoes, grapes and lettuce and decorative garden plants and flowers.

  • We source local and Scottish produce where possible – see our breakfast menu.

  • We make our own marmalade and all jam jars are recycled to minimize glass wastage.

  • All guest communications, receipts etc are sent via the internet and we use only internet based marketing.

  • Paper for printer is always recycled or from sustainably managed forests.

  • We provide bird feeders, bird and bat boxes, swift boxes and our pond is loved by all our garden birds, frogs and dragonflies. We have a fox who calls by too.

  • Bird books & binoculars are available for guests use.

  • The water butt supplies water for our pond and for pot plant watering.

  • Wild area of garden provides shelter for small mammals and invertebrates. Hedge and grass cuttings are left under the hedge to compost naturally.

  • Eco friendly washing up & laundry liquid and natural cleaning solutions as far as possible.

  • Installed PV glass on conservatory and solar roof panels heat water.

  • LED light or low energy light sources fitted throughout our properties.

  • All windows and doors are double glazed. House walls are heavily insulated.

  • Small kettles in guest bedrooms to reduce electricity required to boil a kettle.

  • We are trying to reduce or avoid the use of unsustainable palm oil products.

  • Local and Fair Trade provisions used where possible.

  • We support a number of local and national organisations concerned to promote, heritage, history and environmental interests so we are members of the National Trust, the Woodland Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB), Historic Scotland, Wildlife & Wetlands Trust, Butterfly Conservation, RNLI, Helensburgh Heritage Trust, Helensburgh & District Access Trust, Helensburgh Tree Conservation Trust, Friends of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs, Supporters of Paddle Steamer Maid of the Loch.

  • We regularly volunteer with some of the above groups.

  • Please contribute to the OUR Park tourism/conservation partnership scheme which supports conservation work throughout the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.