A Greener Way to Stay: Our Sustainability Journey at Lower Hearson
Finding sustainable and responsible accommodation can feel complicated. But we believe that small, thoughtful choices — made consistently — can make a real difference. Over the last few years, we’ve been working quietly but steadily to make Lower Hearson Farm Cottages a place where enjoying a holiday and caring for the environment and local area go hand in hand.
One Step at a Time
We’ve already made meaningful changes to reduce energy use, cut waste and support wildlife. This includes initiating a move away from oil heating, improving efficiency and rewilding parts of the site. We’re gradually installing more air-source heat pumps and upgrading systems for the cottages and the swimming pool.
It’s a long-term commitment woven into the way we look after our land, our animals, our cottages, and our community. We’re still learning, still improving, and still making changes — but we’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited about where we’re heading next.
Rethinking Waste and Everyday Habits
A big impact can come from changing the small, everyday things.
- We’ve replaced disposable kitchen and cleaning items with compostable, reusable alternatives,
- Every cottage now has clear guidance to help guests recycle properly.
- Food waste from stays is collected and hot-composted onsite.
- Unopened food items can be left and will be recycled or gifted to the food bank.
- ‘Lending library’ for buckets & spades, rock-pooling nets and body boards.
- ‘Pass it forward’ option – the kids grow so fast that the raincoat or wellies that came on holiday are no longer needed. These can be left with us for future guests to borrow rather than end up in landfill.
Supporting Wildlife and the Natural Landscape
Part of being here in rural North Devon means sharing space with the natural world. We’ve rewilded parts of the orchard, planted native hedging and trees, and introduced habitats to support birds, insects and pollinators. Our rehomed hens supply eggs with zero food miles, and watching children discover mini-beasts or spot birds on the feeder is one of the daily joys of being here.
We’ve also made conscious choices about what not to add — including deciding against installing individual hot tubs. While popular, their water and energy demand simply didn’t sit comfortably with our environmental goals. Our single outdoor pool, powered efficiently and maintained carefully, has far less impact and still provides plenty of fun.
Tourism That Supports Devon, Not Strains It
There’s a wider conversation in Devon about holiday lets and housing. Our cottages were all disused barns and are holiday-let restricted, meaning they’ve never been homes and cannot be used as permanent housing. We’re not taking properties out of the local market. Instead, stays here help support local shops, attractions, growers and independent businesses.
Responsible tourism is part of a healthier, more balanced rural economy and is not something that undermines it.
In other words, you’re not just on holiday — you’re contributing to the community that makes this part of Devon so special.
Learning, Improving and Moving Forward
We know this journey doesn’t have an end point. There are more changes planned, and we’ll continue to make improvements as time, budget and technology allow. If you’re curious about the specifics or want to see what we’re working on next, you can read our sustainability progress and plans on our website.
Thank You for Being Part of It