As anyone who is a even-somewhat frequent visitor to my website and reader of my articles, you’ll know that sustainability is a regular topic and that the environment is very important to me. As far as I’m concerned, you can’t build your house securely if the land it sits on is on fire, so everything must be built on that solid foundation of environmental security and making space for nature. That being said, I try to look for small business and destinations that are trying to do their bit for a liveable and thriving world – one of the key ways we can all help in the climate crisis is by keeping our choices (where possible) local, and supporting small businesses closer to us.
As such, I am always happy to see when places I go to frequently are working towards making their businesses more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The Hideaway Huts in Northumberland are one of my go-to places when I want peace and quiet, and place to get back in touch with nature without the bustle of busy-ness that I get in cities or elsewhere. I’ve talked about just how peaceful they are before, and how amazing it is to go somewhere where, in the middle of the night, it’s just… silence. Wonderful.
Northumberland and Nature
“At Stanegate Hideaways we cherish our Northumbrian home with its dramatic scenery and the wildflowers, birds and animals which make this countryside so special…”
Of course, one of the key reasons to come to this part of the world is to get away from the hustle and bustle of city/town life, and reconnect with nature. As I write this, I’m actually sitting in one of the huts (as I’m going to an event in Hexham tomorrow!), and listening to the sound of the birds bedding down for the evening. Earlier today when I arrived there were long tailed tits flitting about in the trees in the paddock, and “Malcolm” the duck was sitting in his usual spot by the side of the pond, waiting for his lady friend… “Maud”.
I nearly always bring some walking boots when I come up here, just so I can go on a little bit of an amble through the public pathways, get into nature, and see what I can see. Last year I went on a short walk that ended up being about an eight mile round circuit around the back of Vindolanda and all the way up – the very long – Stanegate. Oh well! I got to see some wild roe deer and other wildlife that night. One thing I would love to see, from a safe distance, is the Northumberland native Adder. Adders are Britain’s only venomous snake and are extremely rare to see. They are very shy and will almost certainly have heard us coming long before we’ve spotted them (and therefore disappeared from view). If you are lucky enough to see one, it’s usually sunning themselves on a rock before going about a day’s business. Be aware, adders are danger noodles (even though bites to humans are extremely rare), and like all wildlife, should be enjoyed from a respectful distance.
If you’re lucky, you might be lucky enough to see an owl in the paddock (captured in the wonderful photo above by Julie Smith), as well as other wildlife such as herons in the new wildlife pond, deer crossing the paddock (you’ll have to be very quiet and about at dusk/early in the morning to see these guys!), and any number of other species of British birds. I don’t know about you, but I could sit and watch the birds and wildlife for hours, just taking in the peace and quiet of the countryside and its beauty.
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Stanegate and Sustainability
Over the years Helen has been working to make the Hideaway Huts and Stable Cottage more sustainable, and to link in with other initiatives in the area that promote environmentalism and green business practices.
The toiletries and washing products left for convenience are now refillable, as Helen is working on reducing the single-use plastic used within the business. Any of the toiletaries that are provided are provided by Out of Eden, a company found just over the border near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria, and just over an hour’s drive away. The detergents and washing products used in the cottage and in the huts are all eco-friendly, making sure that no nasties end up in the water system, or is harmful to ecosystems.
The goody basket that is always generously provided by Helen on arrival is filled with her homemade baked goods and jams, or from local farms and makers nearby, in an additional effort to support the local economy. Even the artwork and photography on the walls is sourced from local artists and photographers!
One of the changes that Helen has made is putting in an electric car charging port at Stable Cottage, as well as an e-bike charger which itself is powered by a small solar panel and wind turbine. These have been installed by a local company from Haltwhistle called Intelligen Energy. Side note: Intelligen was founded in 2015, and their main mission is to make public use spaces (such as bus shelters) into spaces for solar power generation. Excellent plan as far as I’m concerned! Their being a local Northern company also gives them extra brownie points.
Anyway, back to the Hideaway Huts and Stable Cottage! The water in the cottage is heated by solar panels, and the light is provided – where possible – by low energy LED lighting.
“Our aim is always to support our local and rural economy, and we do our utmost to care for our environment whilst we care for you!” – Helen, Stanegate Hideaways Owner
Hideaway Huts, of course, doesn’t stand alone, and fits into a great (and growing) Northumberland eco-tourism network. Just up the road from Hideaway is the Hadrian cycleway, which is a 72 mile long cycleway, which avid cyclers can either tackle as a whole, or take on in chunks (see the map below and website). In the summer, in particular, the roads are often busy with cyclists.
There are also many businesses taking their eco footprint seriously, as the recent article with Vintage At The Tower, Corbridge illustrated, with Gayle the owner adopting ways of making her business more sustainable. Of course, the management of Hadrian’s Wall itself and the preservation of this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site is determined by our ability to adapt to our changing climate. The monument will react differently to more extreme weather events, and these events will almost certainly dictate the way in which visitors can interact with the monument for years to come.
Do you know anywhere along Hadrian’s Wall that is making an extra special effort to be sustainable and environmentally friendly? Let me know by emailing bryony@thenorthishlass.co.uk so that I can add them to my map of sustainable destinations or small business!