Green Tourism
From the day we decided to build a bothy to use as a wee business, we dreamt that it would be beautifully crafted incorporating high end architectural design to give us the wonderfully spacious feel to the inside of the bothy, beautifully simple lines of corten steel and larch on the outside and clever details like the hidden gutters and down pipes. We were keen for it to sit comfortably in its site, giving wonderful views out across Loch Riddon to the mountains beyond.
The bothy was designed and built by Bothy Stores, a social enterprise constructing inspirational, prefabricated contemporary cabins designed for simple living in rural or urban environments. Every bothy is built to last a lifetime using the finest quality materials.
Once we had decided on the design the next step was to think about how to equip and decorate such a tiny space. We decided to make a real commitment to supporting the wonderful local artists and makers that we have in this sparsely populated part of Argyll.
We have always lived and gardened as quietly as possible - growing our own fruit and vegetables, not using chemicals in the garden and creating habitats for the wonderful wildlife all around us. Over the winter we started thinking about how we could have a more structured way of operating the business which led us to Green Tourism, an environmental company which certifies businesses in the hospitality industry. There is a rigorous self assessment built around three main areas - People, Places and Planet. Each of these is broken down further with evidence being required at every stage.
We submitted our completed assessment and were thrilled to hear that we had been awarded a Bronze award.
Together with our award we received a report indicating the highlights of the business at the moment and suggesting areas to work on.
HIGHLIGHTS
Experiences – Outstanding knowledge of local area and how to enjoy it responsibly.
Health & Wellbeing- this is an exceptional result, a reflection of how you take pride in delivering the best customer care.
Chemicals – Great choice of chemical products reflecting your commitment to sustainability and protecting the planet.
Destination – Excellent promotion of the heritage, events, and local projects in the destination area and how to enjoy it in a sustainable manner.
Food & Drink – Fantastic commitment to promoting locally and sustainably produced food.
We had five areas highlighted to work on and we are already implementing some of these. The bothy now has bus and ferry timetables included in the Guest Information folder.
This is an ongoing process and we hope to be able to improve our score with the vision of a silver award in due course.
Red squirrels at the bird feeder outside the bothy