Published January 22nd, 2020
A farmstay in north Cornwall is offering a free night’s stay to guests who arrive for a weekend break in an electric car.
The Olde House, near Polzeath, is a collection of 28 four and five star self-catering cottages spread across the 550 acre Penpont Farm. Well known for its environmental farming and green credentials, the company wants to reward guests who are also doing their bit to reduce their carbon footprint.
Guests who book a two-night weekend break outside of the school holidays will be given a third night on Sunday for free, if they arrive in an electric vehicle.
With solar panels, an electric car charge point, and a biomass boiler, The Olde House has taken many steps to make holidaying in its cottages as green as possible.
Jaime Hawkey, manager at The Olde House, said: “We have made many changes over the years to ensure we are operating sustainably.
“We are proud to have an electric car charging point onsite, and are seeing more popping up around Cornwall, particularly in major car parks and supermarkets, which makes exploring the area even more accessible for guests visiting us in an electric car.
“This new offer is a way of thanking those who are joining us in the journey of reducing our carbon footprint, giving them more time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Cornwall on a weekend break.”
The whole site is powered by more than 1,000 solar panels, including the electric car charging point, where guests are able to charge their electric cars for free in the designated area of the car park. The biomass boiler also provides heating for the recently renovated swimming pool and leisure facilities.
In addition to generating power through solar panels, The Olde House is trialling a large battery storage system, to utilise energy which is being produced at times when generation is high. Any surplus electric can then be stored until times when there is higher demand, for example during the evening, which will help maximise onsite generation.
Whilst on the farm, guests can enjoy a leisurely walk around its farm trail, which takes in many spots of interest around the farm and wetlands, and incorporates a bird hide which overlooks its ponds. For ten years, the farm has been a member of Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship, a scheme which aims to deliver significant environmental benefits to priority areas. This involves taking special care of the land and wildlife that inhabit there.
A two-night weekend is priced from £324.00. All enquiries for this offer are to be made by calling 01208 813219.
For more information about The Olde House, visit theoldehouse.co.uk.
