Welcome to the Cotswolds. For almost 60 years this quintessentially English part of the country has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for its 800 square miles of rolling green hills, winding nature trails, and traditional stone architecture. In November all AONBs were renamed National Landscapes in recognition of their respective cultural heritage and their role as living places. Whether consciously or not, your visit and the activities you choose to undertake have a tangible impact on both the natural and social environment of this special part of the countryside.
Ecotourism is the broad term for responsible and respectful travel that supports natural conservation and social wellbeing, whilst educating visitors and inspiring them to become ambassadors for the area. Our role at Daylesford Stays is to provide guests with hubs that embody the principles of ecotourism; our core values reflect our responsibility to create a sustainable base from which to explore the Cotswolds.
Our collection of pubs has been designed to leave a light footprint from each stay, from renewable energy powered buildings and water saving facilities to a zero-waste mindset in our rooms. However, a significant proportion of our impact on the local area is related to transport, split between guest travel and deliveries. Wherever possible, we source our food and drink from local suppliers to reduce mileage in line with our Sustainable Sourcing policy. As well as limiting emissions into the natural environment, this has the added benefit of supporting the local economy and allowing guests to enjoy Cotswolds produce. To support sustainable travel we encourage car-free stays, providing visitors with easy access to public and private transport options. All of our pubs are situated close to a train station with connections to London. The Three Horseshoe’s and The Bell are served by Charlbury station, a nine-mile taxi journey and a 10-minute walk respectively, while The Fox and The Wild Rabbit are both within four miles of Kingham station. Our reception teams can offer to meet guests from their train in one of our hybrid vehicles.
Once settled in, we provide walking maps (and even wellies!) for roaming the network of local trails. Our pubs are proud to be part of their village communities and we encourage all guests to discover the hidden gems and history of Asthall, Charlbury, Kingham and Oddington. Bicycles can also be borrowed to explore further afield, and we are fortunate to be surrounded by a plethora of heritage houses and gardens.
The provision of education and positive, memorable experiences is a critical component of ecotourism. Each week we offer guests the opportunity to join local nature walks or a tour of our working sister farm at Daylesford Organic, where our guides will explore the landscape features and animal breeds unique to our pocket of the Cotswolds. For food lovers, Daylesford’s Cookery School offers a variety of courses including family experiences, all designed to teach guests how to make the most of local, seasonal produce – much of it picked during the session from the farm’s market garden. There are also workshops for budding florists which inspire creative use of Cotswold-foraged plants in wreath making, or organically grown flowers cut from the Daylesford gardens.
For your next visit, consider leaving the car behind and embracing a more sustainable Cotswolds experience.
