Green Tourism

All our flower beds are designed with insects in mind.  We also actively manage a woodland to the North of the Park, along the canal feeder and river, which acts as a nature corridor in the area.  We are very proud of the abundance of native flora and fauna we have at Linwater; including badgers, herons, otters, barn owls, tawny owls, roe deer, bats and more.  

We have chosen our waste contractors based on the fact that they operate a zero waste to landfill policy.  All your waste is either recycled or incinerated to make electricity.  Obviously the less things you can dispose of the better so please only throw away what you genuinely don’t need and use the correct bins for your waste.  If you are offloading food that can be used by someone else, or equipment you no longer need, please offer it to our team who can try to find another user for it.

To try and reduce food waste on site we have a drop off point for unopened tins or leftover long life items such as pasta.  Other campers or staff can help themselves and anything left unopened is donated to a food bank.

Most of our lighting around the site is LED powered reducing electricity consumption and the need to be often replaced.  Any areas where we can reduce the use of light have been changed to movement sensors to minimise our consumption.  Our new reception and kitchen have been designed with energy efficiency in mind and are both well ventilated for hot days and insulated to an A+ rating to retain heat when needed.  We heat our buildings to a cool 18 Degrees Celsius to reduce consumption and simply put on a jumper!  We use LPG which is the lowest emitting gas you can use at the moment and our gas provider is also committed to 100% bio gas by 2040, which is why we chose them.  Our electricity supplier is also committed to using 100% renewable sources.

We are committed to making responsible energy choices. We always strive to partner with renewable energy suppliers, and we are currently reviewing our electricity contract with the goal of moving to a 100% renewable energy source. As part of our ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, we have also installed solar panels on-site, which now generate approximately one-third of the electricity used to power the entire park. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to sustainability and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Water is a precious resource, and we encourage all guests to use it wisely. All self-catering accommodation is fitted with low-flow taps and showers. Our new toilet block, opened in November 2023, includes push-to-flow taps, timed showers, low-flush toilets, and a circular heating system for improved efficiency.

Where possible we aim to procure all of our products and services from suppliers that have a traceable policy on sustainability and ethics.  This not only includes stock we sell to customers, but suppliers we use for repairs, maintenance and improvements on the site.

Our plastic decking and benches are all made from recycled plastic; our old milk bottles!  We encourage guests to utilise re-usable containers where possible which is why you will not find plastic plates or cutlery for sale on our site.  In the lodges and statics we use refillable soap dispensers and your washing up liquid is (shamelessly) that of departed guests or refilled from a bulk container.

Cleaning has been heavily impacted by new COVID-19 rules which mean we have had to revert back to more cleaning chemicals that we are used to, but where we can we are still using refillable products from a UK based green company. (currently Bio D)

Bed linen for the lodges is supplied by our most local provider and is not pre-wrapped in plastic.  They are also committed to green practices and are always reviewing their products and machines to ensure they are as eco-friendly as possible.

COVID 19 has slowed us down a bit, but we do plan to install EV points at our new parking area as soon as we can.  Our electricity supply load has already been increased to meet future demands from EVs so once those points are in we will be good to go!  In the mean time you can use Zap Map to find car charging stations nearby.

Although we are not an accredited living wage employer, we are passionate about ensuring that our staff are rewarded for their hard work.  Many of the team are provided with free accommodation on site to make it easier for them to manage the strains of the longer hours and on call duties, and we offer generous holiday and bonus packages which mean our staff usually exceed the UK living wage rate over the year even if they are not paid it regularly.  Our staff turnover is low because our team love working here.

We support Action Village India, a charity funding girls’ education in rural India, through optional donations in our online booking system—supporting education is a proven way to fight poverty and climate change.

Locally, we back schools and scouting groups with free camping for Duke of Edinburgh and training events, and we proudly sponsor the Ratho United 2018s football team, based in our closest village.

We’re also involved in community events, including activities at the local primary school and a free community singing group, promoting wellbeing and connection.

Unclaimed clothing and surplus shop stock are donated to refugee charities and food banks, helping those in need both locally and abroad.

If you’re staying as part of a charity event, let us know—we may be able to donate your pitch fee to your cause.

We’re committed to continuous improvement in sustainability at Linwater. Future plans include further reducing water usage with sensor-operated taps and flow-managed faucets, as well as installing EV charging points to support electric vehicles with towing capacity.

We carefully plan upgrades based on the latest technology and environmental research – choosing long-term solutions that genuinely reduce our impact, rather than rushing into less effective options.