A Green and Pleasant Land

Green tourism? Call me an old cynic but I thought that was just another of those trendy phrases dreamed up by admen to make me think I was saving the planet while handing over my hard earned holiday cash. Isn’t it a phrase used by people who burn up gallons of fossil fuel flying to South America to save the rain forest?

Well, that’s what I thought until I met a delightful couple who live near another forest – the beautiful Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. Jane and Harry Backhouse run the wonderfully named Clough Bottom Cottages, lovely holiday properties on their 360 acre organic farm in the idyllic Ribble Valley. Sustainability might be a horrible word, but it runs like a golden thread through everything they do - they tell me you can even pick your own dinner by helping yourself to complimentary fruit and veg in their polytunnels.

This passionate couple will only use ecological detergents, they farm using only natural fertilizers and green manures and their dedication to recycling means these properties together generate less waste than the average home. They even collect used cooking oil from their neighbours to create bio-oil. It’s a philosophy that they spread to the surrounding countryside, where they plant hedgerows and woodlands so wildlife can thrive and create ponds to encourage aquatic creatures. But where they really score for visitors is their promotion of local food. Anyone who has been to Lancashire will know that the quality of its produce is second to none - whether you are self-catering or eating out.

Jane and Harry, winners of Lancashire’s sustainable tourism award in 2010, go one step further by operating a ‘stay local, buy local’ approach to food. They have a blackboard ‘menu’ of quality, seasonal food available and if they haven’t got what you are looking for, they can point you in the right direction. What’s more, they can also provide you with a delicious selection of hampers to purchase. These are packed with local treats - from Lancashire black pudding and locally cured bacon, to home-baked organic bread, free range eggs and fresh butter from cows just up the road in Longridge. It’s a delicious way to take a break - even for old cynics like me!

The Green Scheme

While Clough Bottom Cottages take some beating when it comes to green tourism, they’re not a lone voice – find out more

Give the Car a Holiday

Whether you are walking or cycling, we have put together more than a dozen itineraries that allow you explore Lancashire – download itineraries here