Since arriving at Alpine Grove in 2018, we have strongly believed in doing our bit to improve the environment and reduce our impact on climate change, aiming to be at least carbon neutral as soon as we are able. We strive where possible and practical to use technologies that support these principles and aim to run our business and the grounds at Alpine Grove Woodland Park so that we can improve the habitat for both flora and fauna.
We always use and promote local businesses, vendors and tradesmen on site and encourage our staff and guests to do the same. We stock our shop with local produce and source local, sustainable products for use around the site wherever possible. We recycle and reuse whatever we can, use a green energy supplier, produce some of our own electricity via solar panels, heat our house and pool with an air-source heat pump, harvest rainwater for use in the house and garden, have invested in an electric car that we drive every day and we review our environmental performance on a regular basis.
We carefully consider the environmental impact of everything we do, and ask our guests to do, on site and are always looking for ways to improve the sustainability of our processes and to minimise our carbon footprint. As a very minimum, we comply with all relevant environmental legislation and are committed to raising the awareness of our guests, cleaners, maintenance staff, suppliers and fellow industry professionals with regards to sustainability issues and how they can help to make the world a better place.
Our green technologies & methods
As well as producing some electricity from our own solar panels, the rest of the power we need comes from Octopus Energy. Octopus Energy is a British company that supplies electricity that only comes from renewable energy sources. We don’t want our energy to come from power stations that belch CO2 and other pollutants. Wind turbines, hydro power and solar production must be a good thing if located at a site that isn’t itself detrimental to the environment or nearby residents. Octopus Energy is also competitive on its energy prices and now has over 2 million domestic and business customers. Take a look at their website here if you would like to know more and receive £50 credit if you sign up.
Two Rolec 32 amp electric vehicle charging points were installed in 2022 to be used by guests via the VendElectric app. If you use an electric or hybrid electric car to get to us and to tour the area, we will supply you with a full charge for a small fee. Please note that you will need to bring your own lead. We have also been using an electric car ourselves since 2019 and will be replacing all site vehicles and tools with electric rechargeable units when the time comes for new ones or when it is practical and cost effective to do so.
There is lots of negative and misleading information about Electric vehicles, but once you know some facts and understand that the majority of the population drives an average of 50 miles or less per day, the decision to drive an electric car is simple and cost effective.
An electric vehicle (EV) is on average twice as efficient as a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE), so a vehicle with an ICE will use twice as much energy (derived from petrol or diesel) to go the same distance as an EV. For the average driver, this translates to significant cost savings over time. A full charge (from empty) of our electric vehicle at home would cost around £12 giving us 250-300 miles of range depending on weather and driving conditions. A single gallon (5 litres) of petrol or diesel costs around £10, would take the most efficient new ICE cars just 50-60 miles and would also be affected by weather and driving conditions.
In our case because all of our electricity comes from our solar panels or other renewable sources, our full charge didn’t produce any harmfull CO2 emmisions when it was created or when it is used. By contrast, the fossil fuel used in an ICE emits CO2 and other substances as owners go about their daily business, but must first be drilled, transported and refined by drilling platforms, enormous floating tankers and massive industrial refineries that all constantly belch CO2, before being transported again by smaller tankers to petrol stations with all of their lights and pumps often using power 24hrs a day.
Someone smarter than us has done the actual calculations on this, needless to say driving a vehicle is only part of the problem, swapping to an EV will help reduce much of the CO2 producing infrastructure behind the scenes as well as while you drive.
By way of balance, we appreciate that not everyone can charge an EV at home although more and more chargers are being installed in residential streets, at work places and in many other locations all around the country, including many garage forecourts. We know that some people do need to drive hundreds of miles per day and the average range of an EV isn’t enough for them yet, but this is rapidly improving as battery technology develops. We know that the price of a new EV is slightly higher than a comparable new ICE, but as more EVs become available, the price will continue to drop and they are much cheaper to run saving money longer term. As time progresses, a second hand EV market will also emerge bringing cost of ownership down further and please don’t be mislead by the claim that EV batteries need to be replaced every 3 years as this is simply not true. Yes, they will slightly degrade as they get older in the same way that a regular vehicle engine gets less efficient, but their expected life is at least 10 years which is actually longer than the average ICE!
All rhododendron and anything else unsuitable or too small to be used as firewood is either chipped and used around the site to improve the woodland paths and camping pitches or used as dead hedging on the boundaries. Nothing gets wasted, even the partially rotten beams removed from one of our log cabin balconies were used to make an impressive bug hotel in 2019.
As well as tree planting, we have also been planting various insect-friendly plants, shrubs and fruit bushes around the site to add colour, scent and further diversity, and ultimately to encourage more insects, specifically honey bees.
During lockdown, we have been learning more about these amazing creatures by joining a local bee keepers association and enrolling on a bee keeping course. We have also started to clear a secluded and otherwise inaccessible and unused area of our site and once we have completed the course and have everything we need to safely look after bees ourselves, we intend in add a hive or two to the site. Guests can expect fresh honey and wax based products to appear in the shop 6 to 12 months later.
We are very fortunate at Alpine Grove to have so many beautiful trees, many of which have been here for more than 100 years. We also have a woodland management plan that details how the woodland needs to be managed over the next decade or more in order to further improve the bio-diversity and habitat for both flora and fauna.
As well as removing any deseased, dead or dying trees when needed for safety reasons and generally reducing the amount of non-native rhododendron on site, we have started a programme of tree planting, coppicing and hedge laying and have so far planted in excess of 500 new UK native trees. Most of these are berry or fruit bearing species such as hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, willow, dogwood or rowan that will attract a variety of insects, birds and other wildlife. We have also started propogating our own oak, beech and birch seedlings that will be planted around the site as saplings in a few years when they are large enough.
With the exception of rhododendron, all wood that is felled or collected on site gets stored and seasoned for use either in the log burners in our log cabins, or as firewood used by guests on site (and a few neighbours). We are fully self-sufficient in sustainable fire wood and with the planting and coppicing programme now in place, we will remain so for many years to come.
We are passionate about recycling and do what we can to recycle and reuse whatever we can to ensure that nothing goes to landfill. To this end we built a new recycling area in 2020, making it as easy as possible for guests to separate their recycling and general waste and maximising the amount we are able to recycle. Glass, tins, cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, plastic containers and food waste all get recycled via our various waste contract suppliers, leaving a relatively small amount of general waste that gets taken to an incinerator to produce energy. Our site has been landfill free since 2020 when we signed our general waste contract with Veolia.
If that wasn’t enough, we are also listed as a community drop-off location for tooth paste tubes, containers and tooth brushes and have been sending them to Terracycle for recycling in exchange for donations to our chosen charities:
The Word Forest Organisation – funding tree planting in the tropics where they can do the most to reduce the world’s carbon emmissions.
-
4 night stay at alpine grove for the 2nd year running with family. Had a wonderful time, extra showers and pool booking measures for covid were fantastic. Thoroughly recommend. Friendly... read more hosts as well. Thanks 🙂
August 16, 2020 -
great place to stay in lovely surroundings
September 29, 2021 -
Just had the best weekend at Alpine Grove! Our second stay and its definitely our favourite campsite. Heated outdoor swimming pool, onsite playground, lovely walks in the woods and surrounded... read more by trees. See you in the spring 😊
September 28, 2020 -
We’ve just had a lovely weekend at Alpine Grove. We had a lovely wooded pitch with plenty of space, the woodland play park was lovely for the children but our... read more favourite part was the heated outdoor pool! We were able to book three slots for just our family to swim over the weekend and it is a lovely clean and good sized pool which our 8 year old loved! We enjoyed a long walk from the site into the countryside and saw lots of farm animals and gorgeous views along the way. The site was very well laid out, clean and very quiet and relaxed, we will definitely be visiting again!
September 14, 2020 -
We’re so glad we found this site!!! Just what we were looking for - a small, family run site with generous individual pitches - all within easy striking distance of the... read more coast, Bath and so many other wonderful places in the West Country. Our stay was during a heatwave but the shade of the trees kept our tent cool and the swimming pool was an absolute God send. We also enjoyed the artisan pizza on a Friday night, Saturday morning yoga in the woods and pancakes on the Saturday evening. We loved the fact the owners are very eco-conscious plus their diligence with regards to Covid was reassuringly second to none. A wonderful place for to enjoy nature as you’re within the countryside and can hear the local wildlife and farming all around you, even into the night. We’re going to head down to Cornwall next year, but will make sure we stop en-route at Alpine Grove.
July 22, 2021 -
Thank you for a fantastic camping weekend. 😊 Such a beautiful setting. A really relaxed woodland environment with plenty of spacious pitches. Great facilities, including pool, food vans, fire pit... read more hire. The single bubble use of the pool works really well with an easy to use online booking system. Clean and well organised site. Thank you! 😀
June 29, 2021 -
Lush campsite with friendly people, great for kids and dogs! Great swimming pool too. Felt safe and cared for. Thanks so much!
August 4, 2020 -
Such a lovely site. We were very lucky to be there when the rhododendrons were out. Thanks for having us. We will return for sure.
June 3, 2022 -
serene woodland setting, small, friendly campsite with beautiful log cabins. Right in the heart of Somerset's nature
May 12, 2021 -
We had a lovely weekend at the Alpine Grove Touring Park. The Area is beautiful and the site friendly and tranquil, a very relaxing weekend was had by all. Facilities... read more were clean and well maintained and the pizza van is a must!! A return visit is guaranteed and we’d highly recommend this site.
September 21, 2020