News and media
New eco-luxe holidays promise style & sustainability
23 October 2007 - Easier Travel
Sheep on retreat prove useful
October 5th, 2007 - Darlington & Stockton Times
Holiday lodges offer for flocks of sheep
Northern Echo - October 3, 2007
Green home plan
Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter - October 2, 2007
Natural Retreats; Yorkshire Dales
October 2007 - Visit Britain
Sheep on retreat prove useful
October 5th, 2007 - Darlington & Stockton Times
A rural holiday retreat on the tranquil outskirts of Richmond is also welcoming sheep which need to get away from it all.
Natural Retreats, which has eco-friendly lodges at Aislabeck, is giving free grazing to a local sheep sanctuary. A flock of about 30 Wensleydales has moved into some of the meadows that make up the 54-acre site and is earning its keep by keeping the grass short.
The sheep come from the nearby Farmaround sanctuary, founded by Isobel Davies, who runs an organic produce delivery company from Richmond.
She has so far rescued 500 sheep, mainly Wensleydales and Swaledales, which would have been slaughtered because they were male or had defects such as missing a pregnancy or having black spots on a white fleece. Their fleeces are used to make the Izzy Lane range of organic clothing, which was launched last year.
Ian Winstanley, general manager for Natural Retreats at Aislabeck, said: "It is lovely to see the sheep on our fields. Theses animals have long been a major part of the Dales landscape and Aislabeck is all about fitting into that environment.
"We have several acres of natural meadowland as part of the site, which needs to be grazed to retain its condition. The fact that we can do this while giving a home to some animals needing a new start in life is particularly rewarding. The sheep have also proved very popular with holidaymakers, who are particularly interested in seeing one of our local breeds close at hand."
Miss Davies said: "If we are to continue to save more animals from going to market, we need to find extra grazing for them locally. We are particularly grateful to Natural Retreats for letting us use their land and giving these sheep a new home."
The holiday company gives a percentage of Aislabeck's annual profits to community and environmental causes. Recent donations included £1,500 to the community website Richmond Online and sponsorship of the town's shopping and eating guide. A children's art workshop was held at the site this summer.
Natural Retreats; Yorkshire Dales
October 2007 - Visit Britain
Natural Retreats is a new luxury sustainable holiday location on the outskirts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The wilderness retreat based at Aislabeck provides 10 self-catering lodges built in 22 hectares of private woodland and ancient meadows with breathtaking views over the Swale Valley. Aislabeck is in close proximity to the historic market town of Richmond.
The eco-friendly lodges each have 3 bedrooms and can accommodate a maximum of 6 people. With contemporary furnishings, the lodges are fully equipped with facilities including plasma TV and sound system, wood-burning stove and decked outdoor furnished area for outdoor dining.
Cost: Prices for a five-night stay start at £425 per residence and include a food hamper on arrival, logs, linen and towels.
Holiday lodges offer for flocks of sheep
Northern Echo - October 3, 2007
A green holiday village on the tranquil outskirts of a town is also providing a retreat for sheep needing to get away from it all.
Natural Retreats, which has eco-friendly lodges at Aislabeck, North Yorkshire, is giving free grazing to a local sheep sanctuary.
A flock of about 30 Wensleydale sheep have moved into some of the meadows on the 54-acre site and are earning their keep by keeping the grass short.
The sheep come from the nearby Farmaround sanctuary, which was founded by Isobel Davies, who runs an organic produce delivery company from Richmond.
She has so far rescued 500 sheep, mainly Wensleydales and Swaledales, which would have been slaughtered because they were male or had defects such as missing a pregnancy or having black spots on a white fleece.
Their fleeces are used to make the Izzy Lane range of organic clothing, launched last year.
Natural Retreats Manager Ian Winstanley said: "It is lovely to see the sheep in our fields. These animals have long been a major part of the Dales landscape, and Aislabeck is all about fitting into that environment.
"We have several acres of natural meadowland as part of the site, which needs to be grazed to retain its condition. The fact that we can do this while giving a home to some animals needing a new start in life is particularly rewarding. The sheep have also proved very popular with holidaymakers."
The holiday company donates a percentage of it profits to community and environmental causes. Recent donations included £1,500 to the accommodation website Richmond Online, and sponsorship of the town's shopping and eating guide.
Green home plan
Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter - October 2, 2007
Developers are looking at Loch Lomond as a possible site for luxury green holiday homes. Natural Retreats already operates 10 environmentally friendly residences in the Yorkshire Dales. They now want to expand into other National Parks, bringing state-of-the-art homes to Loch Lomond. The lodges cater for up to six people and are built using sustainable timber and insulated with recycled paper. They also have glass roofs, glass wall frontages and use the hills as a source of water. Ewan Kearney, a partner in the company, confirmed that the bonnie banks was one of the locations being considered.