Silver Award for Sustainable Tourism

Congratulations to our members David and Felicity Brown, of Hoe Grange Holidays who scooped Silver in the Sustainable Tourism category at the national Visit England Awards for Excellence 2012, held in Leicester. This follows on from last year’s success winning Gold for ‘Access for All’. 

To be recognised for two consecutive years at the National Tourism Awards is quite exceptional, and shows their outstanding commitment to high standards throughout all aspects of their self-catering holiday business. It is wonderful to have such high quality holiday accommodation within the Peak Disrict Farm Holidays group, who are willing to share ideas and top tips which benefit all our properties, and of course you our guests.

David and Felicity are both passionate about their self-catering holiday business and creating a wonderful holiday experience for all guests, whilst leaving a minimal impact on the special Peak District landscape.

The prestigious awards recognise the high quality, sustainable holiday accommodation offered by the business.  Judges were particularly impressed with the emphasis placed on renewable energy, including ground source and air source heating and photovoltaic solar panels which track the sun.  The business also actively encourages guests to leave a lighter carbon footprint, promotes car free days out, local foods and products, and manages the farm with a view to conservation of the beautiful landscape. Hoe Grange Holidays already hold the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark, and Green Tourism Business Scheme Gold Award.

Look out for other group members who also have these sustainable awards - you can be assurred of a quality experience when you stay with Peak District Farm Holidays!

Get Here!

"Get Here" and discover the fabulous Peak District and all it has to offer.

The emotive soundtrack was recorded by Lady Manners School Orchestra with the wonderfully talented singer Chelsea Redfern from Chesterfield, of X Factor fame. Wow, what a powerful voice, it sends a tingle down your spine!

View the amazing video of our special area for yourself. You’ll find something for everyone here in the Peak District; superb scenery, exciting activities, delicious food, fascinating attractions and a matchless wealth of history and heritage - make the most of your holidays and stay on a farm - Get here, if you can!

Struggle in the snow

Even in the heaviest of snow falls, the animals must be fed, and that means getting to some farms that might not be on the easiest of roads. This essential corn delivery to Bassetwood Farm, home of the Carringtons, one of our B&B farms, needed considerable help to get into the farmyard.

It's not just getting the corn in, there is then the problem of getting the fresh milk out every day! Add to that problems with frozen water pipes and tractors that won't start, and everything becomes hard work - the snow may look very pretty, but it can be a farmers worst nightmare.

Fortunately the snow now seems to be disappearing as fast as it came.

It does however give our stunning Peak District scenery a different dimension. The Peak District is very much still open for bussiness - so load up you sledge and catch a last minute pre Christmas break.

Beechenhill B&B stunning in the sparkling sunshine

Hoe Grange Holidays (below) - this self catering log cabin could be in the snowy alps!

Barn Owl Ringing

One of our Peak District Holidays group members has spent several years working with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Barn Owl Group, encouraging barn owls to settle at their farm in the Upper Dove. Elspeth sent this fabulous photo for the blog.

"Although we had seen an owl flying in the late evening through most of last Summer and Autumn, during the bitter cold and snow of the winter we saw not a trace of this pale golden bird. How could it have survived the winter?

But great news - the Barn owl group came in late Spring to check the boxes and found four well grown chicks. They came back later and ringed the birds and we had the privilege of getting close up to these beautiful chicks whose pretty heart shaped faces belies their fearsome talons".

Quite a few of our Peak District Farms who offer accommodation have Barn Owls and a wide range of wildlife. If you are a keen bird watcher why not stay with us in the countryside, bring your binoculars and see for yourself?