Environmental statement

We are committed to being as environmentally friendly as possible. We would like our guests and our local wildlife to co-exist in harmony at Roulotte Retreat. We are surrounded by beautiful natural surroundings with fresh air and clear starry skies.

We have planted an abundance of native trees and hedging around the site encouraging wildlife with vibrant colours, flowers and berries and increasing biodiversity.

Our landscape design is created to be harmonious with wildlife and the surrounding natural scenic beauty.

The wildlife pond is lined naturally with clay and filtered by reeds so it is clean, fresh water supporting an abundance of aquatic life and plants.

Solar lighting and minimal low level lighting only is used throughout the site to avoid light pollution in such a natural environment.

Our Roulottes are made from locally sourced timber from near where they are made in France.

Although being imported from France and Holland we made a decision to buy them from the local artisans who have been carrying on this ancient craft and creating unique roulottes. We shall be using a local haulage company in the Scottish Borders who already travel over to France and Holland and will transport our roulottes on their return journey over the channel. Our cottage is painted with eco-friendly paint as are our roulottes as far as possible. All have excellent insulation and use natural materials whenever possible.

The roulottes are equipped with many energy efficient appliances, including eco kettles, eco toasters, low energy lighting, wind-up radios, torches, etc.

Furniture which is built into the roulottes is hand carved where the roulottes are made and other pieces have been sourced especially by us from many interesting places.  After all buying and using old pieces is the ultimate form of recycling, old treasures serve as our archives of design.

All toilets are low flush and we use 'water pebbles' in the showers to help reduce water usage.

Water butts to collect rainwater helps to water our plants or clean wellies.

The roulottes are heated using wood logs sourced locally and green energy logs made from rapeseed meal which is left over from the crushing process which produces oil for food and fuel. This environmentally-friendly process uses rapeseed grown as a ‘break crop’, which is part of the natural rotation process, and is on target to operate within a 50 mile radius. There is also electric heating.

Outdoor cooking on open camp fire offers the romantic candlelit suppers under the stars. Herbs are grown by your roulotte door to flavour your food and our meandering chickens can supply you with free range eggs.

No cars are allowed in the meadow to preserve the natural integrity of the landscape. We ask visitors to arrive in one car only and we have space allocated in our natural car park sheltered by trees.

Recycling and waste management is a priority.

We keep paperwork to a minimum and nearly all our booking is completed online or by phone. No glossy brochures, only stunning images and information on our website.