This year is set to be the year of the great British staycation, with complex rules making travel overseas less likely this spring and summer. But that’s okay, here at Combermere Abbey we love the idea of more people in the UK appreciating what’s on their home soil. With two luxury B&B rooms in the North Wing, and ten self-catering, dog-friendly cottages on the estate, we can’t wait to see you when lockdown lifts. So what about planning an eco-friendly staycation in 2021? Below, we’ll tell you all the perks of conscious travel.

What Is An Eco-Friendly Staycation?

Firstly, an eco-friendly staycation is just a regular holiday in your own country, but where you make more environmentally friendly choices. You’ve already made a step in the right direction by choosing a holiday in the UK over racking up the air miles, but there are more steps you can take to make your staycation a truly sustainable one.

Perks Of Travelling Consciously

We now have a wider awareness of the importance of living sustainability thanks to interjections such as the popular TV show Blue Planet II and more conversations about the environment in everyday life. Taking an eco-friendly staycation in 2021 will help you to reduce your own personal carbon footprint, as change starts at home. You wouldn’t be alone in this thinking, a recent YouGov survey found that as many as 20% of us are rethinking air travel in the future.

How To Take An Eco-Friendly Staycation

1. Cut down on the mileage

Consider making your staycation truly eco-friendly by opting for a nearcation. This is a holiday, but close to your home. You don’t have to travel for miles to discover a whole new world, and at Combermere Abbey we often welcome guests from not only afar, but also from Cheshire and Shropshire too. Well known influencer Girl About Cheshire enjoyed a nearcation at Combermere Abbey not too long ago, you can read about her time over on the Girl About blog.

2. Adopt sustainable steps during your holiday

When taking an eco-friendly staycation, a lot of the magic happens whilst you’re there. At Combermere Abbey we encourage our guests to adopt five small steps to make a big impact, they are:

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle by limiting purchases and separating rubbish
2. Stay local, buy local, eat local, see local by walking and enjoying the history of the architecture
3. Reduce your carbon footprint by spending time on the estate and giving the car a holiday too
4. Chill out and switch off
5. Follow the countryside code

You can read more about influencer Jessica Rose Williams’ sustainable slow weekend at Combermere Abbey on her blog by clicking here.

3. Fall in love with nature

Sustainable travel can really make you fall in love with the world around you, and make you realise why you need to protect it. So many staycations are set in lovely open green spaces, embracing nature and appreciating it can help you to realise why we need to make more environmentally responsible choices in our everyday lives. We fall in love with nature over and over again every day here at Combermere Abbey, and we know you will too.

4. Shop local

Most local producers around Combermere Abbey sell ethically sourced products. Shopping local and appreciating what’s close by during your staycation is a great way to make it more sustainable for everyone. Support small businesses instead of visiting larger outlets; we have a fabulous selection of farmers markets and independent shops nearby that our guests love to visit. This is especially perfect for those staying for either a week or just a short break in the holiday cottages, as you can source some great local food to cook for dinner.

5. Choose a sustainable accommodation provider

Finally, make sure you’re choosing a suitable location and provider for your eco-friendly staycation. Combermere Abbey is entirely organic and has been since 1997. We’re surrounded by natural woodlands and garden space, and we plant new trees here yearly. Not only this, but we are an SSSI for overwatering winter birds on our mere, which is one of the largest pieces of naturally formed and privately owned waters in England. We’re based on the Cheshire/Shropshire border in the heart of the countryside and love welcoming guests from near or far, so why not consider us for your staycation this year?

You can check availability and dates on our website, or contact our team on [email protected] to purchase a gift voucher for stays later in the year.