By now the few who may be reading this blog will know that we are pretty passionate about living sustainably. We're not fanatics, but we do try our best, and of course we do fail because in this modern world nobody can be perfect. From the start in 2012 we were though always intent on getting a Green Tourism rating and we were delighted when, on our first attempt, we hit gold (see an earlier blog post)!
Well now - and completely to our surprise - we gather Gorge View Cottage has been short-lived for the annual Green Tourism GOLDSTAR awards (all supported by the Green Tourism Business Scheme), in the self-catering category. All very exciting and we're delighted to be recognised in this way. I gather we are up against seven other gold-rated self-catering establishments and we'd like to acknowledge them all (see the end of this blog). Sometime in November we'll learn who wins the 2013 GOLDSTAR award, and in the meantime we'll continue to try and improve Gorge View Cottage in all aspects sustainable (which we would be doing anyway). 
You maybe interested in many other categories and those short-listed. They should be shortly up on the Green Tourism GOLDSTAR Facebook page.

Caldertop Cottage
Malkin Tower Farm  
Glencoe Cottages  
Wheeldon Trees Farm Holiday Cottages
Cottage in the Dales Ltd   
Banceithin Farm and Holiday Cottages  
Coombe Farm Trust/Coombe Woodland Trust  

Well the wonderful Bushnell camera has finally caught some more interesting activity in the garden. Since Christmas I have seen all manner of bird activity during the day, a large amount of cats, day and night, and finally yesterday I brought the camera in and found lots of video segments of a little hedgehog wandering around our garden at night. Two nights running! We'd guessed as much because we'd spied what looked like hedgehog scat (poo) and this was near a likely hole in a bank. But to see the little chap on "film" was so satisfying  Hopefully he'll be munching away at the slugs.
Better still in the middle of this was a clip of a fox prowling through the same space. And so in one go two of the rarer, shyer and more wonderful animals in our garden "captured". Enjoy this one little video. Hopefully there will be more to come.
We cannot guarantee you'll see them if you stay at Gorge View Cottage (unless you want to stay up quietly all night. But at least you'll know they are there.

We are lucky to live near to the city of Bristol, a lovely city, steeped in history and once (several centuries ago) the UK's second largest city after London.
But like all urban areas it has its challenges especially around environmental impact. But it is also one of the most progressive and energetic cities looking at way to make itself truly greener. For a start it is the home of great organisations like Sustrans (the British cycling charity) and the Soil Association (the UK's leading charity promoting organic food) and indeed the headquarters of UK's  Environment Agency amongst others. Despite the hills it is the leading cycling city after London. There is a big local food movement. The "floating harbour" supports water taxis and one is now hydrogen fuelled. And there is also a plethora of smaller groups working on all  aspects of environmental, social and economic sustainable projects. These all come together under the council's umbrella organisation Bristol Green Capital. It was formed when Bristol entered the European Green Capital of the Year awards a few years back. The got through to the final six short-list. They tried again last year and came second. And this year they are trying one more time. 
No British city has won through, and we dearly hope Bristol's unique and energetic efforts succeed this time. This is why we are backing the bid. To find out more click on the image. If you are staying at Gorge View Cottage also check what's on: Bristol hosts a great series of green events throughout the year, culminating in the Big Green Week in June. 
Bristol is a 30 minute drive away. Of course to be faultlessly green you could borrow our bikes, cycle the 10 miles of Strawberry Line to Yatton and take the train in.

Better late than never. The extended winter and rapid spring seemed to have dragged Cheddar and the Mendips fully in to summer this weekend. A glorious four days over the bank holiday weekend: very warm but not too hot; sunny but the odd cloud to prettify the sky; the gentlest of breezes to keep things fresh. Everyone was enjoying it. Even the insects.
One of the big benefits of running our garden on sustainable principles (permaculture to be precise) is that it we have a garden that attracts lots of wildlife. And importantly that includes insects, and especially bees. There are all sorts of bees, including solitary bees, but the ones we delight in (and are difficult to miss) are the bumblebees. Some are huge. The one in the photo (taken today) was of a huge chap, the size of my thumb-end, and he was busy working the new (and late) blossom on the cherry tree. Hopefully he was enjoying it as much as we were watching him from close up.
Bees of course have been in the news. They are having a tough time: climate, habitat, pesticides, farming methods, and the dearth of wild flowers are all putting them under stress and numbers are falling. Not just the ubiquitous "honey" bees, but the equally important solitary types (like the bumblebees). Important because we need these workers to pollinate our food and we ignore their plight at our own peril.
So do look out for them and if you get a chance try and ensure you are planting (and your council are planting) bees and butterfly friendly plants (which are beautiful to look at too). And if you come to stay in our eco cottage then you are welcome to wander the garden and hopefully see them here.