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The Railholiday Green Page

At Railholiday we pride ourselves on our efforts to be as green as possible. We thought you might like to know how we endeavour to sustain our environment, and the ways in which you as our guests are helping us to do so.

The perfect place for a walk or repose


Nature blog
In March 2012 we started a nature blog to record the changing seasons. To read it follow this link

Energy
  • The electricity for each carriage is run on national renewable energy schemes; the St Ives Bay SK2 is on Npower green tarrif, the Luggage Van and Railholiday office is on EDF green electron, and the Travelling Post Office on Good Energy.
  • Low energy bulbs are used in all carriages, and guests are encouraged to switch off lights.
  • All heaters are fitted with thermostat regulators.


A warm welcome awaits


Food and Drink
The food and drink in all carriages is sourced locally. Typically we provide;

Green gardening in Cornwall

Gardening and the Outside Areas

  • All our outside taps are fed with grey water from a well.
  • We garden in a sustained manner, feeding our plants with a food made from liquid from our composting system. We also use our homegrown compost to enrich the soil.
  • Composting bins are provided in each of the carriages, and guests are encouraged to use them.
  • We use environmentally friendly slug guards, never pellets
  • In St Germans we grow our own flowers to put in the vases in the lets, and guests are welcome to use herbs from our prolific herb bed.
  • We buy our plants from local suppliers, and can highly recommend Tartendown Nurseries, and in Hayle the farm shop along Penpol Terrace is excellent for bedding plants and local flowers.
  • In St Germans we encourage the birds by providing plenty of bird feeders.
  • In St Germans guests have unlimited access to our ten acres of ancient woodland, situated a short walk away from the carriages, and are offered the opportunity to visit a local apple orchard under the Countryside Stewardship scheme.
  • In St Germans we are regularly visited by a moth expert, on account of the diverse range of moths. He has produced a catalogue of moths spotted, which is available in the carriage
  • In the grounds of Hayle we cultivate a wild area, which is the perfect habitat for all sorts of flora and fauna, strimming only after the wild flowers have seeded.


An Acre Baker


In the office
Good practice starts at home, and in the Railholiday office this is no exception, so we:

  • Use recycled paper only.
  • Keep scrap sheets for writing and printing internal memos.
  • Heat the office using a woodburning stove, and in winter all hot water and the kettle is also heated by the stove.


Trains are always convenient


Public Transport and Travel
Here at Railholiday we strongly believe in the joys of public transport, and for this reason have chosen sites for our carriages beside working railway stations. In order to encourage our guests to escape the queues and enjoy the countryside by catching the train, bus, walking or cycling we:

  • Have written a book of day trips by train, which is provided in each carriage.
  • Supply up to date timetables.
  • Send information on day trips by train and timetable information to guests with their second booking confirmation.
  • Provide a comprehensive web page, with links to public transport pages.
  • Offer guests a £25 cash back incentive if they leave their car at home. (£10 if the holiday costs less than £195)
  • Include information on local walks.
  • Catch the train to Hayle to do our gardening and maintenance work, only needing to drive down a couple of times a year. (It's amazing what you can transport on a train off-season!)
  • Actively promote attractions that are accessible by train
Recycling and Waste
  • All carriages are provided with composting bins.
  • There are excellent facilities for recycling in all carriages. There is an inside bin in all carriages for glass, plastic, paper, card, cans and tins, and clear instructions on what to do with the recycling.
  • All toilets are fitted with water saving devices, and the toilets at St Germans are fed with grey water from a well.
  • The bathroom taps in the carriage at Hayle are the original push and pour type, so cannot be inadvertantly left on
  • Showers are fitted in all carriages.

Shells and wildlife


Social and charity work
We actively play a part in the local and wider railway community.

Sustainability

The premise for the Railholiday idea is one of sustainability - converting redundant coaches and giving them a new lease of life, and in many cases saving them from being destroyed. We are careful to keep as much original material as possible, and wherever possible use salvaged material in the conversion work. In addition, we also:

  • are a holder of the South East Cornwall Tourism Association's Green Acorn Award for Sustainable Tourism.
  • are a member of Coast.
  • Provide guests with a leaflet encouraging them to be green. This leaflet will be soon online, with a link from this page
  • attend sustainability seminars and constantly re-appraise how we can improve our green record


Viaducts and sunset


Looking forward
It is our intention over the next year to continue greening our business. Our targets for the medium and long term are;

  • To build on our walking, cycling and outdoor pages, to encourage guests to become involved in sustainable activities while in Cornwall on holiday.
  • To continue building on the Day Trips by Train database.
  • To build into the new site we are currently developing more options for sustainability, including a woodburning heating system, and an underground tank for ground water storage.
  • To replace all old appliances with more energy efficient ones, once they are no longer usable.
  • To landscape to provide flowers all the year round to put in the carriages, and to move increasingly to perrenial planting.
  • To develop our Green Links page.
  • To change all electricity supplies to Good Energy.

    The famous Round Room at Port Eliot, open from March to June, and home to the famous Port Eliot festival in July


    Railholiday is commited to being a sustainable tourism business. As part of this we offer a £25 cashback for guests arriving by train. Our carriages in St Germans have the added benefit of free broadband internet access.





    Mount Edgcumbe, only 6 miles from The Old Luggage Van and The Travelling Post Office, is host to the National Camelia Collection. The mild Cornish climate and Mount Edgcumbe's stunning location surrounded on three sides by water at the entrance to Plymouth Sound ensures that these beautiful and diverse shrubs are at their best from early February. The extensive gardens can be reached by public transport from St Germans, are open all year and admission is free.


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    SITE MAP - left click on the underlined Section or Sub Page to go to that page
    Section Sub Pages Details
    Home Page
    		The Railholiday self catering holiday accommodation home page
    St Ives Bay SK2
    		The St Ives Bay SK2 holiday carriage home page
    Hayle Area Info on Hayle and West Cornwall, St Ives, Penzance, Newquay, Truro, Mousehole, St Michaels Mount, Lands End, The Lizard, Falmouth, St Mawes and the Lost Gardens of Heligan
    Gallery Pictures of the St Ives Bay SK2, Hayle and West Cornwall
    Virtual Tour Have a look around the SK2 by way of a series of photos
    Visitors Comments Genuine extracts from the St Ives Bay SK2 visitors book
    Travelling Post Office
    		The Travelling Post Office holiday let home page
    St Germans Area Info on St Germans and South East Cornwall, Whitsand Bay, Looe, Millendreath, Polperro, Fowey, Mevagissey, and the Eden Project
    Gallery Pictures of the Travelling Post Office, St Germans station and village
    Virtual tour Have a look around the TPO by way of a series of photos
    History Some history of GWR Travelling Post Office 841
    The Old Luggage Van
    		The Old Luggage Van vacation carriage home page
    St Germans Area Info on St Germans and South East Cornwall, Whitsand Bay, Looe, Millendreath, Polperro, Fowey, Mevagissey, and the Eden Project
    Gallery Pictures of the Old Luggage Van, St Germans station and village
    Virtual Tour Have a look around the Old Luggage Van with a series of photos
    Visitors Comments Genuine extracts from the Old Luggage Van visitors book
    Walks from St Germans Selection of walks centred on the village
    Prices and Availability
    		This years prices and availability for all the holiday lets
    Next years prices Next years prices and availability for all the holiday lets
    Booking
    		How to book your railway carriage holiday accommodation. You can book over the phone by card or by post with a cheque.
    Booking Form Use this if you are sending payment by post.
    Booking Conditions The legal stuff
    Things to do
    		Holiday planning ideas for making the most of your stay
    Rail and Heritage Railways and trains (standard, narrow gauge & model railways), heritage & attractions to engage the technically minded (prehistoric sites, Cornish mines, the cornish mining world heritage site, china clay extraction, lighthouses etc.)
    Houses & Gardens National Trust, English Heritage and private houses, country estates, gardens and castles open to the public
    Other attractions Theme parks (Flambards, Creally) kids play areas, aquariums, animal attractions (Newquay and Paignton zoo, Paradise Park, National Seal Sanctuary etc.)
    Beaches and Outdoor Activities The best beaches with info on facilities, access, family friendly, dog friendly plus walking, surfing, fishing, canoeing, golf, sailing, diving, karting etc.
    Day Trips by Train Some possible itineries for days out by train in cornwall
    Fishing Places to fish near our holiday carriages
    Walking Places to walk near our holiday carriages
    Getting Around
    		Public transport info; trains, buses, taxis, ferries etc.
    News
    		Late availability deals, special offers, promotions and last minute discounts + Railholiday news and projects
    Links
    		A massive resource with sections on; Cornish and south west railway, environmental, railway sites around the world, Fotopic and other rail photography sites, history and heritage, holiday and charter train, mail by rail, model railway, alternative places to stay including self-catering cottages, camp sites, caravan parks, bed & breakfast, guest houses, farmhouse b&b, hotels and holiday parks, preserved railways, railway search engines and groups.
    Contact
    		How to contact Railholiday

    See our news page for late availability deals, special offers, promotions and last minute discounts. If you want to visit cornwall but what we have to offer doesn't suit you or we are booked up, try the accommodation section of our links page for alternative places to stay including self-catering cottages, camp sites, caravan parks, bed & breakfast, guest houses, farmhouse b&b, hotels and holiday parks that we can recommend.

    "Wurlitza - the band for your wedding or function in Cornwall, Plymouth, Devon and SW England. Wurlitza perform an ecclectic mix of originals and covers ideal for weddings and functions. The band also play live music soundtracks to silent films."