Loch Monzievaird Lodges, Perthshire, Scotland

How do Loch Monzievaird Lodges minimise their impact on the environment and contribute to a sense of place?

These self-catering lodges have been awarded Gold by the GTBS and also won a Millennium Forestry Commission award for environmental management of trees. The lodges themselves are of Norwegian and Scandinavian construction and therefore very well insulated, with double and triple glazing. Fallen timber is used either in the construction of the lodges, or as fuel for the wood burners. The lodges also make use of hippo cistern water savers, as well as using environmentally friendly cleaning products and providing REN clean Bio Active skincare for guests. There's also zoned heating, which prevents rooms being heated unnecessarily, plus recycling bins for glass, newspapers, plastics and fabrics.

Guests are encouraged to walk and cycle as much as possible while they're here, but getting here by public transport would mean missing out on much of the beauty of the highlands. The owners also take the protection of the environment seriously, with the algae levels of the water being monitored to allow fish a better rate of oxygen, and native trees being planted in replacement of older or fallen trees. This area of Highland Perthshire is extremely rich in wildlife including red squirrels, red and roe deer, red kites and pine martens.