Millmans Holiday Cottages Devon, Village Road, Marldon, Devon, TQ3 1SJ +44 (0)1803 558213 tina@millmanscottages.co.uk
Environment in Devon Coast & Countryside Outdoor Activities Free Days Out Wildlife Report
Bird Table

Our aim is to reduce the impact of ourselves and our visitors on the environment, to research and share knowledge and to inspire others to address their own impact on the environment.

We are not 'eco warriors' but we do respect this planet and don't wish to do it and the life on it now and in the future any harm by our actions. People have lived and enjoyed Millmans for over 500 years, we would like future generations to live here and to continue to enjoy it. This is how we do it.

Wildlife Report prepared by Devon Wildlife Trust. PDF Document - 1MB Download

Flora and Fauna
We have here a wide variety of birds from humble sparrow to the rarer green woodpecker which we actively encourage into the garden by providing food and water. We have put up a nest box for birds and build a small wild life pond and we are about to build self-catering accommadation for insects and put up bat boxes for pipestrell bats which can been seen swooping around the garden in the early evening. We are encouraging butterflies and insects by introducing plants they are attracted to and creating habit they like and hoping in return they will pollinate our fruit and veg! This year along side our tubs, and planters with flowers there will be a variety of pots with salad and veg which we hope there will be enough to share with our guests.

Days out and shopping
We support Green Tourism and promote attractions with green tourism awards, Torbay Countryside Trust and other conservation organisations with good ethics towards wildlife the environment.

 We shop and encourage our guests to shop locally supporting local businesses and crafts people at Cockington Court, Occombe Farm, Farmers Markets, our village shops and two village Inns. We buy fair-trade where possible, recycled paper goods, cleaning products that don't harm the environment and bring home our goods in reusable bags.

The cottages have an information book which provides our guests with a wealth of information on attractions, events, countryside, coast, shopping, place to eat and local transport routes etc. We also make available for our guests books and maps of the many published walks featuring Marldon, its lanes and countryside.

Basket Vegetables
Occombe cheeses
Devon Air Ambulance

Charities
We support local charities and organisations:- Marldon Apple Pie Fair, which raises for our village hall, Torbay Countryside Trust, Torbay's Samaritans, Paignton Zoo and Devon Air Ambulance as well as national charities, Lifeboats and National Trust.

Energy
We have and are reducing the energy we use by double glazing, extra loft insulation, lined curtains, using low energy bulbs, reducing washing temperatures, line drying bed linen and towels, solar heating the pool, solar lighting in the garden, buying  A rated appliances and not leaving things on "stand by". We now have a policy to cut unnecessary washing by asking our guests to indicate to us the linen they have used. We now buy and use "green energy" in all the cottages. We also try to email out cottage information, receipts and take card paymnets over the phone.

Water
We have installed equipment to bring our own pure, softened spring water up from our spring for use in the garden, pool, our house, Honeysuckle and Lilac cottages. We have installed into all the cottages dual flush toilets and all our cottages have shower facilities. We use water butts to collect rain water for the garden and spring water and environmentally friendly chemical in the swimming pool, making the water kinder to your skin, hair and eyes.

Pool & Garden

Waste
We try to reduce waste by buying in bulk and using our own shopping bags, we recycle, paper, cardboard, clear plastics, can, tins and glass. Garden waste and kitchen scraps are composted or fed to the worms in the wormery with tasty crumbs and nibbles saved for our birds. When we refurbish we give goods to charity shops, charities and Marldon Apple Pie Fair.

Transport
Marldon, although it is small village has several bus routes to surrounding towns and attractions with links to the Steam Railway and boat trips on the Dart. If you would like to leave the car behind we would be happy to pick you up from the Bus or Railway Station.