Destination Management Wales
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Sourcing locally and using sustainable transport
Cledan Valley Tipis,
Caersws
www.dmwales.com
“The idea behind the tipi’s was to add to the beauty and special nature of this secluded valley, rather than
detract from it” according to site manager Beth Jones. The business has worked on the following:
• Low impact, low density campsite
• Site designed with minimal energy consumption; utilising renewable energy sources – photovoltaics
and woodfires
• Most construction materials sourced locally
• Marketed as ‘Eco-gentle’
• Guests encouraged to suggest locations for the motion sensor camera to capture images of the wildlife
on site
Location:
Wylfa Farm, Carno, Caersws, Powys, SY17 5JS
Proprietors:
Hywel and Betty Jones, managed by Beth Jones
Tel.:
01686 420409
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.cledanvalleytipi.co.uk
Grading/Awards:
Visit Wales Alternative Accommodation
Number of pitches: 8
Seasonal Opening:
Easter to October
About Cledan Valley Tipis
Hywel and Betty Jones run this campsite, on their hill farm with the
help of their daughter, Beth. The business consists of an eight acre
campsite with eight tipis. It offers a low impact, ‘back to nature’ holiday
experience.
Tipis originate from North America and are temporary structures, those
on site are of traditional construction. Most of the tipi’s were made by a
local firm, using materials, which have been sourced locally, the poles are
from a local forest and the fabric of the tipis were made within ten miles
of the site. They vary in size accommodating from two to eight people.
They have tried to keep the family tipis close to the facilities and away
from the river, and the romantic tipis away from the field and close to
the river.
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Destination Management Wales
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Sourcing locally and using sustainable transport
Hywel and Betty are very aware that the experience they offer should be
available to all, therefore one of the tipis has a larger entrance and has
been sited to ensure facilities are disabled access compliant.
The site has minimal energy consumption and most of the energy used is
renewable, the tipis use no electricity. The tipis are heated by woodfires
and the firewood is mainly sourced from the farm, and a few of the
neighbours, which is either from trees that have fallen over during the
winter or as part of the ongoing management of the farm land, laying of
hedges etc. The numerous benches and tables around the site have been
constructed out of windfall trees found on the site.
LPG is used for cooking, however one tipi is equipped with an external
charcoal fired oven.
The shower block is built from local timber, much of it having done less
than 40 miles from the forest to field. The water comes from a natural
spring on site, which feeds the showers, toilets and through the UV filter,
the drinking water on site. Photovoltaic cells are used to provide lighting
in the toilet block and for the UV filter on the water supply.
Other environmentally sensitive features at Cledan Valley include;
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The site is carefully managed for biodiversity and the low density
of pitches means that areas can be managed for wild orchids and
bluebells.
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Local businesses and food producers are promoted on the Cledan
Valley Tipis website.
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Local walks are highlighted and the use of public transport is
encouraged. The business offers a pick up service from the local
station.
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Visitors are asked to respect the neighbours as they arrive and leave
the site.
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They have a motion sensitive camera which can be set up at
different locations to take pictures of the wildlife on site. Guest are
encouraged to help find locations for the camera and can take away
the images they capture as a momento.
Hywel and Betty promote Cledan Valley Tipis as naturally ‘Eco-gentle’.
Being a low-impact site is an integral part of the experience they offer
and their environmentally sensitive ethos gently permeates through
their marketing material. The impression this gives is that they want their
guests to come and experience their beautiful hill farm and share it with
them for a short time.
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WG16029 / © Crown copyright 2014