Environmental Policy

Beyond Hope is committed to responsible tourism.

The Peak District is one of England's best-loved and most popular tourism destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. But the area's very popularity brings its own set of problems as large visitor numbers bring their own pressures and it's not just immediate factors that cause a problem. Issues such as pollution and climate change are global problems, but can have a disproportionately large impact on sensitive ecosystems.

It's up to all of us, individually and collectively, to minimise our impact on sensitive areas like the Hope Valley. If we all give just a little more thought to how we can help, on a local and a global scale, we can make a great deal of difference.

We can start by thinking about:

When in our accommodation turning lights, TVs and fans off when not in rooms and consider not using them if possible. TVs should be switched off, not left on stand-by as this uses electricity. Consider taking a shower rather than a bath. Do not leave water to run - use a plug as you generally use less water. Don't leave the tap running when brushing teeth.
Using public transport when possible.
Using local small businesses when possible.
Respecting rural activities such as farming and forestry - they are vital to the local economy - and please obey any warning signs you see.
When in the field never feeding animals. Giving them food other than or additional to what they usually eat is likely to make them ill. Do not pursue animals, thus distressing them, for the sake of a photo / better look. Never pick flowers / leaves. Do not collect fossils, shells or stones. Do not encourage stray animals to follow you by feeding them. Best policy is to ignore them and get away. Litter should always be disposed of responsibly. If it is not clear that rubbish bins are emptied regularly, rubbish should be carried out to where it will be disposed of. Cigarette ends should not be dropped on streets / behind bushes but put in a rubbish bin or in pocket until a rubbish bin is available. We recommend smokers carry a receptacle to collect their butts. Plastic film cases are excellent for this and reduce the smell. Food waste, including apple cores etc, should not be dropped behind bushes, but carried until they can be put in a rubbish bin, (orange peel takes 6 months to decompose in temperate climates and is therefore unsightly for a long time. It can also poison wildlife, which may eat it). On walks we suggest a voluntary system where customers take a plastic bag and collect a few pieces of litter from the area and dispose of it at the end of the walk, leaving the environment cleaner than when we found it!

Some general principals that we can all follow are:

LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS, TAKE NOTHING BUT PHOTOGRAPHS - leave the land as you find it for others to enjoy, and never pick wild plants.
TREAD GENTLY - the plants and animals of our countryside are fragile and sensitive. Don't disturb wild (or farmed) animals if you can avoid it, and stick to footpaths wherever possible.
FIRE can devastate vast areas of countryside and forest. Don't start campfires - use a stove if camping, or stick to specified BBQ sites if you want to eat outdoors. Never drop a lit cigarette or match.
PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT - never leave litter in the countryside. Either bin it or take it home with you.