Travel

More travel, less flying

29th March 2010

In our heart of hearts, we know that flying is not green, however much we try and pretend it is someone else's problem to curb emissions, or try to salve our consciences with carbon offsetting schemes with their fanciful notions of planting trees or giving away low energy light-bulbs.

It is just that the lure of foreign places is currently greater than the fear of what we are doing to our planet's atmosphere.

However help is at hand. A new website offers a means to carry on travelling while avoiding the most polluting form: flying.

The website www.flightlesstravel.com is the brainchild of co-founder Tom McMillan, who with wife Lorraine came up with the idea after trying to get to Singapore from Scotland without flying. He had to use 22 buses, 14 trains, 11 boats, and a number of tuk tuks.

The site offers a range of information of ways of travelling that avoid flying, and you keep your conscience clean while saving money at the same time.

In the words of the site:

"Everything we do today seems to have to be done yesterday, and for some reason that same mentality is applied to travel in terms of how quickly you can get to the airport and be in your dream destination. But fast travel is a bit like fast food, it might be quick cheap and easy but you are missing a far better experience. Have you ever thought about all the places you are flying over, the countryside, the people, the history? When you're on that flight the clouds part you get that momentary glimpse of the world below do you never wonder what you're missing? Slow travel is a great way of watching the world go by, to savour the moment and get lost in your thoughts of a different life. It will take you to places you have never heard of and you will meet a most wonderful and strange array of people. You might possibly never fly again!

Slow travel is a great way of watching the world go by and even better jumping right in. When you're travelling in the developing world, nowhere else will you come into such easy contact with so many local people, the ones who are not trying to sell you something. These are often the people who don't want anything from you and by the time you come to the end of your journey you'll feel like you are part of their family!"

www.flightlesstravel.com

Tropical Islands without Flying

As we all become more aware of the permanent and frightening damage being done to the atmosphere by flying, more people are looking at taking holidays which cause less damage to the natural environment. The trouble is that many of us have become used to exotic locations and tropical islands. For these seasoned travelers who have become more environmentally aware, the sacrifice of not flying can be considerable. So what is there nearer home that can compare with the sun and sand of the tropics?

The Isles of Scilly are one of Britain’s best kept secrets. These beautiful Cornish islands are just 30 miles from the south-west coast of England, and with their palm trees,  turquoise water and stretches of white sandy beaches, they are the nearest thing Britain has to a tropical paradise. Amazingly few people have ever heard of them, perhaps because those that have there realise how special they are and want to keep the secret to themselves! The exotic feel of the islands is added to as the subtropical climate has allowed many rare plants to flourish including the agapanthus that has spread wild all over the islands. The whole islands are a delight for nature lovers, both botanists, and ornithologists, who flock to the island in the Autumn to spot rare migrating birds. The arrival of the bird-watchers each year has proved a bonus to the tourist industry by extending the season.

The islands are justly designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A visit is like taking a step back seventy years to a world with a saner pace of life and hardly any traffic. The islands are great for families who will feel happy letting their children loose in a clean and safe environment with virtually no crime. Perhaps the greatest attraction for those keen to cause less damage to the environment is that these beautiful islands are accessible without flying. By taking the train from London to Penzance and then the ferry to St Mary's, rather than flying, you save 271kg of CO² emissions.

The main industry now is tourism but the Isles of Scilly produce the first daffodils of spring, and many of the locals leave their usual jobs to help with the harvest.   The local shops are friendly, and there are none of the multi-national chain stores that have ruined so many towns on the mainland. The pace of life is slower, and people are happy to stop and chat. Just don’t refer to “The Scilly Isles”, unless you want to offend the locals! It is either the “Isles of Scilly”, of just “Scilly”.

The air on Scilly is very clear due to the lack of pollution, and visitors need to take sensible precautions to avoid getting burnt in the summer. The weather can be very changeable, and there is occasional fog that can hang around for a day or two. Water is very precious resource on the islands so don’t expect to take a bath every day! After a holiday in the Isles of Scilly you will feel a sense of culture- shock on returning to Penzance, and appreciate the tranquility of the islands. One of the saddest things to appreciate after visiting these beautiful islands is how they will be affected by climate change. Most of the islands are low-lying and will be swamped by rising sea levels in decades to come, and the main town on St. Mary’s, Hugh Town, will be cut in two.

Travel to Scilly

A bonus for the green traveler is that the Isles of Scilly can be reached by combining the ferry with a train journey, so you don’t even need to bring your car to Penzance. The train journey from London Paddington to Penzance takes just over five hours. The timing of trains is a little unfortunate for linking up with the ferry and means that you may need to make an overnight stay in Penzance unless you take the sleeper train. There are seven direct trains a day, with fares from £17.50 one way with First Great Western (0845 700 0125, www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk). The ferry crossing on the Scillonian to St Mary's, the largest of the islands, takes about three and a half hours, and can be choppy in rough weather. The ferry costs from £70 return (adult), through Isles of Scilly Travel (0845 710 5555, www.ios-travel.co.uk) In addition to the ferry there are helicopter and plane flights, but since the whole point of going to the Isles of Scilly is to have a green holiday in the UK, we won’t go into details! Arriving by the ferry is an exciting and romantic way to travel.

Getting around on the islands

St Mary's is a compact island, just three miles by two miles, and by far the best way to get around is to hire a bike or walk. Bikes can be hired from St Mary's Bicycle Hire, Hugh Town, for £7 per day with a £15 deposit. There is very little traffic, although sadly many of the locals do drive around, their cars frequently suffering corrosion in the salty air. A regular inter-island boat service run by local people operates between the five inhabited islands, and there are also trips to other attractions advertised on boards by the harbour. Direct return to any island costs £7 (www.scillyboating.co.uk). The other islands really are worth a visit, and once you have seen them you will be tempted to stay on a future holiday.

Entertainment

The Isles of Scilly are a great place for nature lovers, sailing enthusiasts, walkers, and families with young children, however teenagers are likely to find the lack of nightlife and amusement arcades a bit restricting. There is one night club but it is a bit tame for most teenagers used to city life. The pubs and bars on the islands are friendly, welcoming places for the adults to escape to with a range of local real ales and pub meals. If you like diving, sailing or windsurfing the islands are fantastic. There is a windsurfing school on Port Mellon beach near the harbour on St. Mary’s, the main island, with tuition, board and wetsuit hire. Divers can hire equipment and explore some of the many wrecks around the islands’ coastline, and will enjoy the clear waters and unpolluted environment. If the weather is fine visitors can watch summer gig racing on Wednesday and Friday evenings from St Mary's quay, and watch the sun setting between the other islands.

Cornwall is a great place for garden lovers, with The Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan not to be missed. Less well-known but just as good are Tresco Abbey Gardens which are a must-visit attraction, with thousands of specimens, many of them exotic plants which thrive in the sub-tropical climate. The gardens were formed around the remains of a 12th-century abbey, and as well as the trees and plants there is a collection of maritime figureheads in the Valhalla Museum. Before the advent of radar and modern navigation equipment, numerous ships were wrecked around the islands on the approach to Cornwall. If you love history, then visit Old Town Church, St Mary's, where some of the 311 passengers and crew from the shipwreck of “The Schiller” were buried in a mass grave in 1875. Also buried here is former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who loved the islands and had a holiday retreat here. Old Town is a fair walk out of the main town, Hugh Town, and great if you want somewhere even quieter. Another place for history lovers is Longstone Heritage Centre, in Hugh Town, which gives a good idea of the islanders' way of life before tourism took hold, including the local fishing and flower industries.

If you love wildlife, and have a good stomach for choppy water, then take a two-hour trip with Island Sea Safaris (01720 422732, www.islandseasafaris.co.uk; £30pp) to search for shipwrecks, seabirds and seals. These safaris usually find the seals easily, but the best time is at low tide when they can be seen basking on the rocks. If you time your visit right you will also see puffins and a host of other birds.

Another place to visit on St. Mary’s is Carreg Dhu community-run garden, which is based in an abandoned quarry. Other entertainment is of a gentle nature as befits the pace of life on the islands, such as the history, shipwreck or wildlife talks and slide shows at various venues around Hugh Town.   

Walkers are spoilt for choice, with numerous tracks and lanes to explore, and several nature reserves. One of the best short walks that is suitable for families with young children, is around the Garrison peninsula, which starts on the outskirts of Hugh Town on St Mary's. The Garrison includes a lighthouse and old gun emplacements from the second world war, and has fine views of the other islands. For the fitter and more ambitious, there is a wonderful coastal path round the whole island.

Food and Drink

If you want to get out, there are many great places to eat and drink on the islands, for a range of budgets. One place not to miss is Juliet's Garden (01720 422228), a lovely restaurant located a 20-minute walk along the coastal footpath from Hugh Town, on St. Mary’s, with beautiful views, and candlelit meals in the evening. They welcome children, and main courses are £10-£17. Much of the produce on the menu is homegrown and the owner also runs a shop selling flowers and bulbs.

If you want to get off the beaten track there is a pleasant café in Old Town. Another place to go for quiet relaxation is Carn Vean Café and Tea Garden near Pelistry Bay, where fresh crab sandwiches cost £6.75. At the pricier end of the market is The Star Castle, Hugh Town, St Mary's (01720 422317, www.star-castle.co.uk), built by Elizabeth I in the 16th century to protect the islands against the Spanish Armada. The Star Castle has two award-winning restaurants, and its own conservatory and snug Dungeon Bar. If you explore the other islands, Fraggle Rock Café and Bar, on Bryher, serves good pasties (£4.90) and locally caught fish.

Where to Stay

For the budget traveler, camping is available on the Garrison peninsula of the main island, St. Mary’s. The Garrison campsite has a steep access track and is quite a way out of the centre of Hugh Town, although a trailer will take your bags from the ferry. The campsite is quite basic and exposed but a beautiful location, and there are tennis courts nearby. Camping is also available on St. Martin’s, and if you really want to get away from it all, the “off-islands” are the place to go.

Self-catering accommodation is widely available but visitors tend to come back year after year and are given first refusal on booking again for the following year, so it can be very difficult to get a vacancy, and you may need to plan two years ahead or hope for a cancellation!. If you prefer to be looked after, you can stay upstairs in the centrally-located and friendly Boathouse guesthouse on St Mary's (01720 422688) which has its own sundeck. Another central guesthouse above the harbour is the Mincarlo (01720 422513, www.mincarlo-ios.co.uk) which has 12 bright rooms with a nautical theme and offers double rooms from £60.

For those who prefer hotels, and with more to spend, the modern Island Hotel (01720 422883, www.tresco.co.uk), on the second largest island, Tresco, offers three-star comfort, local produce, and wonderful views, adjacent to a beautiful, sheltered bay with white sand. Such comfort doesn’t come cheap. A large double room, with dinner, bed and breakfast for two people costs £300. The picturesque ruins of Cromwell's Castle are nearby. Another great but pricey hotel is Hell Bay (01720 422947, www.hellbay.co.uk), on Bryher, the smallest inhabited island, which is five minutes by boat from Tresco. There are 25 suites, most having spectacular views of the coastline. The hotel does its bit for the environment, and recycling initiatives mean that rainwater is re-used and food waste composted. Double room from £260, including dinner, bed and breakfast for two people.

Further information

If you need further information contact the Tourist Information Centre, Hugh Street, Hugh Town, St Mary's (01720 422536, www.simplyscilly.co.uk) who will supply a list of accommodation and also have details of current vacancies.  

All aspects of our lives are coming under closer scrutiny for their carbon emissions, including how we spend our holidays. Travel may broaden the mind, but it can also harm the natural eco-systems on which we all depend.  

It is perfectly possible to have a holiday which causes minimal damage to the environment, for example a cycling holiday in the UK, or a rail journey to Europe. But as soon as you fly, you are undoing all the good you may have done switching off unwanted lights, re-using plastic bags, and recycling. One flight to New York uses up your entire annual “ration” of carbon emissions, and that is before you add on the amount of pollution caused by heating your home, travelling to work, and the food miles needed to feed your family. It is not a popular message, but there is no such thing as green tourism if it involves flying to get to your destination. Carbon off-setting is just a distraction intended to salve green consciences. As George Monbiot puts it in his book “Heat – How to Stop the Planet Burning”:

 “Buying and selling carbon offsets is like pushing the food around on your plate to create the impression that you have eaten it.”

It is amazing when you think the very short time that mankind has been able to fly in planes, that many people now see it as an inalienable right to be able to take not one, but several foreign holidays a year. There are some very hard lessons to be learnt and we have a very short time. Once the permafrost of the tundra starts melting and releasing vast quantities of methane, a gas with a greenhouse effect many times more powerful than carbon dioxide, we will find that we have set in train a system of positive feedbacks, where warming triggers more warming, and we render the Earth uninhabitable. Sorry to spoil the party, but it is that serious. 

As the realisation sinks in that we have to stop flying, people are going to want to take their holidays closer to home, which will see a revival in the British coastal resorts, many of which are only just recovering from years of sad decline. There will of course be a great effort from the airline industry to push carbon-offsetting and more fuel efficient planes, and by the tourist trade to promote eco-tourism, in which wildlife and forest reserves are protected with some of the money raised by tourism. There are a lot of people with a vested interest in promoting green travel, but consumers need to be able to see through the greenwash. 

There are some positive signs, such as the recent Big Lottery award of £50 million to the charity Sustrans to improve Britain’s cycle network, and give more people the chance to leave their car at home and experience sustainable travel.  

If anyone is in any doubt about the potential damage done by the tourist industry, one of the best recent books on the subject is Leo Hickman’s “The Final Call”, in which he examines many aspects of the industry, and concludes by promoting “slow travel”, in which the tourist goes for quality rather than quantity.

Further reading:

Are you being greenwashed? Observer - 6/7/08

Eco Hotels of the World

If you are planning a trip abroad, be sure to check out "Eco Hotels of the World", a free online guide created to showcase the most environmentally-friendly hotels in the world. They are currently the most comprehensive independent listing of eco-friendly hotels available.

All the hotels featured have been personally selected by their editors to ensure that they meet the standards required to be considered an eco-friendly hotel. Hotels cannot pay for inclusion nor do we accept commissions on bookings in that way we can stay totally independent and objective. They are always looking for new properties and people to help on their quest. If you feel you can add to their online guide then do contact them: info@ecohotelsoftheworld.com

Things to do/places to visit

• The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers - A charity encouraging conservation volunteers which aims to create a more sustainable future by inspiring people and improving places
• The Wildlife Trusts - More opportunities to get involved with worthwhile conservation projects
• The Youth Hostel Association - great budget accommodation in beautiful locations around Britain, and not just for young people.
• Go for a walk! - a great site for people who love walking and hiking, and if you can get there by public transport or bike, even better.
• Soil Association Farm Visits - Visit an organic farm and find out first hand about a farming system that works in harmony with nature
• The Eden Project - a stunning and inspirational attraction, very educational and one of the best days out for the family. Read Eco's assessment of the importance of The Eden Project to the Green Movement.
• The Natural History Museum - read more on their excellent website
• The Rainforest Cafe - located near Picadilly Circus in Shaftesbury Avenue, central London, the Rainforest Cafe is an ideal birthday treat for youngsters with an interest in the environment. It can get very busy, and is fairly expensive, but the theme is done very well with lots of trees and creepers, model frogs, monkeys, elephants and butterflies, and aquariums of live fish.The waiters dress up as safari guides, and play the part well. If you are lucky and tell the waiter about a birthday, they will bring out a candle and get the whole restaurant to sing "Happy Birthday", which makes for a memorable occasion. Quite how much of the profits go to conservation work is difficult to work out, but the chain of cafes does support the World Land Trust and has helped purchase rainforest reserve land in Ecuador, as well as supporting some smaller projects.
• Volunteer South America - claim to be the greenest volunteer facilitator in the world with solar powered web hosting, paperless office, carbon balanced, and ethical banking.
• @t Bristol - the excellent attraction by the harbour makes a great day out for all the family. "Explore" is Bristol's version of the Science Museum, packed with fun features including virtual volleyball and a living tornado. Recommended and open every day except Christmas Day, 10.00 until 6.00.
• The Living Rainforest Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire - a tract of rainforest under glass
• London Wetland Centre
• Safari Online - Information on UK safari parks and endangered species.
• Marwell Zoo - a spacious zoo, with a strong emphasis on conservation
• London Zoo
• The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)- The CAT Visitor Centre is located just north of Machynlleth in mid-Wales, and the seven-acre display site includes exciting interactive displays that demonstrate the incredible power of wind, water and sun and has working examples of environmentally responsible buildings, energy conservation, organic growing and composting.
• Welsh National Botanic Garden
• Quoditch Moor Nature Reserve
• West Park Local Nature Reserve
• Bristol Zoo - a fun day out in pleasant gardens, emphasis on education and conservation, a great walk through tunnel under seals and penguins
• Dublin Zoo
• The National Trust - places to visit search page
• Monterey Bay Aquarium  - nice webcams and good content about ocean research projects
• San Diego Zoo - conservation information and great photos on the website, and a "panda cam"!
• Sea World - information on their three zoos and holidays (Please note that there are animal rights reservations about Sea World - see Wikipedia entry)

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  No Snow Train -

  but don’t go off the rails!

  

  21st January 2010

  In spite of their reputation for being kill-joys, there are many greens who have tried skiing and loved it. However there is always that guilty feeling about emissions if you fly to your ski resort. While other ways of travelling nearly always involve some environmental damage, taking the train is far better than flying, and to find out more about the options by train, one of the best sites is www.snowcarbon.co.uk.

  Many green skiers will already have used the “Snow Train” in the past, but last year Rail Europe made the surprising announcement that it was suspending the service.

  A winter season without the Snow Train? For an increasing legion of Snow Train fans, it seems unimaginable. The service was in its 20th year, and the overnight pilgrimage by train to the Tarentaise region meant two extra days on the slopes at ski resorts such as Tignes, Meribel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires and Courchevel.
  
  Sleeping on an overnight train is a great way to get to the slopes – if you weren’t partying. One end of the Snow Train housed a “legendary” disco carriage. Never mind après-ski – this was some full-on pre-ski.

  Late bookings

  Rail Europe’s announcement in July that it would not run the train during the 2009-2010 season was greeted with surprise and disappointment. The train had been growing in popularity year on year, and, as with the Eurostar Direct Ski train, peak weeks would sell out fast.

  So why was the Snow Train dropped?
  
  With the economic uncertainty, bookings for ski holidays generally have been late this year. Rail Europe said poor exchange rates meant that running the train this year would have represented a financial risk it was unwilling to take (it has to buy London - Paris tickets from Eurostar in advance). This is the Snow Train statement it published in July 2009.

  Alternatives to the Snow Train

  The good news is that there are plenty of other train options to reach the slopes. For the Tarentaise resorts, you can still catch an overnight train with couchette accommodation, simply by changing in Paris.
  
  These French overnight trains don’t have disco carriages but the atmosphere on board is friendly, welcoming – and quiet. There are also overnight options via Lille (with reclining seats, not couchettes). You can also now book fixed-price rail-inclusive package holidays.

  Find out more about the various trains to the Alps, or first select a resort then discover the easiest journey by train.

  What is snowcarbon?

  Snowcarbon is an independent website dedicated to helping skiers and snowboarders reach ski resorts by train from the UK. If you need help finding your way around the site, see our 60-second guide.

  Snowcarbon was founded by two travel journalists, Daniel Elkan and Mark Hodson, in order to pull together all the information you need into one easy-to-use resource. The site has a wide choice of great ski resorts, each convenient by train, with journey details, simple booking guides and booking forms

  Daniel is an avid snowboarder. He writes ski features for publications including The Guardian, The Observer, Daily Mail and Ski+Board magazine, and about environmental issues for Geographical, The Ecologist, The Guardian and The Sunday Times. 

  Mark is a keen skier. He has written about travel and skiing for newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Times. He also works as a consultant to the online travel industry and is co-founder of the travel inspiration website, 101 Holiday Ideas. 

  Snowcarbon was conceived in the Italian resort of Sauze d’Oulx. Daniel had endured a tedious, delayed journey by air. While slumped on a coach transfer approaching the village, he glimpsed a railway line further down the hill and wondered if he could have travelled by rail instead.

  Finding the information proved difficult – but the rail journey itself from London was relatively easy and would be far less damaging to the environment. Since then, Daniel has spent five years researching and writing about rail travel to European ski resorts (PDF document). Finally, in the autumn of 2009, his ambition of creating the first website on the subject was realised with the launch of Snowcarbon.

  Booking forms on this site make it easier for you to book rail travel to ski destinations. When you click through from Snowcarbon  to make a booking, the enquiry and transaction takes place on the rail company's site, but snowcarbon receives a small commission.

  So if you are determined to go skiing, but want to travel with a clear conscience, do check out this site. You will soon be refining those parallel turns, and soaking up the sun and après-ski, while knowing you have done your bit to help the environment, and supported the rail industry, and a company that cares.

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