Eco + Sustainable credentials

Eco heart & soul

The very concept of Ghyll Barn was born from a love of creating something new from something old. The bones of the barn were created for a family event in 2018 but much of the barn you find today was handcrafted during lockdown. This was of course a time when supplies were limited and the necessity for inventive design was crucial. Supplies may have been limited but this was a period when there was time to develop creative building ideas.Owner Christopher is something of a salvage hunter. It is his unique style of repurposing preloved treasures and saving materials that gives this rural wedding barn its heart and soul. From the very beginning, in every detail, the barn has been built putting eco and sustainable solutions at the forefront of all design choices.

Sustainable Energy

From the start Ghyll Barn set a goal to source as much power as possible from renewable energy. At the time of construction, the barn was insulated well to help prevent heat loss and help to lower energy consumption for the future.Currently the barn has thirty-six solar panels soaking up the glorious Eden Valley sunshine. This provides a 10kw system which powers the barn throughout the day. Keen to maximise energy produced, there are solar batteries ready to be installed in 2024. These new batteries are vital to preserve energy captured during the day to power the barn through the evenings. Being able to offer eco-conscious couples a wedding that is powered by renewable energy is an especially important milestone to the Ghyll Barn team.

Biodiversity

With over seventy acres of land to manage, nurturing a biodiverse landscape and being ever mindful to create a welcoming habitat that supports local wildlife is one-way Ghyll Barn helps pay it forward for future generations. For Christopher and his team at Ghyll Barn, being the current custodian of this land means conservation work is an ongoing and ever evolving process. Some of the initiatives in place so far are:

Trees

250 native trees have already been planted around the barn, but it does not stop there. Every wedding that has taken place (and will take place in the future) at Ghyll Barn is a truly special moment. To mark these special moments for prosperity, Christopher is planting a tree for each wedding to commemorate all the love that has united couples here on the farm. The creation of the “love wood” will begin in December 2023 with oak saplings ready to be planted as soon as the first snow and frosts have cleared. Each year new saplings will be planted to celebrate all the weddings that have taken place at Ghyll Barn.

Hedgerows

Creating and preserving traditional hedgerows has been quite the task with over seven thousand hedge species planted so far. Native shrubs like such as Maple, Guelder Rose, Quickthorns and Dog Rose have been planted.Preserving traditional hedge planting techniques is crucial for the wildlife residents of the countryside. Not only do these hedges provide them with food and shelter but they also help species travel across the landscape at a time when habitat connectivity is crucial to support biodiversity. When habitats are connected, species can move freely meaning they are less likely to become isolated or see their numbers decline.

Pond

The pond was real a labour of love, it took three days just to excavate the soil! Ghyll Barn worked with the Eden Rivers Trust on this project, their long-term goal being to encourage as much wildlife as possible to this land. With a careful choice of planting and landscaping, the pond is now really becoming a micro haven for wildlife with sighting of dragonflies and a pair of Shelducks. As each year passes, the pond and its surrounding landscape will become more established attracting an increasing variety of wildlife to it.

Herdwick Sheep

Helping to maintain the land naturally are Ghyll Barns flock of 11 Herdwick sheep. As well as being wonderful lawn mowers, sheep can help improve the overall quality of soil. Even a small flock can help support biodiversity by providing over one-third of the organic matter required to make the soil healthy, providing rich vital nutrients that can support crop & vegetation growth. Herdwick are a Cumbrian icon, but we all know the real reason for choosing this breed is that everyone loves a cute Herdy.

Reuse, repurpose, recycle

If there is any architectural salvage on offer within a 20-mile radius you can guarantee that most of it has found a place at Ghyll Barn. Authentic, rustic (and local) materials with real age and patina (no Disney does rustic vibes here thank you) go to support the whole ethos behind this family business – reuse, repurpose, recycle.

It does however take a very keen eye to put together a mismatch of materials in a way that looks beautiful, effortless, and still create a stunning backdrop. The authenticity of these honest materials is a true reflection of the passion that owner Christopher has for salvage and sustainability, which he brings to every aspect of the barn, like the parquet floor bar top

Coming in 2024 a new project with an old bothy. The bothy has been reimagined as a rustic, mobile kitchen. Scratch made from materials salvaged from a local winery and reclaimed tin sheets, this mobile cook spot will feature a pizza oven and burners. And the best bit it can be wheeled to any spot on the farm.

For every detail at Ghyll Barn, the team seek a sustainable solution, for example all menus are printed on recycled paper and for festive parties’ single use crackers are replaced with handwritten jokes tied to the back of each guest chairs.Eco-conscious couples will often donate decorative pieces they have bought especially for their big day, meaning there is a growing collection of styling items that can be reused for another day. Helping reduce or repurpose items bought solely for use on a single day certainly helps towards lowering all our carbon footprints and unnecessary items reaching landfill.

Making conscious efforts to minimise their impact is Ghyll Barns vibe – is it yours? See for yourself, come and experience the unique feeling of the barn.