Castlehill, Orkney

Jim & Denise

We have enjoyed a reputation for being fine hosts for many years and decided to retire to Orkney, to enjoy a quieter and more manageable pace of life.

We have found a haven in this most beautiful part of the world, where we can garden, fish, cook, photograph and share the treasures of these islands with others.

We think that the website will inspire you to visit Orkney and enjoy the many magnificent opportunities these islands provide, we also hope that you will decide to stay with us and enjoy our hospitality in Evie amidst breathtaking scenery in the heart of what Orkney has to offer you.

Green Tourism - our position

At Castlehill, you can expect us to keep our waste to a minimum, recycle as much as we can and have a plan to get greener over time. Our long-term plan is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by the addition of wind and ground source energy production, as funding allows us to do this. We expect to cut our oil & electricity consumption by 50% more within 5 years when we have a sustainable fuel supply in place.

As a new business, we have already taken steps to reduce our current fuel consumption, by 40% on current use, by having our boiler reassessed, adding efficient controls and radiators to the upper areas of the house. We have also zoned the house, so we do not waste energy heating rooms & excess water off season. We have done this by ensuring we have high efficiency hot water storage, time clocks and where necessary, increased insulation for maximum comfort for our customers and ourselves. We have also bought A+ appliances for our new kitchen and storage areas. The house is double glazed throughout.

We also dispose of our food & preparation waste sensibly, none of our compostable waste goes into landfill, and we have composters and a Green Tube system in use. We look forward to the introduction of our hydroponicum in 2010 and to growing our own vegetables and fruits for your convenience and enjoyment.

We recycle glass, packaging, cans, and plastics. We fully support Orkney Islands Council as they continue to provide and improve their waste disposal facilities.

We source our food locally, as far as possible & with the least impact on transport food miles. We also support and protect the natural landscape and wildlife in our beautiful locality.

Green Tourism is a slogan adopted by some national tourism organisations in the UK. This is our current position and does not depict the views or aspirations of any other person or organisation. We make no claim to be "just green", "really green" or reflect a more polarised perspective on green issues.