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Started life as aerospace engineer then 20 plus years teaching Engineering in schools, colleges and a 6 month stint in Leicester jail (teaching computer, honestly). Ceilia has also 20 year plus teaching in Coventry. Coventry LEA have outdoor pursuit centre 3 miles down stream so Ceilia and myself use it to do a GCSE project on the hydro power station 200 m from Bryn Elltyd in 1970’s. Then we both became Coventry teachers and spent 20 plus years bringing pupils to the centre and area. Randomly, we saw Bryn Elltyd house for sale. As this linked in with daughter moving out to uni, we did what any sensible parent would do. We sold up, left the country and moved to Wales to continue our eco dream in a stunning area.
Ceilia took me to the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales in 1983. We were so impressed we went back to our semi in Coventry and put 5m of solar panels on roof( still working well today) That was a bit ahead of the game for Coventry. We moved into Bryn Elltyd 6 years ago to escape the city, live a lower carbon life style, hopefully educate a few others and be more in tune with our planet. It has worked.
1883 slate mine managers house in heart of Snowdonia, built with local slate / granite in a fold in the Ffestiniog gravity then steam railway. We have photo of slate trains outside in 1880s.
1965 semi ruin with outside tap. Local builder renavated it and did some very impressive linking of new and old buildings and built two detached bedrooms with grass roofs, solar panels, rainwater harvesting, part timber framed with sheep wool insulation.
2007 we bought the guest house and continued the low carbon approach. We were lucky that John has the skill to think and complete a great deal of the work. It is not a Grand designs but a slow evolution. Fortunately business is, well ? The state of the economy has given John the time to complete a great deal of development work. Business will pick up with the economic up turn.
Much more comfortable and easier to run guesthouse. Great for the planet and next generation. Economic rewards may take a while to arrive. Central heating was via the RHI scheme we were number 32 in the UK and expect to break even on £20k investment in 8 years. Stunning place, looks better on advertising. It is our lifestyle choice but also our workplace. Great use of John’s skills when booking are a reflection of the economy
Dishwasher gave up. replaced with A++ AEG machine and fitted more insulation at back of dishwasher hole.
Emptied compost…10 wheelbarrows and Dishwasher cardboard shredded as nice base for new compost heap. Made friends with slow worm and put 200mm fresh grass/ veg cutting over him to heat up and keep him warm at night.
Found more slate slabs when digging out ( we are slate mine managers house) and laid as paving.
Made it to shortlist of 3 in RENEWABLE ENERGY cymru eco awards. We are carbon neutral plus extras. opposition is National Trust. So,,,,, our 3 star guesthouse with no staff vs National trust. No sweat.
Took on Best Western hotels and organisation in Eco awards in June 2014 and won. Considerate hotelier green team award. Winner previous year a group of people at the SAVOY hotel.
….Upgrade of our 3rd Electric car charge point to charge Tesla super cars
Updated on 01/03/2015
Bryn Elltyd Eco Guesthouse
Carbon neutral eco guesthouse (and SuperHome) in heart of Snowdonia and, according to The Guardian, “one of the greenest bolt holes in Europe”.
Heavily insulated, uses 100% renewable energy, Solar thermal and Pv, biomass wood