VisitBritain case study

We’ve always thought that camping should leave you feeling more connected to the outdoors.

So we were delighted to be featured by VisitBritain as a case study in regenerative tourism, highlighting how we’ve built Woodfire around a simple idea: work with what you’ve got, tread lightly and make the experience brilliant while you’re at it.

And it all started with a problem we needed to solve: What if having less water was actually a good thing?

When we started Woodfire, there was no mains water connection at Westerlands or Chapel Field.

Rather than seeing that as something to overcome, we decided to let it shape how we built the campsite. From composting loos and outdoor showers to carefully managing water and kitchen wastewater, every part of Woodfire has been designed around using fewer resources and being sustainable. With the current climate crisis and changes to water availability in the UK this is more important than ever before.

The result? We use around 21% of the water consumed by a conventional hospitality business of a comparable size. Not bad for a campsite with campers who like a hot shower. We’re not particularly interested in telling people off for using too much water or giving them a 20-point sustainability rulebook when they arrive. Holidays are for relaxing afterall!

Instead, we try to design Woodfire so that the lower-impact choice is simply the normal choice. Composting loos, outdoor showers, pre-ordered food, local ingredients and communal dining are all part of the experience.

Our approach to sustainability doesn’t stop at water.

Food has always been at the heart of Woodfire – and our menus are deliberately simple. Our evening meals generally offer just two choices: one meat and one plant-based. Guests pre-order, which means we can buy what we need, rather than filling a fridge with food that might never make it to a plate.

We work with local farms and producers, and our menus change according to what’s available and in season. Then we cook it all over fire and bring everyone together around communal tables for a delicious informal feast.

Looking after the place we love

All our campsites are within the South Downs national park, so looking after the landscape around us isn’t an optional extra. It’s kind of the whole point.

We work with local producers and farms, and have developed our sustainability plans with organisations including the South Downs National Park Authority, Our South Downs and Green Tourism. Our Gold Green South Downs accreditation has also helped give us a framework for continuing to improve.

Our work with local farms helps support the rural economy, while our corporate experiences help fund a schools programme that brings children from Sussex and London to Woodfire for residential trips and cookery courses; giving them the chance to cook, eat and learn more about where their food comes from.

So, what is regenerative tourism?
For us, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about asking whether a business can give something back as well as take something out.

We’re pretty proud that VisitBritain thinks our story is a story worth sharing. Read more.