sustainability

Caring for the land, community and dark skies of Northumberland

At The Hiddle Hut, hospitality means leaving the land better than we found it. Nestled in the heart of rural Tynedale, our hideaway was created to give guests a peaceful, luxurious escape while actively nurturing the local ecosystem, supporting regional producers and honouring the heritage of our landscape.

Regenerative tourism goes beyond minimising harm. It’s about enriching our surroundings. Here is how we put that commitment into practice every day.

1. Sustainable design & ethical craft

Our hut was designed to blend into the agricultural landscape of the Northumbrian countryside, with the features and proportions of the historic Dutch barns typical of this part of the Tyne Valley.

• Reclaimed & upcycled materials: built with reclaimed timber and furnished with restored local antiques, including a repurposed church pew and agricultural implements, giving historic pieces a new life.
• Natural insulation: insulated with natural sheep’s wool and hemp, alongside double-glazed windows and doors and thermal curtains, keeping the hut naturally warm in winter and cool in summer.
• Crafted locally: built by local craftspeople, with hand-built features such as our bespoke mezzanine bed and oak fittings.

2. Kitchen garden, foraging & zero-waste dining

We believe the best food comes straight from the soil beneath our feet.

• Homegrown produce: our welcome hampers include fresh vegetables and fruit, some grown in our own kitchen garden, cut flowers, and eggs from our small flock of free-range hens.
• Seasonality & foraging: we make our own jams, preserves and cordials from seasonal produce and wild hedgerow ingredients.
• Local sourcing: anything we don’t grow ourselves, from local sourdough to fresh coffee, comes from small, independent businesses in Hexham, Corbridge and the surrounding valley.
• Composting: all of our organic kitchen waste goes back into the garden beds as compost.
• Less waste: we tell you what’s in your welcome hamper before you arrive, so you can leave out anything you don’t want, and we ask guests to take any unused food home.

3. Protecting Northumberland’s dark skies & wildlife

We are privileged to sit under some of the darkest, most pristine skies in Europe.

• Dark-sky friendly lighting: all our outdoor lighting is fully shielded, low-lumen and downward-facing, to stop light spill and protect the night sky for stargazing and nocturnal wildlife.
• Habitat creation: our small woodland copse and the grounds around it are managed organically, providing safe nesting areas, shelter and native food for local birds and pollinators. We garden gently so that habitats and shelters aren’t disturbed.
• Native planting: what was once an overgrown field has been divided into three areas with native hedging, chosen to feed wildlife and native songbirds. The western part of the plot has been planted with over 100 native trees, including spruce, fir, birch, holly and rowan, creating a natural windbreak and wildlife habitat. Follow the winding path through it to the cubby seat, made from sustainable timber, and enjoy the views across the farmland and the valley to the river and woodlands.