Monday 14th – Sunday 20th October 2024
This Recycle Week, we’re proud to share the recycling efforts Hever Castle is making to become more environmentally friendly. As a Silver-rated Green Tourism destination, sustainability is at the heart of our estate’s operations.
Recycled Food Waste
Sustainability extends to our restaurants and gardens. Food waste—from cooked meals to coffee grinds—is recycled to make compost which reduces landfill waste and enriches the gardens. Grass cuttings, weeds, and other organic matter are also recycled in the compost mix.
Green Retail
The Hever Shop sources many products locally and aims for sustainability with plastic-free cards, many of its products are made from recyclable materials and offers options for reusable bags. The Online Shop products are despatched, where possible, using recycled packaging which Hever staff regularly bring to work to support these efforts. The Pro Shop at Hever Castle Golf Club only offers wooden tees and many golfing accessories are available from recycled materials.
Recycled Lost Property
It’s amazing how many useful items are left or lost across the estate. Within reason, Hever Castle aims to collect, store and return items of property that are deemed to be genuinely lost by members, visitors and guests but when they’re not claimed they are taken to local charity shops to find a new home.
Paper Use Reduction
Across the estate, we are working to reduce our use of paper and switch to recyclable materials. Visitor maps are being made available digitally, and signs and banners are printed on fully recyclable materials. Any paper waste is shredded for use either as retail packaging or in the garden compost.
Recycled Water & Waste
The Castle boasts an ecological sewage system built in 2009. This consists of a series of lagoons that are connected by ‘washing beds’ made up of thousands of plants growing in gravel within special clay liners. The plants remove the pathogens and polluting nutrients from the sewage. The bottom lagoon is tested each year and is classed as “Excellent bathing standard” though swimming is not recommended! The water at the end of the system has proven to be consistently cleaner than the local river and lake by some margin. The site also supports a wide range of insects, birds, mammals and amphibians
Plastic-Free Initiatives & Reusable Alternatives
We are committed to reducing plastic use across the estate. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own cups and bottles, and reusable alternatives are available in the Hever Shop. All of our plastic cups and straws have been replaced with paper ones, and discounts are offered to those who use reusable drinkware.
Recycled Timber
Hever Castle uses biomass boilers for heating, sourced entirely from local certified woodland, including our own. This means it is sustainable – the majority is chestnut coppice which does not require to be replanted as the timber regrows from the stump which continues to lock up carbon. Some stumps can be over 1000 years old! This type of woodland is also very good for wildlife and supports dormice one of our rarest mammals.
A Greener Future for Hever Castle
The efforts at Hever Castle demonstrate our dedication to a greener future. Whether it’s composting food waste, reducing our carbon footprint with renewable energy, or encouraging the use of reusable items, every action contributes to the bigger picture of sustainability.
This Recycling Week, we invite our visitors to join us in our green efforts and reflect on ways we can all reduce, reuse, and recycle. Together, we can make a difference.
We’re also delighted that Eco Week will be returning to Hever in February Half Term 2025 (15 – 23 February).
You can learn more about Hever Castle’s commitment to sustainability here.
Book your visit to Hever Castle & Gardens.
Within the grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, there are two opportunities for you to stay the night with us.
Hever Castle has played host to many important events and celebrations for over 600 years. In 1903 when William Waldorf Astor set about restoring Hever Castle to its former glory, he added the Astor Wing, to accommodate his family and guests, before creating a lake and the spectacular Italian Garden to house his impressive collection of ancient Greek and Roman statuary.
There are multiple places to eat & drink across the Hever Castle Estate. Select between the Castle & Gardens and Golf Club below to discover more.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, Hever Castle Golf Club is a 27 hole Kent golf course that will encourage and inspire all golf enthusiasts.
Set in the mature grounds of the Hever Castle Estate, the Wellbeing Centre consists of five smart treatment rooms.
