Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog

Deepdale Leisure awarded the 2009 East of England Sustainable Tourism Award.

The best that the East of England has to offer came together at the awards ceremony on the 29th of October 2009 at Ickworth Hall in Bury St. Edmunds to battle it out for awards and accolades in this year’s regional awards for Excellence. Deepdale Leisure was nominated in the category for Sustainable tourism and faced tough competition from Fairhaven Woodland and Water Gardens in South Walsingham www.fairhavengarden.co.uk/, and Pinetrees Bed and Breakfast in Suffolk www.pinetrees.net/index.htm. It is a contest that gets more difficult year upon year as businesses realize the impact that they have on the local environment and economy and take steps to maximize the positive aspects whilst minimizing the negative ones, but in a close fought contest Deepdale Leisure was the awarded the prize.

Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development is a positive experience for local people; tourism companies; and tourists themselves.

Deepdale Backpackers and Camping has strived to fully encapsulate this ethos into its development from the very beginning. Starting as a single camping paddock back in 1979 used only through July and August, a summer project has grown into a worthy representative of sustainable tourism.

Deepdale has in place many environmentally friendly schemes to aid in waste reduction, recycling, use of renewable energies, and water consumption reduction. Solar heating systems reduce the use of fossil fuels on a site that runs year round. Waterless urinals, and low flow taps and showers reduce the precious resource that we take for granted, and integrating local suppliers into the business where ever possible reduces fuel consumption and costs for delivery or collection whilst also increasing the business generated in the surrounding area. The development of several permissive footpaths around the local farm land has improved access for residents and tourists, as well as improves safety statistics on the local roads for walkers and cyclists.

Deepdale also runs environmental events such as our conservation weekend, and Earthday. Both are annual events which attract a lot of interest from all over the country and help to raise awareness and levels of education about global warming, the impact of fossil fuel burning, and ways that we can all help to reduce our impact on the world we live in.

“We take our responsibilities seriously here at Deepdale and know that we are an integral part of the local community and the global community. Without the support of the residents the development of Deepdale would have been much more difficult and without Deepdale, the local community would not have the same access to facilities that they do now. Globally the use of non-sustainable fuels and the use of non-recycled, imported goods is something we try very, very hard to avoid.” Said Louise Smith, the managing director. “We have been very lucky in the support we have received and we are very grateful for it.”

As winners of the East of England regional award, Deepdale Leisure is now nominated for the National Sustainable tourism award.

Last year’s winner of this prestigious award for sustainable tourism were The Venus Company, www.venuscompany.co.uk/. The Venus mission is to be the greenest beach cafe and shop operator. We will strive to minimise the harmful effects and maximise the beneficial influences which our activities have on the environment.

Here at Deepdale we hope to be worthy competitors for such an auspicious award. ‘We don’t inherit the World; we borrow it from our children…At Deepdale we intend to look after it until we return it.’

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

Now, i gotta tell ya… it’s been a mad summer this year! I’ve work like a dog! Pulled this stupid green trolley, full of whatever Mum decides to put in it, wherever Mum decides we’re going. I’ve chased them pesky Rabbits off my fields more than once or twice (I’m not really very good at counting. Once i get to four I’m lost!) and the Mum’s have been running around like headless Chickens. Hm Chicken!

Sorry just drooled on the keyboard. Back to my blog.

Mum is now gearing up for Christmas. This is good because it means i get a huge bone. But it is bad because they put stupid paper on it and leave it in the front room expecting me not to eat it, whilst i try to keep dog/cat (also known as Athena – the grey child. Please refer to the picture for more clarification. she begs for food better than we dogs do. she only goes out for ablutions when we do and she comes in if you call her name.) away from it. FOR WEEKS!!!!!

I’m not joking! They put it there for WEEKS!

Evil Mum’s. Just give me the bone!

Christmas Bone, Christmas Bone, Christmas Bone!

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

We’re having a heatwave! I can’t get Jasper to move. He says Huskies aren’t meant for hot weather. The Mum’s keep taking us to the beach to go swimming and yesterday we disocvered a bit where the seals were watching us! The Mum’s came swimming too! No ball games though.

The Mum’s were watching the tellybox and it told them all these things on keeping dogs safe in the heat. (I learnt them just incase they forget any!)

1. Don’t leave me in the car, even with the windows open a bit – this can kill me. The tellybox said this is a bad result.

2. Always make sure I have lots of clean water available – if you would like to leave me some dirty water too i don’t mind, I like a little mud now and then.

3. Don’t make me run too much. No matter how much i bother you with balls and sticks the tellybox said it is bad for me to get too excited ‘cos it makes me hotter. Bad tellybox.

4. Give me lots of shade. Even though i like sunbathing – Mum put this cream on my nose yesterday to stop it getting all pink. She said it was ‘suntan lotion’ and it would stop ‘sunburn’. I don’t remember this from the tellybox.

5. Keep a window open at night ‘if it is safe to do so’. That comes from another Tellybox lady who does things with police. She says not to leave it open if you might get robbed use a fan instead – I don’t know what good Uncle Ian would be (he’s a huge Manchester United fan) but this is what Tellybox recommend.

This is the Jazzy guide to looking after me when its hot.

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

Shiver me timbers and a bottle of Rum (I don’t actually like Rum – I bark at it – but I heard that bloke on the pirate film on telly talking about it and shouting at some woman who set it all on fire!) there’s gold in that there chest! Well there wasn’t really, but it was great fun.

It started out like all the other walks on the beach. The runt was chasing the ball… boring, and the Mummies were talking and doing boring Mummy stuff. It was pretty hot so I was wanting to head out for the water, just to cool off a bit, and low and behold the Mummies followed me. they were walking in a straight line and they kept saying stuff about this wreak. I wasn’t sure what a wreak was so I decided to keep quiet and just wait them out. As I’ve said before I usually get the answer to things if I wait and don’t ask stupid questions. We got to the sea and Mummy started to walk into it. I think her feet must have been pretty hot – they get a bit smelly sometimes too – ‘cos she started walking into the water and kept on going. It mustn’t have been just her feet that were hot ‘cos she was walking through the water in soggy shorts when she started calling me to follow her.

Sometimes I do wonder if Mum has her head screwed on right ‘cos I know she’ll go home in a bit and put some different pants on, why don’t they just let stuff dry while they wear it like we do?

I started following my Mum – mostly ‘cos she was going somewhere I hadn’t been before, but it looked good too – and when I caught up to her I decided to head back. She just kept on going. So I followed her all the way. She was pretty soggy by the time we both got the otherside but I was the one doing proper swimming. We had to wait for the runt and her Mum to catch up so I went and chased some big seagulls while I was waiting. Then we were just heading out for these big bits of metal all twisted up and the sand.

Mum said it was wreaked during that second world war thingy – Grandad told me that they had to have ration books in the war that meant the all were hungry and had to sleep in tunnels ‘cos of bombs. He also said that those bombs weren’t like the ones I kept leaving in his garden so I’m not really sure what he meant.

We had to swim to get back home too, but i was nice and cool by then. Had a really good sleep last night and dreamt I was chasing gold seagulls round a world war 2 pirate ship. Did they have pirates in the war?

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

Well, a Ho Down looked like lots of fun for people. Clapping and skipping were involved a lot. As was some drinking and crisps. I personally didn’t get any crisps so that was just for your information. I have two problems with this…Ho Down. There were no balls. And no sticks. Doesn’t leave much for a Jazz to do but sit and watch.

I tried doggie dancing a while back and apparently i am duck toed at the back and twang toed at the front. Plus Mummy 1 says she ‘has two left feet and an aversion to public humiliation!’ So we didn’t get very far with that one. Also no one had a spare cowboy hat for me… What’s a girl to do?

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

Half of the heat we loose from our homes is through our windows and walls. We have learnt the value of double and even triple glazing for reducing heat loss and therefore heating costs, but we are still lagging behinde in our use of good quality insulation for the same task.

www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Home-improvements/Home-insulation-glazing

can help you find good installers in your local area and help you to cut costs and keep youselves warm and toastie.

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

One dripping tap can waste 5,000 litres of water in a year!

Make sure when you turn off your taps, you turn them right off. If you see it drip, change the washers. They cost a few pence from the hardware sho and will save you the cost of 5,000 litres of water and the environment the cost filtering, pumping, distributing and sanitising all that wasted water.

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

Before I came to Norfolk the only time I remeber seeing all the stars was in the lake district. Where the stars actually outnumber the street lights and bulbs in the houses. I remember being fascinated that there were so many more than i ever realsied. Suddenly the thought of there being an infinite number of stars had a real meaning, it wasn’t just an abstract theory.

I’m waffling, I know, but I do have a point. The lights we use to light our homes, our offices, our streets, schools, hospitals and so on, use up billions of pounds in energy, billions of watts of energy and priceless resources of oil and coal which are burnt to produce the energy. All needed to make life safer and better i hear you cry – and in most instances i will agree with you. However, there is vast amounts of this light energy that is wasted. Lights left on when we go out to work for the day, because we forgot to turn it off. Lights left on in the office because no thought to turn it off. Tiny things in the realms of the time it take to affect a real change, by simply flicking a switch.

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

The Mum’s are getting all excited ‘cos we’re going to this Ho Down. I don’t knkow what a Ho Down is. I asked the brother but he wouldn’t tell me. He just did that head shake thing where he looks at me like I’m totally stupid – I’m sure that means he hasn’t got a clue either but he can’t admit it. I asked the mum’s what one was last night. Used my best pronunciation and everything… and they still didn’t understand me. I’ve been training them like forever, since i got here and I’m four now (it was my birthday today and i got to eat steak and pork and a great big sausage and the piece de resistance…. I got a new ball!) but they still don’t speak Jazzyese!

Anyway they’ve got these spakly cowboy hats (that what Mummy called them – they look like big upside down water bowls to me with shiny bits all over them) and they said Saturday night is going to be loads and loads of fun!

I’ll let you know if there are any balls or sticks there.

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog

Waste is probably one of the easiest things we can reduce, yet still one of the biggest failures of our government. Whilst steps have been taken to improve this I have to say that on the whole the facilities for recycling the waste of the nation are pitiful, collection is shocking and education is appaling!
Billions of tonnes of waste are procuded every year, but most people ae still unaware as to what they can recycle. What is suitable for a compost heap and what isn’t. What can i do with my old bike? All these questions and more are things we will try to answer as we work through Deepdale’s Eco-tips.

Today’s top tip for reducing the aount of waste you create in your kitchen….
Buy produce from your local shop. Walk there and back, so you will only buy what you can carry. By purchasing your goods from a local source you are reducing your CO2 emissions by not using a car or public transport. You will hopefully take your own sturdy bag with you to carrry your shopping in and so reduce the amount of bags and packaging you will have to ispose of. Your support of your local shop will help to keep the shop going, therefore increasing the turnover, leading to increase in work and affluence in the local area. It also helps to create a feeling of community spirit with in the local area which has many bennefits both economical, environmental and social.

All by buying your potatoes from your local green grocer’s. Simple!

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You can usually meet Merlin and Jazz at Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the beautiful north Norfolk coast – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk
Eco-friendly backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, yurts and group hostel

You can read about Merlin and Jazz’s adventures on the Deepdale Backpackers & Camping Blog – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk/blog