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Sleep in a 200 year old tree in the New Forest

20th May 2013 Print
The latest hand-made bed at Cottage Lodge

Christina Simons, the owner of eco boutique B&B Cottage Lodge in Brockenhurst, is gradually bringing the New Forest inside her 5-star 16-room property with the creation of exquisite, hand-made beds and other furniture made from rescued trees; the latest addition is a beautiful bed made from a fallen 200-year- old oak tree recovered from a farm within the forest boundaries.

All the hand-made furniture at Cottage Lodge was crafted by local tree surgeon and wood sculptor Rob Dyer who resides in the New Forest and has a workshop there.

In keeping with Cottage Lodge’s many ‘green’ credentials, the total distance the tree has travelled from its original site to the bedroom – 2 miles to Rob’s workshop – 6 miles back to the room – is 8 miles in total.

There are now three hand-made beds at Cottage Lodge plus other bedroom furniture including dressers and bed-side tables.

Rob also made all the tables in the Cottage Lodge ‘Fallen Tree’ restaurant from a very rare Black Poplar tree and, if the tables are placed in alignment, it is possible to make out the original shape of the tree trunk.

Cottage Lodge has won numerous awards for its eco credentials; solar panels are located on the roof to produce hot water in the summer (in the winter months, water is kept warm via the wood burning stove), low-flow loos and showers reduce water usage and materials including Marmoleum (jute) and bamboo have been used for their green properties.

Rooms have LED lighting and low-energy light bulbs, eco paints and low impact building materials have been used throughout, and one room even has a bike to power the TV!

For the month of May, Cottage Lodge is offering 3 nights for the price of 2 for stays between Sunday and Thursday.

Cottage Lodge has also recently acquired its own ‘Twizzy’ electric vehicle which guests can hire for £8.50 per hour, and drive silently around the forest without frightening the ponies!

The special offer costs from just £75 pp (two sharing) including the famous New Forest Marque cooked breakfast.

For more information, visit cottagelodge.co.uk.

More Photos - Click to Enlarge

The latest hand-made bed at Cottage Lodge