Yorkshire Wolds Glamping in Weaverthorpe, near Malton, enters its 2019   summer season with a renewed emphasis on the local environment.

The popular site now boasts luxurious accommodation in four fully renovated former railway wagons, along with four upcycled shipping container pods.

But the ethos behind creating the business was always more than just running a glamping site.

Owner Tracy Chapman explains : “Five years ago, I had a dream of creating an environmentally friendly glamping site using as many recycled materials as possible and creating a haven for wildlife at the same time.”

She decided to renovate the five rusting railway wagons that were on site to turn them in to luxury glamping accommodation.  These include a former London and North Eastern Railway banana wagon dating from 1936.

Having converted four of the wagons, several families of swallows have decided to nest in the fifth and final wagon, so she will be leaving it for the birds.

All the wagons now have their own en-suite toilet, and two have woodburning stoves. Each wagon can sleep up to four people.

In addition to the wagons, instead of purchasing four newly built pods, Tracy decided to use old redundant shipping containers to build cosy and bespoke glamping accommodation. The pods are situated close to the communal facilities on site, including the showers, toilets and kitchen, which are also made from old shipping containers.

An old agricultural shed has been turned in to a bespoke photography studio and the top of a grain silo that was on site when Tracy purchased the land is now a perfect space for Glamping customers to shelter from the weather.

Since the site opened, 980 hedging plants, which were planted four years ago, now make a perfect hedge for birds to nest in. Over 1000 other plants including trees and wildlife loving flowers have also been planted with an emphasis on creating a haven for bees, butterflies and insects. The site boasts two barn owl boxes to support the local population, and large areas of the site are left to grow wild to provide feeding grounds and habitat for wildlife, including hedgehogs, toads, mice, rabbits and foxes. The wildlife area was designed and built by the local Scout Group.

All the lights on site are LED and / or sensor lights to reduce electricity usage.

Tracy Chapman added: “The business here is going very well indeed, and I am absolutely delighted that my initial dream of creating a site with such a strong nod towards the environment has become reality.”

The wagons are open all year round for accommodation; the pods are open until the end of October, and then again from March. The site is located near two village pubs, both of which serve excellent food and there is a café and shop in the village providing essentials for Glamping customers.