Green page

In his book 'A Guide to the End of the World: Everything You Never Wanted to Know', Bill McGuire says: 'The British Isles are particularly vulnerable to a side effect of global warming because it is already happening and cannot be reversed for thousands of years'.

He believes there is a serious risk that a disruption of ocean currents, resulting from large scale melting of Arctic ice, will 'shut off' the warm water of the Gulf Stream.

Without the Gulf Stream, he says, temperatures in the UK and north western Europe would be 5 degrees C or cooler, with bitter winters as fierce as those of the so-called 'Little Ice Age' in the 17th to 19th centuries. The process may already be under way, he suspects.

'It is too late to stop temperatures and sea levels rising for thousands of years' he says, 'But if we don't do anything it's going to be much worse for our children and grandchildren. Drastic things have to be done now'.

Langrish House is committed to helping the Environment.

Please help us conserve energy.

• Remember we are not on main drainage; we have a septic tank so please do not put anything down the loo that would either block the drains or upset the chemical balance in the tank.
• Please do not leave lights or heaters on unnecessarily.
• If you turn your towel rail on, please turn it off when you leave the hotel.
• If you are staying more than one night, please put your towels on the towel rail for use another day. If you would like them to be washed please, put them in the bath or shower.

Bicycles, Bus Routes and Walks....

• Bicycles can be arranged through Reception or Owens Bicycle Shop in Petersfield.
• Langrish House is very lucky to be on a Bus Route. The Bus Stop is by the front Drive. For a timetable please ask Reception. We are on Bus Routes 17 and 67.
• There are some lovely walks around here please ask at Reception if you would like to see a map.

Langrish House is going green but it takes time...

These are some of the steps we are taking:

• We are gradually changing the light bulbs to low energy bulbs and introducing Sava plugs on deep freezes and fridges
• The heating is on a time clock to control the level in public areas and in the bedrooms.
• We recycle paper
• We recycle glass
• Garden waste is recycled carefully
• We send used printer cartridges for recycling
• Used stamps are saved for Charity
• We have introduced a short flush facility in all the new cisterns.
• Self closers are fitted to all the doors to reduce heat loss.
• Thermostatic valves are fitted to the radiators thus saving unnecessary heat.
• We are trying to find a good use for the used soaps some charities collect them. Can anyone help?
• There are a million things we could all do and we are constantly looking for ways reduce our consumption of Energy.

All ideas welcome!

Local Crafts

Langrish House is proud to encourage local crafts. Examples of local artists' work may be found about the Hotel.

The Rosemary Foundation

Langrish House sponsors The Rosemary Foundation as its preferred Charity.

The Rosemary Foundation is a local Charity, a community based group of health care professionals offering a full, supportive hands-on nursing service for patients suffering from cancer, or other life threatening conditions - within their own homes. This includes a bereavement and counselling service.

Langrish House is pleased to be able to help The Rosemary Foundation raise money in many different ways.

Around the 1st December every year, we switch on the Christmas Lights in the Garden. These Lights are sponsored by people wishing to dedicate them to someone special, and the money raised is used to help patients.

There are leaflets about The Rosemary Foundation in the Hotel.

Birds And Wildlife

Langrish House is a member of the RSPB and the Wildfowl Trust.

The gardens are full of wild life.

There are plenty of rabbits and grey squirrels.

The chickens and bantams are completely free range, but sadly thanks to legislation from Brussels, we are not allowed to serve you their absolutely delicious fresh eggs! We have to eat them ourselves!

We encourage birds by providing nest boxes in the garden, making sure they have water during dry spells and feeding them as per the RSPB guidelines. You may be able to see the following birds:

Sparrows Robins Blue Tits Great Tits

Nuthatch Gold Finches Green Finches Pied Wagtails Yellow Wagtails

Chaffinches Pheasants Partridges Duck

Crows Rooks Greater Spotted Woodpecker Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Black Cap Wren Stock Dove Collared Dove Green Woodpecker Jackdaw Heron Magpie

Song Thrush Dunnock Wood Pigeon

We would be thrilled to hear of more that you may have identified. There is an RSPB book to help with identification in the Hall.

If you are looking towards the Lake you may be able to see the Heron which lives down there and feeds very well on the fish. It has a very ungainly flight!

Occasionally a group of Canada Geese fly towards the Lake and make a lot of noise about it!

When my husband was a boy, there were swans on the Lake, but they left many years ago.

At night it is often possible to hear the Screech Owls.

Gardens

In the Gardens and on the slopes we have some specimen trees:

Giant Redwood Sequoia

Silver Birch Abies Grandis

Scots Pine Atlas Cedar

Ginko Tree Acacia

An array of fine, mature Yews, Limes, Sycamores, Horse Chesnuts, Oaks, and Beeches

Why Not Give The Car A Day Off? (and help the environment as well!)

A Walk to East Meon

Turn left out of the gate and walk up the lane not far.

At the first house on the right (Pidham Cottage) turn in to the drive and behind the garage there is a gate.

Walk up the path to the top of the hill!

At the top turn left follow the track round to the right and then take the first left up the hill. There is a 'dog leg' at the top of the hill and then the track continues in the same direction until you get to the house and a road.

Cross the lane and to your left there is a gate.

Walk across the hill and over another style you then follow the top fence across the top of the hill.

You will see East Meon at your feet and it looks like a toy village! There is a very dramatic dipped area which used to be used for growing vines.

The Footpath takes you down the hill when you get level with the Church (Norman). Walk through the Churchyard and you will be in East Meon, where there are two Pubs, the Izaak Walton and The George. Both serve very good food.

Afterwards, you could catch the 67 Bus back to Langrish, or you could walk back!

Happy Walking!

A Walk to East Meon

Turn right out of the Langrish House drive

When you get to the thatched house in the dip – you will see a stile and a path which crosses the garden.

Cross the next stile and walk across the field towards the gate.

Go through the gate and walk up the lane

At the top of the lane – cross another stile and follow the fence line of the field.

Straight ahead of you is a holly tree

At the holly tree there is a stile – cross that stile and continue in a straight line across the field.

When you get to the next hedge – follow round to the right and go down the path through the wood.

The path forks to the left – towards a gate – and then across a couple of fields.

You will come to a ‘road’ – which is very quiet – cross it and turn to the right almost immediately where there is another gate and a footpath marked.

Follow the footpath through the little fields until you get to another road.

This road is a bigger one and you should watch out for traffic.

Turn left – and continue until you see : The Seven Stars