The Lodge is the large communal building for our glamping guests which was completed in May 2019. Over 30 tonnes of locally sourced roundwood timber was used to build the frame and roof, the external walls are all made from straw-bales and the internal walls are made with 'cob' (earth, sand, straw & water). There is a grass 'living' roof alive with the grasses and wildflowers excavated from the site.

This symbolism of reciprocity, interdependence and interconnectedness is reflected in the 'Reciprocal Roof' design and indeed the whole essence and soul of the building. As each roundpole beam supports the one above it, so did the building rely on the support of all the many volunteers whose hands molded and pressed the mud into the walls, to all the locally sourced materials - the building literally came from the land around it - to the building now providing a beautiful space to bring of people together, supporting connection.

Straw-bale Building
Straw-bale building is a construction method often used in natural/eco building construction. Research has shown that straw-bale construction is a sustainable method for building, from the standpoint of both materials and energy needed for heating and cooling. Advantages of straw-bale construction over conventional building systems include the renewable nature of straw, low level of skill needed in construction, easy availability, naturally fire-retardant once compressed and covered with clay plaster, and high insulation value. Straw-bale walls are typically coated with a thick layer of lime render externally and clay plaster internally.

Cob Building

The internal walls of the Lodge were built with 'Cob' which is another method of natural building. Cob is a combination of sandy-sub soil, clay and straw. It’s mixed together in large batches by stomping (or dancing!) on it. Cob is considered the most sustainable method of building there is. It has almost zero embodied energy and since it's made of earth, it is also entirely recyclable, biodegradable, breathable and non-polluting. Cob provides excellent thermal mass acting as a heat regulator fo the building – cooling in the summer and providing heat storage in the winter.

The combination of insulation from the straw bale external walls and thermal mass from the internal cob walls provides an excellent platform for passive solar building design for winter and summer. And the cosiness of the Lodge is a testament to this.