Off Grid Luxury
Being so far off the beaten track getting power and water to Dippal Lodge was a bit of a challenge. Due to the remote location getting mains electricity and water wasn’t an option so we had to think outside of the box.
There is a hill spring close to the lodge, which was a good source, but it is below the building. We installed a tank at the spring to collect the water, and a pump to push it up the hill to the building, also providing us with our water pressure after it’s climb.
The water pump needs power so that was the next thing to solve. We decided that the best option was for was a combination of solar panels, battery storage and a back up generator for those dark Scottish winter days. As the lodge is located on a site of special scientific interest some off grid power solutions like wind turbines are not allowed.
The sewage system is not something you immediately think requires power. As we want to be as energy efficient as possible we installed a Bio Rock septic tank which requires no electricity and has a low carbon footprint.
All of our lights are LED and use very little energy.
We designed our system to be as hassle free and carbon neutral as possible, so our guests can enjoy all the comforts of modern life.
For hundreds of years there has always been a building on the site at Dippal Lodge. Originally this would have been a dwelling for a shepherd and his family. In 1998 the ruin of a cottage was rebuilt as a lunch hut for shooting parties, when the farm used to be run as a grouse shooting estate.
In 2018 I started to look into the Ayrshire LEADER funding programme for farm diversification. In 2019 we were awarded a grant for agritourism and could breathe some new life back into the building, along with some much needed TLC. David and I had always wanted to do something with the building, as even when out in the pouring rain for a sheep gather the area at the Dippal is truly breathtaking.
We decided on the name Dippal Lodge as the Dippal burn runs past the site and on the lapwing as our logo as it is one of the red list birds that you can see in the area. As part of our farming system we have entered into a lot of agri-environment schemes to improve the habitat for all species. Over the last few years we have also undertaken a huge peatland restoration programme with the RSPB to improve the farm’s carbon capture.
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Best wishes,
David, Cora, Lynton and Cassian