Great views of St. Austell Bay and Luxulyan Valley
from The Meadow Barns
PL24 2SA
Awareness of all things Green
50 years ago, this little meadow was a pony paddock at the heart of a working farm. Today, despite its size, it is home to some BIG ideas, being widely shared, to help our ailing planet.
Caroline, the owner, whose father & grandfather made the farm successful, has been a musician and teacher all her life. Her passion for making a difference to climate change has led her to build an eco-home, surrounded by a Green Awareness and Learning Centre.
Unlike close neighbour and partner, the Eden Project (with a similar ethos but thousands of visitors), the meadow can only accommodate small numbers. The day limit is 12 people = 2 or 3 families, or one school/community group at a time.
The great advantage of these restricted numbers is that every Green Day Out becomes intimate and special, with activities pre-planned to match the interests and fitness of individual visitors, whether they be 4 years old or 84!
GREEN means picnics on the wildflower banks, gazing at those amazing views.
GREEN means walking beautiful, secret woodland paths to the World Heritage site of Luxulyan Valley and its magnificent viaduct.
A magical day out with a wonderful guide and host.
Our 4 year old had a brilliant time!
David Morgan
And Green Awareness means watching demonstrations of eco-building processes and energy systems – solar, biomass, hydro and geo-thermal, with monitoring equipment located here, for the Eden Project. (Click to enlarge images).
Fascinating to gain this understanding of renewable energy and see such positive steps towards a sustainable future.
Amanda Penk
Learning here is very different from school and not just for children. When Caroline tells the lively tales of an 1820s Green Hero, Mr. J.T. Austen Treffry, it is as much about entertainment as education. This is a time simply to sit back and enjoy; then (if you like) become a character for a little while – a mining lad or maiden, a ‘project manager’ or priest.
You can find out more about these outdoor and practical ‘betterways2learn’, and see the open-sided classroom by clicking this link to School Visits – The Meadow Barns.
DAY VISIT Just invite a group of family & friends, or maybe colleagues for a ‘works do’. Agree to share cars and make up a party for an active Day Out. For more about the practicalities, such as refreshments, click the Day Visit link above.
QUIET OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION
For a deeper immersion, take over the whole site between the hours of 5pm and 10 next morning.”Pik n Mix” your unique accommodation combo of tents (yours), pitched on the flat Fig Tree lawn, plus indoor rooms in the old cow shed, the garage/workshop and (when available), the posh Woodland Suite in Meadow Barns cottage. Your Green Staycation will be private, peaceful and unforgettable.
This is our 3rd visit! The centre is a favourite place for us, where we can help our grand children learn so much – fitness, camping, history & how to be responsible green citizens.
Roger Larham
A final word – you may like to visit our partnering web site, where there is a Download area for a weekly Green Fridays Blog, plus films and publications, soon to include the big book of our Green Hero, Mr. Treffry. http://www.betterways2learn.co.uk/betterways
Key Features of The Meadow Barns
- Exceptional panoramic coastal views
- Unique local history stories (Treffry Tales)
- Woodland walk and story experiences
- Waterwheel learning centre
- Green energy (solar & biomass) systems
- Camping and indoor accommodation for one private group
Meet your host
This picture of Caroline Stephenson dates from Easter 2018, when she took up the reins as project manager of her own ‘Grand Design’. She will happily tell you all about the trials and tribulations of converting the barns, as well as the many green energy initiatives she used within the build & continues using today for managing the site.
What our supporters say
“At Meadow Barns you are perfectly placed to tell the story, paint the BIG picture! “
Sir Tim Smit
“So pleased that you want to inform people about Joseph Thomas Austen Treffry”
Jonathan & Sarah Treffry
