Lovely Loos for Lovely Landscapes

We live in a beautiful country, and it’s fantastic to be able to get out and about to explore the stunning landscape of the British Isles. However, it’s also nice to know that there are facilities nearby in case you get caught short.

For those managing beautiful countryside sites which attract tourists, this has always caused some issues. On the one hand, if you want to encourage tourism, but want to ensure that your visitors aren’t damaging the very ecology that has brought them to you by going in the wrong place, you will need to provide toilet facilities. On the other hand, you don’t want to damage that same ecology yourself by running in water and sewerage pipes to build an out-of-place block of toilets.

The solution, then, is simple; you need a toilet that doesn’t need mains plumbing and sewerage to function properly. Since the 1960s, the portaloo has been the standard option, but it has issues; the chemicals used to treat the waste are not necessarily environmentally friendly, and since the cabins are generally made of bright blue plastic they’re not in keeping with the landscape either. They can also get very smelly if they’re not emptied frequently enough, which can be an issue in remote locations. If you’re promoting your landscape as a destination for sustainable eco-tourism, the portaloo is really not a sustainable choice.

For managers who want to take a step further, and not only protect but also improve their landscape, compost toilets are an ideal solution. Instead of treating the waste with chemicals and taking it away, it can instead be collected for use as compost and fertiliser, which in turn can be used in promoting the growth of local flora. By using a natural, carbon-rich soak instead of chemicals, unpleasant smells are eliminated, and by creating a stylish timber exterior instead of the traditional plastic, we have created an option that is ideal for promoting sustainable tourism.

In some locations, it’s even possible to install a composting toilet that never needs to be emptied; our Tree-bog compost toilets are designed to have the nutrients directed straight into osier, willow or existing mature trees which purify the waste as they grow.

Here at Free Range Designs, we offer a range of composting toilets which will be perfectly at home and in keeping with natural landscapes, and we can create bespoke designs if you have particular requirements – simply contact us for more information.