The Old Cellar lies in the heart of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The SSSI status is due to the existence of a number of rare species including wild orchids, Pipistrelle bats and various amphibians. The chemical-free willow bed system that recycles our waste water is modelled on King Charles’ Highgrove Estate.

Our Willow Bed System:

We are lucky enough to be able to source our water from the head springs of the River Otter. All our waste water is aerated and flows through 4 ponds, five sets of willow beds (over 10,000 root stocks made up of 22 varieties of Osier basket willows) and ends up in a half acre lake before being returned to the water course which meets the River Otter at the foot of the Luppitt Valley in pristine condition. All output is regularly monitored by the Environment Agency.

How it works:

Willow bed treatment systems are self-contained, artificially engineered, wetland ecosystems. They are designed to optimise the microbiological, chemical and physical processes naturally occurring in the willow bed. Wetland plants, such as reeds, transfer atmospheric oxygen down through their roots in order to survive in waterlogged conditions. This creates both aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions allowing extraordinary microbiological species diversity to develop.

These bacteria and fungi can use organic pollutants as a food source, breaking down a wide range of organic chemical products. Chemicals are not simply stored in the reed bed, they are actually digested into harmless components. The complexity of the microbial life and powerful reactions within the root zone of the soil based willow bed result in an extraordinary water cleaning capability. This capability is often far less constrained than in many chemical or physical waste water treatment systems.