| Here’s the BESST way to experience the Peak District – England’s first National Park, Hylte – Sweden’s most southerly wilderness and Fyresdal – the most beautiful part of Norway’s Telemark region…are historic rural areas with a hint of wilderness. They have distinctive wildlife, traditional farms and ancient forests, beautiful lakes and rivers, and welcoming communities in scattered towns and villages. All this waiting to be discovered by you. |
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Check out BESST businesses and BESST offers to find out what is available. Don’t miss out on new offers! Add the BESST website to your ‘Favourites’ and keep in touch!
BESST Holidays
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Try BESST holidays and activities. Explore heritage walks in the Peak District, Learn to be a Botanist in Hylte or Wilderness Fishing in Fyresdal – whatever you choose you can be sure that your purchase or visit is boosting rural business and helping the environment and local people. |
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Toasting your toes after fishing in Fyresdal |
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BESST businesses include accommodation providers, activity providers, food producers, farms with tourism opportunities, artists and craftsmen. All are strongly connected to their local surroundings and operate in ways that respect the environment. |
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First meet your fish, then eat it in Hylte |
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Only businesses that meet standards for quality, environmental care and willingness to collaborate with other local businesses can become BESST businesses. We are continually adding new BESST businesses so keep checking for new offers. |
| What is BESST? |
Pedal and picnic in the Peak District |
It’s simply the BESST! Business and the Environment linked through Small Scale Tourism…and it does what it says – it links small, family-based businesses to the high quality environment they exist in through tourism.The BESST philosophy is that the environment – the landscape, wildlife, history and traditions of the place people live and work in – is a great business asset.
Accessible wild areas, picturesque villages and a healthier pace of life are all part of the BESST experience so it pays to take care of the environment.
The 5 BESST Principles
There are five criteria any business must satisfy to become a BESST business:
1. Involvement in BESST - Through active membership of the recognised business associations and/or participation in one of the BESST initiatives e.g. the Heritage Walks project or Trails Triangle cycling project in the Peak District.
2. Meeting Basic Quality Standards – e.g. In the Peak District, being English Tourist Board or equivalent registered for accommodation businesses.
3. Environmental Performance – Having reasonable standards of environmental performance already e.g. on water, waste and fuel economy; appearance of buildings.
4. Continuous Improvement – Being committed to the idea of continuous improvement in making creative use of environmental assets by a practical application of the BESST philosophy.
5. Collaboration – Active involvement in helping the BESST project by collaborating with other businesses, and by providing information for use in BESST promotional activities and on the impact of BESST activities on the business.
The BESST Philosophy
BESST believes that the environment is a great business asset. The idea of businesses developing whilst at the same time benefiting their environment is shown in the BESST logo - a ‘virtuous spiral’ - the opposite of a vicious circle. The leaves represent businesses and the environment which gradually grow in size as they thrive, always in harmony with each other.
Through BESST, new products and services are becoming available that stimulate investment by businesses resulting in a healthier local economy and greater care of the areas’ special qualities.
That is why the BESST logo is a ‘virtuous spiral’ (the opposite of a vicious circle) – showing a never-ending spiral of growing green leaves – illustrating businesses and the environment growing together.
The BESST Project
BESST is an international collaboration project organised as part of the European Union’s Interreg Programme for the North Sea Region. The partners are the Peak District National Park Authority and University of Derby (England), Fyresdal Kommune (Norway) and Hylte Kommun (Sweden).
