Researchers say up to 6,000 infections a year by the bug campylobacter, the biggest cause of food-borne infection in Britain, could be traced to the bottled waters that are a regular part of many Britons’ diet. Bottled mineral water may be responsible for thousands of cases of food poisoning, a study suggests. “There are lots of possibilities for the future.”‘The Green Holiday Guide’ is published by Green Books at £9.95 (01803 863 260; )Contact World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms on 01273 476 286; .uk; and ECEAT on 00 31 20 668 1030; . But he is optimistic about what lies ahead.”We now have more than 150 British members,” he says. But holidays like this remain far more popular in northern and eastern Europe than here. Auke van Hinte admits that his organisation has been slow to promote itself; and the recent problems of foot-and-mouth disease have not helped the cause of rural holidays in Britain. “We can arrange whatever people want; we take away the responsibility of organising things,” says Kristin.What Kristin and Richard, the Manns, and Bridget Hickey-Williams all offer is a relaxed holiday in beautiful surroundings, with the opportunity to eat locally-produced, often organic food, and to mix with their host family.

Kristin and Richard were encouraged to join ECEAT when one of the organisers stayed with them, and was impressed by what he experienced. They have been offering hospitality in their ecologically friendly home for seven years are always fully-booked. “We are in an idyllic spot and we like to share it with others,” admits Kristin. She is an artist, and Richard a musician; they are available to help guests get in touch with their creativity, through practical art courses and music recording sessions; massage and healing sessions are also available.

Some people do this for a weekend break in the fresh air; others, such as David, one of Bridget’s long-term Wwoofers, stay for weeks at a time, often as a way of seeing the world: Wwoofing is particularly well-developed in Australia and New Zealand.”A lot of the people I meet are looking at a particular lifestyle,” Bridget has noticed. “They don’t necessarily want to ‘opt out’ as such, but they are interested in the environmental health of the world; they’re concerned about over-consumption, and they want to know how they can help.”It is the pursuit of an extra dimension to their lives that often motivates the visitors who stay with Kristin Charlesworth and Richard Knapp at Little Burrows, on the edge of Dartmoor. One family came for a couple of days and stayed for two weeks.”As well as taking guests, who camp in her field or sleep on a platform in one of her barns, through ECEAT, Bridget is also a member of WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), an organisation that encourages people to volunteer for farm work – anything from clearing land to baking bread – in return for board and lodging. Nearly three-quarters of her guests are families who have come to explore the surrounding countryside “But they usually end up staying around the farm,” she says “There are plenty of animals and the children love it. Rob Mann admits that this type of holiday wouldn’t suit everyone “The average person wants fun, fun, fun,” he jokes. “Well, they’re not going to get fun here.” But anyone listening to him and Robyn describing evenings spent with their guests, or seeing the empty wine bottles lined up beside last night’s smouldering bonfire, would realise that there is plenty of enjoyment to be had at Manor Barn: days spent walking in the woods around the farm, or visiting nearby Norwich or the Norfolk Broads, and evenings sharing a meal with the Manns.Ecological holidays appeal most to older visitors or those with young families, as Robyn and Rob’s Norfolk neighbour, Bridget Hickey-Williams, has found She lives in a complex of barns in Garboldisham Ling. “It’s not just about tourism, but about training farmers to develop tourism alongside their agricultural activities.”Many of the properties affiliated to ECEAT are smallholdings, others are larger estates; most are organic, often embracing philosophies such as permaculture, sustainable living appropriate to the surroundings; and the accommodation is often basic.