#LiveMoreYHA#LiveMoreYHAIssue #02
Coastal cycling: Northumberland + Bond film locations
Past meets present in York+ WIN a huge OS bundle
ComedianEd Byrne+ Best outdoor books
Escape somewhere new this year
We uncover one of the best multi-day walks in the Lakes
SEATHWAITE | THE LAKE DISTRICT
One minute the sun bathes you in its warm glow, the next clouds are overhead, driven by a strong breeze. When weather conditions can change in an instant, it’s easy to
convince yourself that winter is a time to retreat and hibernate until spring, but with our vast range of durable and reliable outdoor kit, you can still enjoy spectacular locations this winter. Pop into your local store for expert advice from our friendly
staff, or browse our full range online.
15% DISCOUNT* FOR YHA MEMBERS, IN STORE AND ONLINE
*Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Only valid on production of your YHA membership card in storeor use of discount code online. Offer expires 31.03.16.
STORES NATIONWIDE | COTSWOLDOUTDOOR.COM
Happy New Year – and a very warm welcome to the second edition of Live More YHA. The issue you’re now reading is the latest in a tradition of YHA magazines and newsletters stretching back more than 80 years. The very first was launched in 1932: a publication named Rucksack, which focused on the meteoric rise in popularity of youth hostelling.
Our modern breed of hostels would have been unrecognisable to travellers of the 1930s, but our core values as a charitable organisation – to enrich lives and provide affordable opportunities for fresh experiences – remain every bit as relevant and important today as they were then.
Hostelling remains a fantastic way for people of all ages to explore more of England and Wales, and one aspect that we hope this new magazine will highlight for you is the sheer breadth of our properties around the country.
YHA Keswick sadly fell foul of the floods that affected so much of the north in late 2015, but we’re delighted to report that work is well underway to get it reopened and looking better than ever by late spring.
In this issue we complete a circular walk of four YHA Lake District properties, including Keswick – we hope it gives you inspiration for later in the year.
The best way to support an area is, of course, to visit it, and this issue also covers historic York, a flood-affected city very much back on its feet. Elsewhere you’ll find nature guides, reviews of the latest adventure gear and a round-up of some of the best new outdoor books. Happy reading.
WelcomeWelcome
Caroline White, Chief Executive
SEATHWAITE | THE LAKE DISTRICT
One minute the sun bathes you in its warm glow, the next clouds are overhead, driven by a strong breeze. When weather conditions can change in an instant, it’s easy to
convince yourself that winter is a time to retreat and hibernate until spring, but with our vast range of durable and reliable outdoor kit, you can still enjoy spectacular locations this winter. Pop into your local store for expert advice from our friendly
staff, or browse our full range online.
15% DISCOUNT* FOR YHA MEMBERS, IN STORE AND ONLINE
*Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Only valid on production of your YHA membership card in storeor use of discount code online. Offer expires 31.03.16.
STORES NATIONWIDE | COTSWOLDOUTDOOR.COM
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Contents
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12
16
20
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Stepping Out: your latest news and events, plus trip ideas
Meet the outdoor-loving comic Ed Byrne
Stunning cycling along the Northumberland coastline
York: the historical city with a modern pulse
A four-day hostel-to-hostel walkin the Lake District
East of England
South East
East Midlands
Heart of England
Wales
Yorkshire
South West
North East
London
The Island of Jersey
Over 150 places to stay, limitless possibilities
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How to... read a map, go beach-combing, identify the tit family
Gear: essential kit for all-weather outdoor exploration
Hostel guide: plan your next adventure here
Pictures from your adventures and #LiveMoreYHA tweets
COMPETITION: Win a bundle of Ordnance Survey goodies
North West
Stepping Out: New books
Outdoor booksWalking The Literary Landscape Vertebrate Publishing, £12.95, Ian Hamilton & Diane Roberts
A clever idea, this. Here are 20 walks in northern England, each of them themed around a different poet or author. Literature-lovers can trace the areas once familiar to the likes of the Bronte sisters, Beatrix Potter and WH Auden. YHA Members have a 25% discount on all Vertebrate Publishing titles – login toyha.org.uk/myyha
The Night-time Adventure NotebookNational Trust, £8.99, 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11¾
The latest addition to the National Trust’s excellent 50 Things series focuses on family adventures after sundown. There are some cracking ideas, from moon charts and snow lanterns to firelight stories and “owl prowls”. Another nice touch: the cover glows in the dark.
Wild Guide to Southern & Eastern EnglandWild Things Publishing, £15.99, Daniel Start, Lucy
Grewcock & Elsa HammondCovering wild camping, wild swimming, field-to-plate food, micro-breweries, ancient woodlands and lost ruins, this is an attractive book stuffed with off-beat activities around the Southeast. YHA Members have a 30% discount on all Wild Things Publishing titles – login toyha.org.uk/myyha
Behind The BinocularsPelagic Publishing, £16.99 Mark Avery & Keith Betton A hugely readable and often absorbing
collection of in-depth Q&A interviews with prominent birdwatchers, including Chris Packham and field-guide author Phil Hollom. The dialogues cover early birding experiences and all-time highlights.
The National Trails Of England, Scotland & WalesCicerone, £18.95, Paddy DillonA bible for serious walkers, this 265-page
guidebook covers all 15 national trails in England and Wales, as well as the four main long-distance routes in Scotland. There are detailed day-by-day descriptions.
The start of a new year is always a time for resolutions. If yours, like ours, is to spend even more time enjoying the outdoors, you’re in luck – we’ve picked five of the best new books to get you in the mood.
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Stepping Out: Live music
The double platinum-selling folk-rockers are coming to a hostel near you this February
77 BombayStreet
Two decades after Alan Partridge suggested ‘Youth Hostelling With Chris Eubank’ as a TV show idea to a bemused BBC executive, the ex-boxer himself has visited the new YHA Brighton. Here’s what he had to say.
“I am delighted to be linked to YHA because I am not an actor and everything seen was most sincere. Indeed, the hostel was splendid, extraordinary and I’m very pleased
to be introduced to this youth hostel world of accommodation, which is, for me, an absolute revelation. With a wry smile, I say this could be a potential case of farewell to the fivestar properties I have known and enjoyed. Simply put, I remain humbled.”
Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubank... AHA!
Following in the footsteps of acts like George Ezra and Prides, the double-platinum selling European band 77 Bombay Street are about to embark on a live tour of YHA hostels. The MTV Award-nominated four-piece, known for their folk-rock songs and multi-part harmonies, will be playing 20 free dates across February, taking in properties from Cornwall to the Lake District. Matt Ruchli, one of the four Swiss brothers who make up the band, explains why they arranged the tour. “To travel and make music at the same time is every musician’s
dream, and there’s something special about youth hostels. All those people waiting for adventure – there’s a mutual respect and a feeling of being in a community of likeminded people. We’re excited to visit all these cool YHA hostels in so many different places.”
Intrigued? Check out songs like Up In The Sky, I Love Lady Gaga and Seven Mountains online, then get planning. For the tour dates, go to p23 or visit: yha.org.uk/77-Bombay-Street
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Stepping Out: Summer camps
“He made friends immediately and tried and loved every activity. The first thing he said on his return was ‘can I go next year?’ A huge success.”
It’s feedback like this, from the parents of one of our recent Summer Camps participants, that underlines exactly what we aim to achieve with our annual getaways.
Our six-day all-inclusive Summer Camps, across five locations, give young people the chance to grow in confidence and broaden their horizons: to meet new people, engage in outdoor adventure and strengthen their sense of independence. There are three types of camps aimed at three different age groups between 10 and 19 years old – Go eXtreme, Future Leader and Action Adventure – and our Breaks for Kids bursary helps fund discounts of up to 75% for kids from low-income households. Members also get a 15% discount.
For more info visit summercamps.yha.org.uk
Of the 649 young people on our camps:
Summer camps
had the chance to try activities they’d never done before
said they’d made friends from other backgrounds
assessed themselves as having become more independent
93%
84%
91%
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Stepping Out: Alex Rider
Psst! We’re on the hunt for teenage super spies! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help us discover the next Alex Rider. We’ve teamed up with Walker Books to launch the Alex Rider Classified Mission, a new
Action Adventure package for young undercover secret agents (or schoolchildren, as the uninitiated might think of them). Available at 13 different hostels — and only available to school groups — the package is being run as either a two, three or four night residential experience. Intended as a character-building, activity-packed spy academy, it can involve anything from rock-climbing, orienteering and raft-building to bushcraft, gadget design and code-cracking. All participating students will receive a ‘mission accomplished’ certificate and a free copy of Anthony Horowitz’s
first Alex Rider novel,
Stormbreaker, courtesy of Walker Books. Prospective agents will be in their element!
• To see participating hostels visit: groups.yha.org.uk/package/alex-rider-classified-mission• Contact Group Reservations for more info: 01629 592 700 (8am–8pm Mon-Fri/ 9am-5pm Sat/ 10am-4pm Sun)
Blenheim Palace – SpectreDaniel Craig’s silver Aston Martin can be seen tearing through the palace forecourt in the new film. Nearest hostel: YHA Oxford (11 miles)
Stoke Park – Goldfinger (pictured)The site of 007’s famous round of golf against Auric Goldfinger, caddied by bowler-hatted henchman Oddjob. Nearest hostel: YHA Jordans (7 miles)
Silverstone – ThunderballSean Connery nearly comes to a sticky end at Silverstone racetrack. Nearest hostel: YHA Milton Keynes (16 miles)
The Reform Club – Quantum of SolaceThis Pall Mall club is features in both Quantum of Solace and Die Another Day. Nearest hostel: YHA London Oxford Street (1 mile)
Nene Valley Railway – Octopussy The railway and its stations were used in Roger Moore’s Octopussy. Nearest hostel: YHA Thurlby (15 miles)
Eden Project – Die Another DayThe Eden Project’s biomes appear in Pierce Brosnan’s Die Another Day. Nearest hostel: YHA Eden Project (on site)
Six Bond film locations near YHAs
NEw YHA SCHool
BroCHurEOur latest brochure for school
groups is out now, offering a whole range of unique experiences across
the country – and at attractive prices, too. Head to
yha.org.uk/school-trips/brochure
Alex Rider Classified Mission
Alex Rider Classified Mission
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Stepping Out: Grown up kids
Let’s face it – modern life is stressful sometimes. So stressful, in fact, that several colouring-in books for adults have become bestsellers in the last year. There’s something cathartic about putting felt-tip pen to paper. Feeding this urge, OS have released blank maps of London, Durham, Cardiff and elsewhere.
Find them at http://bit.ly/1JQ1jLy
Winnie-the-Pooh may have been a “bear of little brain”, but he knew what made a decent Poohsticks bridge. So too do the good folk at Visit England, who have compiled a dozen of the best spots around the country at which to perfect the fine art of stick-dropping.
If you’ve ever begrudged giving up childhood pastimes, there’s plenty of help at hand. In recent months, Visit England have unveiled a guide to the country’s best Poohsticks bridges and Ordnance Survey have tapped into the current popularity for adult colouring-in by releasing blank city maps to print off. You’ll find details below – and we’ve flipped our own tiddlywink into the arena by picking some of the UK’s best hills for kite-flying. Enjoy.
Grown up kids
PooHStiCkSColouriNg iN
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Stepping Out: Grown up kids
Only the hard-hearted would dismiss the simple pleasures that kite-flying can bring. Requiring nothing more than a bit of a string, a bit of fabric and a bit of wind, it’s one of those rare outdoor pursuits
that suits all ages and fitness levels. So where are our ten recommended spots in England and Wales to get flying, we hear you cry? Well, seeing as you ask…
Reigate Hill, SurreyChalk downland, military history and sweeping viewsof the Weald
Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath, LondonOpen parkland on Hampstead Heath, with a panorama of the capital
Kilvey Hill, SwanseaThis South Wales vantage point has its own annual kite-flying festival
Coombe Hill, ChilternsA cracking beauty spot overlooking the Vale of Aylesbury
Haverigg, CumbriaThe coastal village plays host to the Western Lake District KiteFest
Sugarloaf, Brecon BeaconsA breeze-blown 600-metre-high landmark in the Black Mountains
Eggardon Hill, Dorset A yearly kite festival makes this a popular
haunt for West Country kite-fliers
Werneth Low Country Park, ManchesterGrants views of Manchester
and Liverpool, stretching to Wales on a clear day
Mam Tor, Peak District A famous, panoramic hill that’s great
for walkers and great for kite-fliers
Brancaster, Norfolk A beautiful broad beach on the
North Norfolk coastline, close to Hunstanton
kitE FlYiNg
For perfect conditions, it has to be a nice clear morning with branches moving in the wind. You want to be halfway up a hill with sunglasses on - crack open a stunt kite and bust some moves!
Pete Sharpe of century-old British kite-makers Brookite
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Growing up, what do you remember about your first outdoor experience?My school was one of the few in Dublin to have a hillwalking club. My older brother was in it, so I joined as well. I remember my first experience being utterly exhausted on a mountain in the west coast of Ireland. It took me a while to get into it, because it was generally knackering, wet and cold. It was back in the early 1980s, and I had a 1960’s pack made of canvas. It killed my back.
What are your best places to explore in the UK? The hill I’ve been up most is Snowdon, and I’ve completed the Snowdon Horseshoe [see issue 1] quite a few times. I’m also a Munro-bagger, so I visit the Highlands of Scotland when I can. I’ve bagged 77 out of 282, which considering I live in Essex isn’t bad. And in the Lake District the Fairfield Horseshoe is particularly fun.
What has been your most memorable outdoors experience in the UK? I write a column for The Great Outdoors magazine and I’ve done some interesting things for them, including barefoot walking with the ‘Barefoot Shepherdess’ Alison O’Neill.
You’ve been exploring the outdoors fordecades. Ever been in any tricky situations?I’ve been wild swimming in Red Tarn on Helvellyn. It was bloody freezing and I realised I’m not a very good swimmer. I wouldn’t recommended it without a very good wetsuit.
You’ve travelled the world with your comedy tours – where has been your favourite place? A rafting trip down the Grand Canyon for 16 days – that was fairly incredible. And one of the best hikes was the Fjällräven Classic, a 110-kilometre hike along the incredible Kungsleden trail in Northern Sweden. I’ve also walked the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, a 9 to 10 day walk.
Is there a lot of comedy gold in the outdoor industry? Nothing much that suits my sense of humour. But I do have a joke about knowing you’ve hit middle age when you wear your outdoor gear nowhere near the mountains. Nothing says you’ve turned your back on fashion more than going to the shops in a Berghaus fleece and Craghoppers trousers.
Ed ByrneCelebrity Q&A
Stepping Out: Ed Byrne
Since being nominated for the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe back in 1998, Ed Byrne has gone on to become one of the country’s best known comedians. He’s a regular on Mock The Week, a veteran of three sell-out UK tours – and an outdoor nut to boot; he even has a column in The Great Outdoors magazine. We caught up with him on his current tour.
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Summer camps
What’s in the travel diary for 2016?This year I’m touring all over the UK. I always try and knock off as many county tops as I can, and lately the tour manager and I have been to the occasional nature reserve and doing a bit of twitching. I just did Into The Wild, a TV show with film-maker Gordon Buchanan. He takes celebrities out into the country for the weekend. We did a show on urban wildlife and we saw badgers, foxes and the like. It inspired me to get some decent binoculars.
What other outdoor activities do you like? I go skiing a lot, but I’m trying to get into canoeing more. My kids are a bit young to take up mountains, but they can sit in a canoe with me. I hope to do a canoe and camping trip soon.
Who would be your ideal walking mate for a winter hiking expedition?I’ve walked a lot with the comedian Craig Campbell, the Canadian stand-up. He’s just had a hip operation so I’m waiting for him to get better.
• Ed Byrne is on tour in the UK until the end of May. See edbyrne.com for details.
Stepping Out: Ed Byrne
Nothing says you’ve turned your back on
fashion more than going to the shops in
a Berghaus fleece and Craghoppers trousers.
In his own words...
The next Bear Grylls? A few excerpts from Ed’s TGO Magazine features.
…on sea-cliff climbing“My left foot slipped out of a dependable-feeling crack and I fell against the wall with an audible “Ooof!” (I actually said “oof”. I didn’t think anybody said “oof”. I thought it was just something you saw in speech bubbles in comic books)”
…on an outdoor first aid course“The mnemonic used to remember CPR order is DR. ABC, which I’ve already decided is going to be my hip-hop name.”
…on learning orienteering “He congratulates me on instinctively orientating the map correctly and I’m such a needy individual that I don’t admit that it’s just a coincidence.”
“ “
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A combination of mountain and coast. I love the ruggedness of the west coast of the British Isles, where storm cliffs and ocean combine.
YHA Tanners Hatch – I camped in its beautiful gardens two years ago whilst on a long-distance walk through Western Europe (recounted in A Walk to the Water).
For my 17th birthday, my dad paid for me and my friends to stay at YHA Swanage. We spent the weekend biking the coast and playing football on the beach.
Someone who talks passionately about a landscape that has inspired them, that way I can drift off to sleep living vicariously through their adventures.
Tomato and basil soup, lasagne and chocolate cake, along with a pint of local ale.
A note pad – it provides the perfect means for reflecting upon a day outdoors, an activity all the more warming in the presence of the log fire.
Something that inspires me to forget the weather and get outside regardless: Nicholas Crane’s Clear Waters Rising, or A Sense of the Morning by David Brendan Hopes.
I recently hiked through the Valley of Rocks, a section of the South West Coast Path running along the northern cliffs of Exmoor National Park. It was a beautiful day-walk.Daniel’s book: danielegraham.wix.com/author
Daniel GrahamTeam member at YHA Danywenallt and author of A Walk to the Water: Six Million Steps to the Mediterranean Sea.
Mountain, city or coast?
Favourite hostel
Earliest YHA memory
Ideal room mate
Perfect hostel dinner
An item to pack
A book for a rainy day
Favourite day-walk
We spoke to three outdoor enthusiasts to get their thoughts on dorms, dinners and day-walksWant to appear here in the next issue? Email your interest to [email protected]
Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A
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It’s got to be coast. I just love the feeling of openness, along with the sound of waves.
Mountains. Definitely.
YHA Coniston Coppermines. It has a great rustic charm – I love the views and the lounge with the fire place. It has a real cosy feel to it.
My first ever hostel experience was at YHA Rowen in Snowdon – to date, still one of my favourites with great views and some real charms.
I love a good laugh and a nice glass of vino of an evening, so someone I can spend time with laughing and joking about our adventures.
A proper home-made soup with chunky veg and great bread, followed by cottage pie. And there’s only one pudding – apple crumble and custard.
Warm socks. I love getting my walking boots off and popping on a lovely pair of thick socks. I never forget my ear plugs either.
I’m all about Game of Thrones at the moment, so I would have to say settling down with that in front of the fire.
Walking along the North York Moors Coastline, either from Whitby to Boggle Hole or heading north to Staithes. Great views and lovely wildlife, plus Staithes has some lovely pubs.
YHA Snowdon Pen y Pass; it has the Horseshoe walk and some of the best bouldering in the country right there on its doorstep.
‘Character-building’ school trips to Snowdonia. Lots of fun but always seemed to involve getting much colder and wetter than was remotely necessary.
Someone who knows a climbing/swimming/surfing spot that’s not in the guidebooks.
Spag bol. Loads of it.
A percolator, you can’t beat a proper coffee out in the wild.
Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell never stops being wonderful.
Tryfan, straight up the North Buttress. Some really hairy scrambling, rewarded with an absolutely stunning exposed summit and an easy descent in front of Glyder Fawr. Perfection.
Jane Llewelyn“Part-time walker” and accountant for Large Outdoors
Alec BurslemRecently cycled the South Coast of England
Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A
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When you’ve got an island to catch, you need to get going early. It’s 7am, and we’re cycling south across the Old Bridge in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The stone crossing is 350 metres long, 400 years old and – in the dawn half-light– a thing of beauty, but we don’t have time to dawdle. We did enough of that last night, meandering between two of the town’s excellent craft beer pubs (pints duly raised to The Curfew Micropub and The Barrels Ale House).
Now we’re moving rather more quickly, because Holy Island won’t wait. The tide times at Lindisfarne, as it’s also known, vary by the day, but once the waters close in across the causeway, it’s unreachable. This morning we have until 8.40 to get there, with undulating coastal paths and a tangerine sunrise showing the way. Just after 8 o’clock we spot the island’s crag-top castle bathed in cloudburst
sunrays. We make it with 20 minutes to spare. But reaching Lindisfarne is just the start of today’s ride. My friend Daniel and I are cycling from YHA Berwick-upon-Tweed to YHA Alnwick, a 60-mile journey along the Northumberland stretch of National Route 1. It’s a simple enough plan, and was simple enough to arrange – Wilson Cycles, Berwick’s hire shop, is located directly across from the hostel, which itself offers newly revamped cycle storage facilities.
Lindisfarne is only around 12 miles south of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and today’s tidal patterns dictate that we need to spend four hours on the island before continuing. The enforced stay is no hardship. Once we’ve pedalled around much of its birdlife-rich perimeter – with a visit to the old priory that once made
Coastlines, castles and cycle paths
Feature: Northumberland
Riding from YHA Berwick-upon-tweed to YHA Alnwick takes you past many of Northumberland’s coastal highlights, finds Ben Lerwill.
Bamburgh Castle
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Feature: Northumberland
the place both a vanguard of Celtic Christianity and a magnet for loot-hungry Vikings – and recharged our legs in a café, it’s time to splash back across the waning tide to the mainland. National Route 1 is well suited to this kind of day-ride, sticking close to the bays and bluffs of the coastline for much of its length. But it also makes plenty of diversions inland, as we discover. On the map, the distance between Lindisfarne and the medieval castle at Bamburgh looks fairly trifling, but the rising meadows and sycamore woods stretch on for far longer than expected. When the castle finally arrives, it’s worth it.
“That… is more than I was expecting,” gapes Daniel, voicing the first impressions of a millennium’s worth of visitors. Spread across a basalt outcrop and ringed by high curtain walls, the fortress is an uncompromising,
monumental sight. This area of Northumberland witnessed conflict between the English and the Scots for centuries, and later, during the Wars of the Roses, the sea-flanked castle was under siege for a full nine months before falling to the Yorkists. You can see why they would have wanted it.
There’s a superb seafood place on the fringes of Bamburgh called the Mizen Head, where you simply have to try the lobster. Apparently, anyway. This is the advice we have, but we spend so long at the castle that we’re obliged to skip the shellfish – each of us blaming the other for wasting time – and turn our wheels south to clock up some serious miles. Loping hills and foam-stippled waves lie ahead.
This is a region I’ve wanted to cycle for years, and the landscapes are as uncrowded as I’d
Upturned boat shelter on Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne Castle
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anticipated, full of broad views and curving, hedge-hushed lanes. The trail ahead dips and ascends without ever throwing anything too steep our way, and only sporadic sections of it are off-road (the hire bikes cope well). We pass the Farne Islands offshore, using binoculars to squint at seals, then veer inland through gull-mobbed farmland. It’s an invigorating ride – the kind where every time you stop to chomp down another Double Decker, you realise there are more medieval ruins in view than there are people.
The route returns to the coast through a series of handsome old-time maritime settlements – the harbour village of Craster, the scarp-topped parish of Longhoughton, the golden-beach spread of Alnmouth – and at the latter we leave NCR1 to pedal a final five miles inland to Alnwick. YHA Alnwick sits in a town with yet another show-stopping castle (as seen in Harry Potter, Hogwarts fans) and the hostel itself is based in an old courthouse. Our only trial, thankfully, is whether to pre-order the full English or the local kippers for breakfast. We climb up to bed early, full of pasta and wine and agreeably worn out from the day that’s just been.
When we take the bikes back to Berwick on the train the following morning (book bike spaces ahead), Norman at Wilson Cycles surveys us with a smile. “Good, was it?” he asks. “I hoped it would be.” He’s being modest. In this corner of the country, with the sun pouring down on the islands and old battlements, he knew it would be.
• Virgin Trains has a direct service from London King’s Cross to Berwick-upon-Tweed on the east coast every hour between 7am and 7pm. The journey takes just over 3.30hrs. The standard single fare starts from £29.40 when booked online. virgintrainseastcoast.com
Feature: Northumberland
Above: The remains of Lindisfarne Priory and CastleBelow: A ‘leading marker’ on Lindisfarne
Feature: NorthumberlandNational Cycle route 1 – my favourite stretches
Helen Curry at Sustrans shares her tips on the UK’s longest cycle path
Coming soon to Northumberland:
“National Route 1 is 1,695 miles long and runs all the way from Dover to the Shetland Islands, travelling the east coast. It’s also part of the EuroVelo North Sea Cycle Route, passing through 7 countries. For a fun, family-friendly day out, the 7-mile section between Canterbury and Whitstable is the perfect choice. It’s largely traffic-free and travels past Blean Woods, one of the largest areas of ancient woodland in the south. On arriving in Whitstable, sampling
the local seafood is a must. YHA Canterbury is a great local place to base yourself. In the Yorkshire Wolds, the 20-mile stretch between the market town of Driffield and the seaside resort of Bridlington is great. It takes you past pretty villages and stately homes, and the undulating route means you’ll have definitely earned an ice-cream on arrival. YHA Beverley Friary is ideally located for exploring East Yorkshire by bike and gives good access to National Route 1.”
the Sill ProjectCurrently under construction on the county’s northern border is The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, expected to open in 2017. It’s billed as “a bold, ambitious project that will transform how people of all ages understand and explore the landscapes, history, culture and heritage of… the North East,” and will also feature the brand new YHA Hadrian’s Wall. Watch this space.
Crossing the Lindisfarne causeway
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Feature: York
On a late-autumn afternoon I walk the 15 minutes from YHA York to the city centre on a riverside path. The slap of oars hitting the River Ouse can be heard over the encouraging cries of a schoolmaster cycling along the towpath while directing his rowing pupils. In the darkening afternoon, I pick up a coffee and head to Yorkshire Museum for context to the city I’ll be spending a few days exploring. Now I know York has quite a history, but blimey... is this one of the country’s most important
cities? Historically, yes. The museum tells the story of the city: how the Roman garrison town of Eboracum became first the Saxon settlement of Eoforwick then the Viking city of Jorvik, before establishing itself as a northern outpost of the Normans. It was the Normans who built the vast York Minster, a structure that still impresses today. 250 years in the making, it was consecrated in 1472 and remains home to the largest area of stained glass in the world. Outside, in the foggy evening, I wander around
The Vikings are coming The ShamblesThere are few more evocatively historical cities than York, but it has a very modern pulse, discovers Daniel Neilson.
It’s the smell I remember more than anything. Marcel Proust was famously taken back to his childhood by the sweet aroma of madeleines. For me, here in York, it’s the frankly foul scent of a Viking cesspit and the sight of a Viking, well, doing his business. Three days after the Jorvik Viking Centre opened in 1984, my Nana had waited in a queue for three hours while my Granddad had attempted to entertain an excitable eight-year-old in York Minster. Thirty-one years later, I sidle into one of the carts that whisk you around an animatronic reconstruction of Jorvik, the name the Vikings gave to the city now known as York. And although I try not to
show it to my fellow passengers, I’m giddy, memories returning back to me like a flutter of postcards.
Leaving the Jorvik Viking Centre, I call my grandparents explaining where I’ve just been, describing the smells, the scenes, the coin I struck. “Three hours in the rain is all I remember,” my Nana retorts. The place clearly made more of an impression on me. The queues are smaller these days, but its popularity hasn’t waned – and quite rightly. It’s an evocative attraction that takes education and the past just as seriously as a modern sense of fun. Much like York itself, in fact.
21
Feature: York
York Castle
River Ouse York Minster
Viking reenactment YORK FLOODING UPDATE: IT’S OPEN FOR BUSINESS!The city suffered badly in the December floods, but has recovered well. “There’s absolutely no reason to cancel your trip,” says the tourist board’s Kate McMullen. “York is ready to welcome you.” An exception is Jorvik, which is closed until further notice – although its Viking festival in February is going ahead. Support Jorvik here: jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/flood
22
The Shambles (once rather wonderfully known as The Great Flesh Shambles in a nod to the butchers that once dominated the area) and the city’s narrow ‘snickelways’, lined with overhanging timber-framed buildings. The earliest of these lanes date back to the 14th century.
Winding around the labyrinthine streets, I go to meet a York-based friend at the pub with the best name ever: The House of the Trembling Madness on Stonegate. From the outside it looks like an unassuming off-licence, but walking into the second room I’m confronted with hundreds of bottles and cans of beer from around the world, including plenty brewed close by. It has one of the best beer collections in the country. We climb the stairs (under the gaze of a stuffed stag) to the pub area and enjoy a pint from local brewery Bad Seed. The place is busy with locals and discerning drinkers.
We move on to The Habit on Goodramgate. A talented young songwriter plays his own compositions before passing the mic to another musician. York may be one of the world’s best preserved historical cities, but in the evening it becomes clear this is not a place preserved in aspic. It’s well known for its abundant pubs, many of them ancient, but York is also a city that loves a show, whether it’s at one of the theatres or on the streets themselves, with dozens of festivals including the wonderful Jorvik Viking Festival.
The next day I visit one of the city’s cultural jewels, the newly reopened York Art Gallery, incorporating the Centre of Ceramic Art. For me at least, it throws out all the preconceptions of ceramics – this is a place designed to be enjoyed by all ages. The next couple of days is spent exploring some of the many attractions in the city, the Minster and the National Railway Museum among them. I’ve since booked again to stay at YHA York, this time with my young family. Our first port of call will be, of course, the Jorvik Viking Centre. If it makes half as much impression on my daughter as it did on me, I’ll be happy.
Feature: York
tHrEE grEAt York BrEwEriES
York Brewery This brewery is within the city walls on Toft Green. The brewery owns a few pubs in the town, but the best place to try the beers is at the tap room at the premises on Toft Green. Tours can also be taken. Our pick is the crisp and golden Guzzler.york-brewery.co.uk
Bad Seed BreweryWe found Bad Seed beers available at The House of the Trembling Madness and Pivini York. There’s a wide range, but it’s well know for its German wheat beer style Hefeweizen. The brewery is based in nearby Malton.badseedbrewery.com
Brass Castle Brewery This is another respected brewery, also based in Malton. There’s an inventive range of beers, including a coconut/pineapple wheat beer and the much-loved Bad Kitty porter.brasscastle.co.uk
23
tHrEE grEAt York BrEwEriES
YHA proudly presents 2016 UK tourSunday 7th February YHA London St Pancras
Tuesday 9th February YHA Berwick (The Granary Bistro)
Wednesday 10th February YHA Ambleside (Lakeside Restaurant)
Thursday 11th February YHA Whitby (Abbey House Café)
Friday 12th February YHA Boggle Hole (Quarterdeck Café)
Saturday 13th February YHA York
Sunday 14th February YHA Manchester
Monday 15th February YHA Liverpool
Tuesday 16th February YHA Snowdon Pen y Pass (Mallory’s Restaurant)
Wednesday 17th February YHA Stratford upon Avon (Hemmingford’s Restaurant)
Thursday 18th February YHA Oxford (The Corner Café)
Friday 19th February YHA Cardiff Central
Saturday 20th February YHA London Central
Sunday 21st February YHA Cambridge (Scholar’s Café)
Monday 22nd February YHA South Downs (Courtyard Café)
Tuesday 23rd February YHA Brighton
Wednesday 24th February YHA Bath
Thursday 25th February YHA Eden Project
Friday 26th February YHA Bristol (Grainhouse Café)
Saturday 27th February YHA London St Pauls
YHA has teamed up with MTV nominated, double platinum-selling Swiss band 77 Bombay Street to host a series of free intimate gigs at Youth Hostels across England and Wales in February 2016.Formed in 2008, the Swiss chart-topping foursome is fronted by brothers Matt, Joe, Simri-Ramon and Esra Buchli. Their latest album is produced by Chris Vallejo who has already worked with artists like Passenger and Empire Of The Sun and combines folk-rock, pop and classical acoustic sounds with gorgeous results.
Find out more at yha.org.uk/77-Bombay-Street
GET SOCIAL #LIVEMOREYH
A
SEARCH YHA TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION & STAY UPDATED
24
Hostel-to-hostel walking Get planning now for spring or summer
Feature: Lakeland
YHA Keswick is currently undergoing major renovations following December’s floods, and when it reopens in the spring you can show your support by taking on this four-day route through Lakeland.
Trail Magazine has teamed up with YHA to create something a little bit special – a walk that bags 24 summits in total, stopping at a different hostel each night. Here’s how we got on.
YHA lANgDAlE to YHA BorrowDAlE
YHA BorrowDAlE to YHA kESwiCk
We kicked off at YHA Langdale, a converted Victorian mansion. When we unfolded our map, the 23km route ahead looked intimidating. Our concern was the monstrous amount of ascent and descent along the way, but we needn’t have worried. By setting off at 8am we gave ourselves plenty of time.
Once we turned off for the valley of Little Langdale, with its mighty views of the Coniston Fells, it was classic hillwalking all the way. We began the long trawl up the criminally underrated 705m pyramid of Pike of Blisco – the big ascent of the day – and an hour later were at the summit shelter. The rippling backbone of Crinkle Crags followed, then the highlight of the day: Bowfell. The view towards the Scafell massif is the finest you’ll experience from any felltop. We then tottered over Esk Pike, rambled over Allen Crags and dropped into the leafy depths of Borrowdale. By 6pm we were sipping a pint of Cumbrian ale at the hostel and awaiting a three-course meal.
The Borrowdale to Keswick section is shorter, but still a cracking walk. We started with a steady climb towards the slate mines of the Honister Pass and ended with a spectacular skywalk over the Newlands Fells, with massive views across Derwent Water, Keswick and the northern Lakes.Once you’ve climbed up to the sparkling viewpoint at Dale Head, your route lies along the ridgeline that rises and falls like a big dipper above Derwent Water. You’ll knock off the trio of High Spy, Maiden Moor and the perennially popular Cat Bells, before joining the Cumbria Way and curving around the head of the lake towards the taverns and chip shops of Keswick.
Distance 23km (14¼ miles)Wainwrights bagged 7
Distance 17.5km (10¾ miles)Wainwrights bagged 4
1
2
DAY
DAY
25
Feature: Lakeland
lANgDAlE
BorrowDAlE
HElVEllYN
kESwiCk Clough Head
great Dodd
Helvellyn
Fairfield
lingmoor FellPike of Blisco
Crinkle Crags
Bowfell
Esk Pike
Allen Crags
glaramara
Dale Head High Spy
Cat Bells
This town-centre hostel provides a welcome alternative to the seclusion of the other three. You can spend the evening relaxing in the hostel or head out to the pubs of Keswick.
Standing 963ft up England’s third highest peak, YHA Helvellyn is a dream refuge for mountain lovers. You can walk, cycle, climb, scramble and even ski from the door.
Situated on the banks of the River Derwent, this spectacular wooden fronted hostel has been fully modernised on the inside, while still retaining its rustic charm. A real classic.
This converted Victorian mansion
is perched above its own three-tier
arbotoreum that’s managed by the National Trust, and offers fantastic views of the nearby Langdale Pikes.
Feature: LakelandYHA HElVEllYN toYHA lANgDAlE
After an early start, we soon found ourselves staring up at the northern tip of the Eastern Fells, which run between the Ullswater and Thirlmere valleys, bisecting the National Park. They’re home to the greatest single mass of high ground in the Lakes, and today we planned to walk straight over them.
The route from Clough Head to Helvellyn is hillwalking ecstasy. The ridge is wide, with simple navigation in clear conditions. By the time we arrived at the 950m summit of Helvellyn, England’s third highest mountain, our day was almost done – but not quite. Our bed for the night lay over 600m below at YHA Helvellyn, and reaching it involved descending the steep ridgeline of Swirral Edge.
We steadied our nerves, focused carefully and were soon descending into the Glenridding valley. At a height of 300m this is the most rural hostel of the four. Book your evening meal before you arrive, though, or you’ll need to walk to Ullswater for some grub.
If you’ve never scrambled over Striding Edge, you’re in for a treat at the start of day four. It’s a ridgeline that tingles the nerves of beginners yet still provides a buzz for seasoned mountaineers. There are short sections that require extreme caution but in decent weather it’s more invigorating than intimidating.
The scene changes completely after the summit plateau. The western side of the Helvellyn range shares few characteristics with the rocky eastern approaches, and classic fellwalking terrain lies ahead. We descended lazily over Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon Pike, then dropped steeply to Grisedale Tarn before making one last big ascent up to Fairfield. With the whole southern Lake District stretched out before us, it hammered home the enormity of the walk we were completing. And an hour or so after passing through the idyllic village of Grasmere, we collapsed back into YHA Langdale.
So there it is: 50 miles, 24 mountains, four YHAs and one lightweight backpack. Four days of walking through England’s greatest mountains. Go for it!
Distance 24km (15 miles)Wainwrights bagged 8
Distance 23km (14¼ miles)Wainwrights bagged 7
YHA kESwiCk to YHA HElVEllYN
3
4
DAY
DAY
www.sprayway.com
yhha_a5_ad_aug_2015.indd 3 06/08/2015 16:59
How to: Read a map
In the second of our series looking at Ordnance Survey grid squares, we’re looking at the coastal area around YHA Boggle Hole. This newly-refurbished hostel sits by the coast at Robin Hood’s Bay in the North York Moors National Park. This time, we’re also zooming in on a 1:25,000 Explorer map.
1. 1:25,000 scale maps are more detailed than 1:50,000 maps and include more water features and names
6. Slopes marked by series of short lines
2. Natural coastal features include outcrop
7. Visitor centre. Blue symbols are for leisure information
3. Sand
4. Contours are marked in light brown on 1:25,000 maps
8. National Trail, in this case the Cleveland Way
5. Green circles are other routes with public access
9. Access land marked by brown border
10. The pink triangle is a youth hostel. This is YHA Boggle Hole
... Decipher a map (part 2)
H W to...Skills for outdoor living
Robin Hood’s Bay is particularly good for beachcombing, especially after a winter storm. Here are a few basic tips on how to seek out hidden nuggets in this old smuggler’s cove. • Time your search for low tide. The more beach you can comb the better. • Focus initially on the strandline, the marking
on the beach left by high tide. • Keep an eye out for Whitby Jet, the black, smooth fossilised wood that can be used for jewellery. • Wrap up warm and wear a watch (for tide times). You might also want to bring a small trowel, a camera and even a metal detector. • What else you might find: fossils, driftwood, old bottles, amber, coins.
... go beachcombing
©Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey. Media 020/16
How to: ID birds
Blue tit: Simple to recognise thanks to its blue cap and yellow breast.
Great tit: The largest UK tit, with a glossy black head, white cheeks and an olive back.
Coal tit: Small, with a grey back and a distinctive white patch at the nape of the neck.
Long-tailed tit: Mainly grey, black and white with (yes) a long tail – often in a flock.
Marsh tit: Very similar to the in-decline willow tit. Pale cheeks, grey-brown wings.
It may seem a little extravagant making cookies in a hostel, but it’sa good idea for three reasons: they’re delicious, nutritious and hugely versatile. Ingredients? Your choice! Throw in trail mix, granola, porridge or even a chocolate bar. It’s also a great way to pass time with the kids on long winter evenings before the next day’s walk. And if needed, you can make them using the stove-top alone.
1. In a bowl mix 50g of butter with 50g of sugar. Then stir in an egg and any interesting spices left on the ‘food for free’ shelf – cinnamon powder is ideal. 2. In another bowl, mix 50g of flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, and 150g of, well, anything: raisins, crushed nuts, a Mars bar – your choice. 3. Mix in with the butter mixture. Dollop onto a baking tray and bake for 10-12 mins (gas mark 4/180C), or on a low heat in a frying pan until nice and brown.
... identify the tit family
... Cook easy, energy-packed cookies
Anyone with a bird-feeder will be familiar with the various species of the tit family, but telling them apart isn’t always easy. Below are five of the UK’s most common garden visitors (and remember, it’s winter when they most need those feeders full).
Illu
stra
tion
s: M
ike
Lan
gm
an (r
spb
-imag
es.c
om
)
Teachers Get classes involved in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch until 12 Feb at rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch
30
Gear: Wet weather
Splashmap 1:25,000Scrunch it into a ball. Wear it as a scarf. Write on it. Wash it. These clever fabric
maps are part navigation tools, part utility items. They’re resilient too. YHA members
save 10% - login to yha.org.uk/myyhasplash-maps.com
Aquapac Stormproof Messenger BagRainproof, snowproof and mudproof, this cyclists’ messenger bag will be a godsend to anyone who’s had to deal with a sodden laptop after pedalling
through a downpour. It holds plenty – and looks good too. aquapac.net
Salomon Evasion GTX Hiking Shoes Stylish and durable with rugged
Contagrip soles, these quality hiking shoes are lightweight and waterproof, making them a great all-weather all-
rounder. Wear them on the hills and in the pub. salomon.com/uk
Hi-Tec TREK LitePart of Hi-Tec’s well-priced new range of Bluetooth wearable devices, this
water-resistant lightweight watch keeps track of steps taken, distances covered, calories burned and even hours slept –
we’re big fans. hi-tec.com/wearables
31
Gear: Keeping warm
Páramo Ladies’ Andina JacketLightweight, insulated and warming, this waterproof jacket is a great bet for multi-
activity wear: it suits climbing, hill-walking and cycling equally well. Features include torso
vents, two-way zip and internal map pocket. paramo-clothing.com
Fjällräven High Coast Wind JacketA handsome bit of kit from Fjällräven – pliant,
simply designed, practical and attractive. It’s wind-resistant and made from a mix of
organic cotton and waxed polyamide. Copes pretty well in light rain too.
fjallraven.co.uk
Montane Prism JacketThe Montane Prism is a light, packable
insulated jacket. It uses PrimaLoft synthetic insulation that keeps you warm even when wet. It looks good, and even the pockets are cosy. It’s also windproof, fast drying and can
double as a pillow. montane.co.uk
66 North Egill Turtleneck Base LayerA quality base layer made from Polartec’s
Power Wool, a breathable, comfortable material which is part synthetic, part
wool. We found it evaporated sweat and prevented post-activity wetness/coldness.
polartec.com/ 66north.com
The Island Of Jersey
East ofEngland
EastMidlands
Heart ofEngland
Wales
NorthWest
Yorkshire
SouthWest
NorthEast
London
SouthEast
*
YHA Youth Hostel
*
National Parks
Map Key
Byrness
Edmundbyers
Durham
Carlisle
Brompton
Leeds Carnegie VillageLeeds Kirkstall Brewery
Leeds Opal
ChippingTrawden
Edale Barn
UnderbankTaddingtonNab End
WillsWaterslacks
All Stretton
Puttenham
Slimbridge
Cholderton
Northcombe
Hawkwood College
Mullacott
Great Hound Tor
Mor Lodge Isle of WightCowes UKSA
Tyncornel
Brighstone
Alnwick
Alston
Arnside
Bellingham
Betws-y-Coed
Bridges
Caldbeck
Jersey-Durrell Wildlife Hostel
Elmscott
Exford
Gower
Hawse End
Hunstanston
Ingleton Kettlewell
Kings
Llangattock
Ninebanks
Osmotherley
Portreath
Rhossili
Scarborough
Sheen
Skiddaw
Stour Valley
Swansea
Totland
Wooler
Borth
Okehampton Bracken Tor
Okehampton
Dolgoch
Ambleside
Beer
Blaxhall
Windermere
LangdaleGrasmere
HelvellynBorrowdale
Hawkshead
Keswick
EskdaleWasdale Hall
Langdon BeckButtermereEnnerdale
Honister Hause
WhitbyBoggle Hole
HelmsleyGrinton Lodge
York
Haworth
ManchesterLiverpool
Snowdon LlanberisSnowdon Ranger
Snowdon Bryn Gwynant
Conwy
Snowdon Pen-y-Pass
EdaleRavenstor
Hathersage
Eyam
YoulgreaveHartington Hall
Ilam Hall
Sheringham
Cambridge
London Lee Valley
MedwayCanterbury
Thameside
South Downs
Holmbury
Truleigh Hill
Brighton
New Forest
SwanageLulworth
PortlandDartmoorTreyarnon Bay
Eden Project
Coverack
Boswinger
Boscastle Harbour
Exmoor Pinkery MineheadCheddar
BristolStreatley
Oxford
St Briavels Castle
Wye Valley
Stratford-upon-Avon
Danywenallt
Brecon Beacons
Manorbier
Broad Haven
IronbridgeCoalport
NationalForest
Wilderhope Manor
Berwick
Patterdale
Dufton
Hawes
Cockermouth
Black SailDalby Forest
Beverley Friary
Mankinholes
SlaidburnEarby
Woody’s Top
Thurlby
Dimmingsdale
Ironbridge Coalbrookdale
St Pancras
St PaulsEarl’s Court
Oxford St
London Central
Milton Keynes
Eastbourne
Littlehampton
Tanners Hatch
Rowen
Clun Mill
Kington
Leominster
Poppit SandsNewportPwll Deri
St David’sLlanddeusant
Street
Perranporth
Litton Cheney
Lizard
Coniston Holly HowConiston Coppermines
Malham
Castleton Losehill Hall
Wells-next-the-Sea
Penzance
Land’s End
Bath
Idwal Cottage Sherwood Forest
JordansPort Eynon
Tintagel
Hostel guide
to book: Visit yha.org.uk or call 01629 592 700
All Stretton BunkhouseYHA Alnwick
YHA AlstonAlstonefield Barn
YHA AmblesideYHA Arnside
YHA BathYHA Beer
YHA BellinghamYHA Berwick
YHA Betws y CoedYHA Beverley Friary
YHA Black SailYHA Blaxhall
YHA Boggle HoleYHA Borrowdale
YHA BorthYHA Boscastle Harbour
YHA BoswingerYHA Brecon Beacons
YHA BridgesYHA Brighton
YHA BristolYHA Broad Haven
Brompton Camping BarnByrness
YHA ButtermereYHA Caldbeck
YHA CambridgeYHA Canterbury
YHA Cardiff CentralCarlisle
YHA Castleton Losehill HallYHA Cheddar
Chipping Camping BarnCholderton
YHA Clun MillYHA Cockermouth
YHA Coniston CopperminesYHA Coniston Holly How
YHA ConwyYHA Coverack
YHA Dalby ForestYHA Danywenallt
YHA DartmoorYHA Dimmingsdale
YHA DuftonDurham
YHA Durrell Wildlife HostelYHA Earby
YHA EastbourneYHA Edale
Edale Camping BarnYHA Eden Project
YHA EdmundbyersYHA Elmscott
YHA EnnerdaleYHA Eskdale
YHA ExfordYHA Exmoor Pinkery
YHA EyamYHA Gower
YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe
YHA Eastbourne
YH
A S
trat
ford
-upon
-Avon
*Whilst YHA does not own or operate this facility, we are proud to be affiliated with it, endorsing the service standards and quality. Facilities do vary. Check yha.org.uk for further details.
All Stretton BunkhouseYHA Alnwick
YHA AlstonAlstonefield Barn
YHA AmblesideYHA Arnside
YHA BathYHA Beer
YHA BellinghamYHA Berwick
YHA Betws y CoedYHA Beverley Friary
YHA Black SailYHA Blaxhall
YHA Boggle HoleYHA Borrowdale
YHA BorthYHA Boscastle Harbour
YHA BoswingerYHA Brecon Beacons
YHA BridgesYHA Brighton
YHA BristolYHA Broad Haven
Brompton Camping BarnByrness
YHA ButtermereYHA Caldbeck
YHA CambridgeYHA Canterbury
YHA Cardiff CentralCarlisle
YHA Castleton Losehill HallYHA Cheddar
Chipping Camping BarnCholderton
YHA Clun MillYHA Cockermouth
YHA Coniston CopperminesYHA Coniston Holly How
YHA ConwyYHA Coverack
YHA Dalby ForestYHA Danywenallt
YHA DartmoorYHA Dimmingsdale
YHA DuftonDurham
YHA Durrell Wildlife HostelYHA Earby
YHA EastbourneYHA Edale
Edale Camping BarnYHA Eden Project
YHA EdmundbyersYHA Elmscott
YHA EnnerdaleYHA Eskdale
YHA ExfordYHA Exmoor Pinkery
YHA EyamYHA Gower
YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe
Meadow Green, Batch Valley, All Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6JW34 to 38 Green Batt, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1TUThe Firs, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3RWGypsy Lane, Alstonefield, Derbyshire, DE6 2FZWaterhead, Ambleside, Cumbria, Lakes, LA22 0EURedhills Road, Arnside, Cumbria, LA5 0ATBathwick Hill, Bath, BA2 6JZBovey Combe, Beer, Seaton, Devon, EX12 3LLDemesne Farm, Bellingham, Hexham, Northumberland, NE48 2BSDewars Lane, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland, North East, TD15 1HJSwallow Falls Hotel, Nr Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, , LL24 0DWFriar’s Lane, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 0DFBlack Sail Hut, Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria, CA23 3AXThe Old School House, Blaxhall, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 2EAMill Beck, Fylingthorpe, Whitby, North Yorkshire, North East, YO22 4UQLongthwaite, Borrowdale, Keswick, Cumbria, Lakes, CA12 5XEMorlais, Borth, Ceredigion, SY24 5JSPalace Stables, Boscastle, Cornwall, PL35 0HDBoswinger, Gorran, St Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6LLLibanus, Brecon, Powys, LD3 8NHRatlinghope, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, , SY5 0SPOld Steine, Brighton, BN1 1NH14 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QABroad Haven, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA62 3JHVillage Farm, 24 Richmond Road, Brompton-on-Swale7 Otterburn Green, Byrness Village, Northumberland, NE19 1TSButtermere, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9XAFellside Centre, Fellside, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 8HA97 Tenison Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 2DN54 New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3DTEast Tyndall Street, Cardiff, CF10 4BBCastleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 8WBOld Brewery Residences, Bridge Lane, Caldewgate, CA2 5SRHillfield, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3HNThe Mill, Clun, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8NYClark House Farm, Chipping, Nr Preston, LancashireBeacon House, Amesbury Road, Cholderton, Wiltshire, SP4 0EWDouble Mills, Cockermouth, Cumbria, Lakes, CA13 0DSCoppermines, Coppermines House, Coniston, Cumbria, Lakes, LA21 8HPHolly How, Far End, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8DDLarkhill, Sychnant Pass Road, Conwy, LL32 8AJParc Behan, School Hill, Coverack, Helston, Cornwall, TR12 6SAOld School, Lockton, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7PYNational Park Study Centre, Talybont-on-Usk, Brecon, Powys, LD3 7YSBellever, Postbridge, Devon, PL20 6TUOakamoor, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST10 3ASDufton, Appleby, Cumbria, CA16 6DBLe Noyers Residence, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BPSt Chad’s College, 18 North Bailey, Durham, DH1 3RH9-11 Birch Lane, Earby, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 6JX1 East Dean Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 8ESRowland Cote, Nether Booth, Edale, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 7ZHCotefield Farm, Ollersbrook, Edale, Hope ValleyEden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall, PL24 2SGLow House, Edmundbyers, Consett, Co Durham, DH8 9NLElmscott, Hartland, Bideford, Devon, EX39 6ESCat Crag, Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria, Lakes, CA23 3AXBoot, Holmrook, Cumbria, CA19 1THExe Mead, Exford, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7PUPinkery Centre, Simonsbath, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7LLHawkhill Road, Eyam, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 5QPPort Eynon, Swansea, SA3 1NNEasedale Road, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9QG
YHA
Brigh
ton
YHA Eastbourne
YH
A S
trat
ford
-upon
-Avon
Great Hound Tor Camping BarnYHA Grinton Lodge
YHA Hartington HallYHA Hathersage
YHA HawesYHA Hawkshead
Hawkwood CollegeYHA Haworth
YHA Hawse EndYHA HelmsleyYHA HelvellynYHA Holmbury
YHA Honister HauseYHA Hunstanton
YHA Idwal CottageYHA Ilam HallYHA Ingleton
YHA Ironbridge CoalbrookdaleYHA Ironbridge CoalportIsle of White Brighstone
Isle of White Cowes UKSAYHA JordansYHA Keswick
YHA KettlewellYHA Kings
YHA KingtonYHA Lands End
YHA LangdaleYHA Langdon Beck
Leeds Carnegie VillageLeeds Kirkstall Brewery
Leeds OpalYHA Leominster
YHA LittlehamptonYHA Litton Cheney
YHA LiverpoolYHA Lizard
YHA LlanddeusantYHA Llangattock
YHA London CentralYHA London Earls CourtYHA London Lee Valley
YHA London Oxford StreetYHA London St Pancras
YHA London St PaulsYHA London Thameside
YHA Lulworth CoveYHA Malham
YHA ManchesterYHA Mankinholes
YHA ManorbierYHA Medway
YHA Milton KeynesYHA Minehead
MOR LodgeMullacott Camping Barn
Nab End Camping BarnYHA National Forest
YHA New ForestYHA Newport
Great Hound Tor, Manaton, Newton Abbot, TQ13 9UWGrinton, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL11 6HSHall Bank, Hartington, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0ATCastleton Road, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 1EHLancaster Terrace, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3LQHawkshead, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QDPainswick Old Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 7QWLonglands Drive, Haworth, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RTHawse End Cottage, Portinscale, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5UECarlton Lane, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, YO62 5HBGreenside, Glenridding, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0QRRadnor Lane, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NWSeatoller, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5XN15 Avenue Road, Hunstanton, Norfolk, PE36 5BWNant Ffrancon, Bethesda, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 3LZIlam Hall, Ilam, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 2AZGreta Tower, Sammy Lane, Ingleton, North Yorkshire, LA6 3EG1 Paradise, Coalbrookdale, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 7NRJohn Rose Building, High Street, Coalport, Shropshire, TF8 7HTc/o YHA Totland Bay, Hurst Hill, Totland Bay, Isle of WightArctic Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7PQWelders Lane, Jordans, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2SNStation Road, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5LHKettlewell, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 5QUKings, Penmaenpool, Dolgellau Gwynedd, Wales, LL40 1TBVictoria Road, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3BXLetcha Vean, St Just-in-Penwith, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 7NTHigh Close, Loughrigg, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9HJForest-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Co Durham, DL12 0XNLeeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus, Leeds, LS6 3GZKirkstall Brewery, Leeds Beckett University, Broad Lane, Leeds, LS5 3RXMarsden House, Leeds Beckett University 1-3 Burley Road, Leeds, LS3 1LSThe Old Priory, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 8EQ63 Surrey Street, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 5AWLitton Cheney, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9AT25 Tabley Street, off Wapping, Liverpool, Mersyside, L1 8EEThe Polbrean, Lizard Point, Cornwall, TR12 7NTThe Old Red Lion, Llanddeusant, Camarthenshire, SA19 9ULWern Watkin, Hillside, Llangattock, Crickhowell, NP8 1LG104 Bolsover Street, London, W1W 5NU38 Bolton Gardens, Earl’s Court, London, SW5 0AQWindmill Lane, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9AJ14 Noel Street, London, W1F 8GJ79-81 Euston Road, London, NW1 2QE36 Carter Lane, London, EC4V 5AB20 Salter Road, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 5PRSchool Lane, West Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5SAMalham, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 4DBPotato Wharf, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4NBMankinholes, Todmorden, Lancashire, OL14 6HRManorbier, nr Tenby, Pembrokeshire, SA70 7TT351 Capstone Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3JEVicarage Road, Bradwell Village, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK13 9AGAlcombe Combe, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 6EWMor Lodge, 83 - 87 Mount Wise, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2BPMullacott Farm, Mullacott Cross, Ilfracombe, North Devon, EX34 8NANab End Farm, Hollinsclough, Longnor, Buxton, SK17 0RJ48 Bath Lane, Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6BDCott Lane, Burley Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 4BBLower St Mary Street, Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0TS
YHA Jordans
YHA Oxford Street
YHA Tanners Hatch
YHA T
hurlby
YHA Oxford Street
YHA
Milto
n Keynes
YHA Tanners Hatch
YHA NinebanksNorthcombe Camping Barn
YHA OkehamptonYHA Okehampton Bracken Tor
YHA OsmotherleyYHA Oxford
YHA PatterdaleYHA Penzance
YHA PerranporthYHA Poppit Sands
YHA Port EynonYHA Portland
YHA PortreathPuttenham Camping Barn
YHA Pwll DeriYHA Ravenstor
YHA Rhossili YHA Rowen
YHA ScarboroughYHA Sheen Bunkhouse
YHA SheringhamYHA Sherwood Forest
YHA Skiddaw HouseYHA Slaidburn
SlimbridgeYHA Snowdon Bryn Gwynant
YHA Snowdon LlanberisYHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass
YHA Snowdon RangerYHA South Downs
YHA St Briavels CastleYHA St Davids
YHA Stour ValleyYHA StratfordYHA Streatley
YHA StreetYHA SwanageYHA Swansea
Taddington Camping BarnYHA Tanners Hatch
YHA ThurlbyYHA Tintagel
YHA Totland BayTrawden Camping Barn
YHA Treyarnon BayYHA Truleigh Hill
Tyncornel BunkhouseUnderbank
YHA Wasdale HallWaterslacks Camping Barn
YHA Wells Next The SeaYHA Whitby
YHA Wilderhope ManorWills Camping Barn
YHA WindermereYHA Woody’s Top
YHA WoolerYHA Wye Valley
YHA YorkYHA Youlgreave
Orchard House, Mohope, Ninebanks, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 8DQNorthcombe Farm, Hollam, Dulverton, Somerset, TA22 9JHKlondyke Road, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1EWBracken Tor, Saxongate, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1QWCote Ghyll, Osmotherley, Notherallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 3AH2a Botley Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 0ABPatterdale, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0NWCastle Horneck, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8TFDroskyn Point, Perranporth, Cornwall, TR6 0GSSea View, Poppit, Cardigan, Pembroke, SA43 3LPOld Lifeboat House, Port Eynon, Swansea, SA3 1NNHardy House, Castle Road, Castle Town, Portland, DT5 1AUNance Farm, Illogen, Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 4QXThe Street, Puttenham, near Guildford, Surrey GU3 1ARCastell Mawr, Trefasser, Goodwick, Pembrokeshire, SA64 0LRMillers Dale, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8SSRhossili Middleton, Rhossili , Swansea, SA3 1PJRhiw Farm, Rowen, Conwy, LL32 8YWBurniston Rd, Scarborough, , North Yorkshire, YO13 0DAPeakstones, Sheen, Derbyshire, , SK17 0ES1 Cremer’s Drift, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8HXForest Corner, Edwinstowe, Notts, NG21 9RNBassenthwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, , CA12 4QXKing’s House, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 3ERThe Wild Goose Lodge, Shepherds Patch, Slimbridge, GL2 7BP Nantgwynant, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 4NPLlwyn Celyn, Llanberis, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 4SRPen-y-Pass, Nantgwynant, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 4NYRhyd Ddu, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL54 7YSItford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6JSSt Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RGLlaethdy, Whitesands, St David’s, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6PRBrantham Hall, Nr Manningtree, Suffolk, CO11 1PTHemmingford House, Alveston, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7RGReading Road, Streatley, Berkshire, RG8 9JJThe Chalet, Ivythorn Hill, Street, Somerset, BA16 0TZCluny, Cluny Crescent, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2BSHuntington Close, West Cross, Swansea, SA3 5ALMiddle Beardshaw Farm, Burnley Road, Trawden, LancashireOff Ranmore Common Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6BE16 High Street, Thurlby, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 0EEDunderhole Point, Tintagel, Cornwall, PL34 0DWHurst Hill, Totland Bay, Isle Of Wight, , PO39 0HDMiddle Beardshaw Farm, Burnley Road, Trawden, LancashireTregonnan, Treyarnon, Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8JRTottington Barn, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FBLlanddewi-Brefi, Tregaron, Ceredigion, SY25 6PHBlaze Farm, Wildboarclough, Macclesfield, CheshireWasdale Hall, Wasdale, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1ETWetton Road, Butterton, Nr. Leek, StaffordshireChurch Plain, Wells, Norfolk, NR23 1EQAbbey House, East Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4JTManor, Longville in the Dale, Shropshire, TF13 6EGWetton Road, Butterton, Nr. Leek, StaffordshireBridge Lane, Troutbeck, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LARuckland, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 8RQ30 Cheviot Street, Wooler, Northumberland, NE71 6LWNear Goodrich, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 6JJWater End, Clifton, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6LPFountain Square, Youlgreave, near Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1UR
YHA T
hurlby
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1. Log in/Register on www.yha.org.uk with the email address you provided when you purchased your membership
2. Once you arrive at “My Profile” click the “Member Benefits” tab
3. This will provide you with discount codes for our partners and a button to access over 350 discounts on high street brands
wiN! An ordnance Survey navigation kit!To win this great bundle of goodies, including an OS Maps account, a compass, a waterproof map holder and a personalised map, all you have to do is answer the following question. One lucky winner will be drawn at random.
How many youth hostels, bunkhouses and camping barns are there in the YHA network across England and Wales?a) 123b) 153c) 183
Answers to: [email protected] by April 15. Please also include your membership number.And feel free to share your thoughts (positive or otherwise!) on this magazine at the same time – is there anything you particularly enjoy about it, or would like to see changed?
38
Drying Room: Readers’ pics
Reader tweets: Share your adventure #livemoreYHA
We’d love to see your photos of hostels in winter. Share them on Twitter #LiveMoreYHA or email us on: [email protected]
Reader photos
@greentraveller Lovely stay @YHASouthDowns last night @YHAOfficial just 500yds from Southease station
@RickyJH85 Cracking stay at @YHACardiffCntrl on saturday. Bargain at £118 for 4 people. Will be returning during the 6 Nations with the boys
@CurwenPrim_Y2 The children really enjoyed their trip today to @StPaulsLondon. Thank you @YHALondonHostel for letting us eat our lunch with you with @YHAOfficial
@ClaesenJessica My roommate is from the USA. I had dinner with a German man and breakfast with the German and an English man. #loveit #LiveMoreYHA
@Perciusonline Thanks to @YHACambridge for internet rescue today and excellent coffee!
@abbitravels.My recent stay at the YHA Snowdon Pen-Y-Pass was incredible… thanks. @YHAOfficial #livemoreYHA
The Northern Lights appearing over YHA Wastwater. Bob Shaw
A stop-off on our way to YHA Eskdale from Scafell. Absolutely insane views! Jenna Brown
Another great view from a YHA window, at YHA Youlgreave. Luke Bamforth
Drying Room: Celebrity Q&AName that hostelcompetition
WIN! One of five Water-To-Go bottles!To win one of five 75cl Water-To-Go bottles – NASA-influenced filtration systems that provide clean drinking water on the go – simply identify which YHA is described above. Five lucky win-ners will be drawn at random.
Answers to: [email protected] by April 15. Please feel free to share your thoughts (positive or otherwise!) on this magazine at the same time. is there anything you particularly enjoy about it, or would like to see changed?
Congratulations to Carole green, the winner of the last YHA ‘through the hostel window’ competition, who correctly identified that the photo was taken from YHA london St Pancras.
T&Cs: Details of all entrants will be passed to Water-To-Go. Non-winners will receive a discount code.
Can you identify the hostel pictured from the following clues?
• It was originally a 17th-century manor house.• Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed here during the Jacobite Uprising.• It sits in the heart of the Peak District.• The Guardian named it one of the UK’s Top 10 hostels with family rooms for 2016.
