Cycling investment for YHAs

Many of us like to use youth hostels when travelling to different areas to mountain bike, so news of a £269,500 investment in key YHAs to make them more friendly is welcome indeed.

Twenty five YHAs across England and Wales are getting internal and external bike-locking facilities, pump stations and repair tools. The Youth Hostelling charity is investing £108,000; the rest is coming from local and National Park authorities.

Here are the initial recipients of the bikification:

• YHA Berwick
• YHA Helmsley
• YHA Malham
• YHA Hawkshead
• YHA Keswick
• YHA Castleton
• YHA Hartington Hall
• YHA Hathersage
• YHA Ilam Hall
• YHA National Forest
• YHA Edale
• YHA Ravenstor
• YHA Eyam
• YHA Youlgreave
• YHA Conwy
• YHA Eastborne
• YHA Holmbury St Marys
• YHA London Lee Valley
• YHA South Downs
• YHA Truleigh Hill
• YHA Bristol
• YHA Dartmoor
• YHA Eden Project
• YHA Swanage
• YHA Wye Valley

Caroline White, Chief Executive of YHA (England and Wales) said: “We’re delighted this funding will enable us to further boost our efforts to improve cycling facilities across the YHA network. It is further commitment to making Youth Hostels more accessible so people can discover the wonderful experiences the UK can offer.”

And the best news is that this is only the first phase; there’ll be more announced later this year.

You can find details of the Youth Hostel Association at their website.

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

More posts from Barney