made a plan to stay in a different hostel every month of the year. hopefully ones that I have not stayed in before.
went to Helmsley last, which was nice and cosy, and we had it all to ourselves. going to Malham this weekend, which is a new one to me also.
whish hostel do you like? or is worth a visit?
The one in town here had big revamp a few years back, it's pretty good. Went for a pie, peas and bingo night a few weeks back to raise money for my eldest guides group, it's pretty impressive.
http://www.alnwickyouthhostel.co.uk
Tick
Aviemore SYHA.
Black Sail has the best location of any I've been to. Torridon one also has an amazing location and is run by very sound people.
Torridon!
[url= http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/llangattock-mountain-bunkhouse ]YHA Llangattock Mountain Bunkhouse[/url]
Right near Crickhowell for MTB - what's not to like!
Hartington Hall +1
I love the look of the camping pods at southease, I think its called YHA south downs now.
http://www.yha.org.uk/places-to-stay/alternative-accommodation/camping-pods
Not stayed in them yet though.this summer hopefully
Langdon Beck was special for me, partly because of the position on my favourite two days of the Pennine Way. Walking up from Bowes with Middleton in Teesdale and High Force, then setting off the next morning with Cauldron Snout and High Cup Nick on the menu before dropping down to Dufton, where the YHA is pretty good too.
Stayed at that hostel in Malham before when I was walking the Penine way I quite liked it but maybe that is because it was a complete luxury compared to the tent I had been sleeping in for the previous few nights.
Blacksail is hard to beat
After doing the CTC we stayed in Whitby YHA up on the hill - that's pretty cool
Malinbeg hostel in Donegal. Not sure it is yha now and it isn't necessarily the must luxurious ever but the location is stunning and for that it is a winner
Tongue for location and building
wellington nz yha .... For an innercity yha its outstanding
Probably long gone now, but the old school house hostel in Kyle of Lochalsh was the one I was most happy to reach after a day riding into torrential rain and wind across Skye. They had a wood burning stove going to greet us.
We met up with a bunch of sixty and seventy year old CTC guys on Mercians and Bob Jacksons. Great bunch of guys that reminded me that touring was awesome once I had thawed and dried out.
I'm keen to visit the Loch Ossian hostel this year.
Not been there for a while but Ambleside was always very good.
[url= http://www.gatliff.org.uk/?page_id=9 ]Bernaray hostel[/url]
it's very rustic but the most amazing location.
All the gatliff hostels have great locations but Bernaray is the best.
Sydney: the roof top terrace gives you a terrific view of Circular quay and the Opera House.
If you want to go way north Shetland [url= http://www.shetland.gov.uk/islesburgh/Hostel.asp ]Link[/url] 5 star!
[url= http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/youlgreave ]Youlgreave[/url] is in a loveley village with a couple of good pubs & some great White Peak riding or more sedate touring stuff like the Monsal Trail.
Ah forgot about sydney.
We stayed at the old station yha.....in the old train carriges
I haven't stayed in many but here is my verdict on the ones I have stayed in...
Libanus in the Brecon Beacons is great as a remote location, close to Pen Y Fan.
Canterbury is nicely modernised and a short walk to the city.
Lulworth Cove is a bit tired but some great walking right on the doorstep and 2 minutes from a lovely thatched pub.
Sheringham is another place that could do with some work but is close to some good beaches.
Loch Ossian is a cracking location. Torridon,well it is huge and in Torridon. I bought a new map there,forgot to take it home. It arrived in the post with hand drawn pics on the envelope,top staff and fantastic service!
Youlgreave is in a cracking location, beautiful little village. If you do stay there, just be aware they lock up at 11pm and you will struggle to get back in. I know this from experience...
stayed at loch Ossian, and also staying at berneray in may this year.
Borrowdale is nice.
Achmelvich. Right on the beach.
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Achmelvich. Right on the beach.
Awsome, was there last summer. In fact when was that pic taken? Looks like my lot in the small cove on the right they swam every day there for a week.
Black sail for me, proper old school and great selection of beers!!!
Admittedly it's not a (S)YHA.
But as a building for group use, Blackrock cottage has been my favourite. Fantastic building. The only downside is the road.
The Ling Hut has been my favourite setting however.
minehead. fantastic victorian house. very clean and great riding from the garden.
keswick. clean, good food, good location. big and a bit lacking in character if i'm being picky.
Cardiff one in city centre: never stayed there but it has a great bar; on the river.
Ingleton was a good location ,walks straight out the door.
Malham the same ,nice wee roads to get there.
Grinton was good and more great roads on route.
Kettlell ditto above.
We used to do YHA every Easter/May bank when the kids were small,ideal places for meeting up with other friends and their families.
Edit >[i] Oh,and they all have decent pubs close by [/i] 😉 < edit
Ilam Hall in the Peak District is pretty amazing!
Another +1 on torridon.
Sat watching sunset over the hills out the big picture window in the lounge with a wee pot of vanilla Mackies and a wee dram after a big ride....ace.
I have stayed in a few of the syha ones, they always seem nice.
staying in a few independent ones come may on uist, harris, skye and mull.
cant wait...... 8)
Beer is good, friendly staff, nice inside, en-suite & family rooms
http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/beer
Boswinger was also good stayed there during a massive storm, really felt isolated...
Wells on Sea also nice, always booked with families though.
Abroad - Dubrovnic is okay but you have to carry your bike up about 149 steps to get to hostel and there's no bike shed
Whitby-in the very very old Abbey buildings and a short but steep walk down for fish and chips
St Briavels on edge of Forest of Dean - 1st as a teenager on a cycling road tour and then a couple of times with my kids - a real castle with real ghosts - possibly
These 2 bring back memories of the late 70's when backpacking and grape picking in France & Spain.
http://www.irun.org/albergue/ fantastic location
http://www.auberge-jeunesse-bordeaux.com/?lang=en some good parties went on here leading up to the grape picking season.
Hartington Hall: ask for the Bonnie Prince Charlie room
Ahh this brings back memories... not been hostelling since i was a teenager.
My favourites
Black sail - just for its location
Honister Hause - ditto
Longthwaite in Borrowdale... lovely site
High Cross - Loughrigg - Beautiful building in nice grounds.
Wasdale Hall. Views from the Garden are stunning.
Westerdale Hall - Sadly sold off.
Kirkby Stephen, an old converted church with a great chippy next door.
That's easy. Ambleside. It's where I met my wife!
Ambleside had a revamp quite recently and they have put the prices up a bit. Windermere YHA is ok, but a bit out the way and they lock the doors at 2300hrs.
Slight hijack Ton, if that's OK.
I work for YHA ( I run YHA Grasmere) and i am currently doing a project on getting more people who ride bikes to stay with us, so can i ask what would make you want to stay in a YHA or return if you've not been since you were a teenager?
Cheers
Ian
Pridds - Safe place to lock up bikes (priority) and:
Large portions of food,
Hot showers,
Warm in winter/autumn,
Near a decent pub,
Near to village shop or somewhere to stock up on snacks/food,
Lastly I'm a woman so like cleanliness. hth.
[url= http://www.rainbowhosteldingle.com/ ]Rainbow, Dingle.[/url]
Independant, but just a great place to stay.
Pridds add to that list on site child care facilities. Wed be back in a heart beat.
Slight hijack Ton, if that's OK.
I work for YHA ( I run YHA Grasmere) and i am currently doing a project on getting more people who ride bikes to stay with us, so can i ask what would make you want to stay in a YHA or return if you've not been since you were a teenager?
Cheers
Ian
Slight tangent on your tangent - I'd say the best thing the YHA could do would be to loose the 'Y' from the name. The Youth bit still puts people off - lots of folk I've spoken to about YHA had no idea they were open to old farts too.
As for attracting bikers - its all about security. A little cycle logo list of facilities doesn't cut it - what does that mean in that specific hostel (a bike rack outside, a shed with some space in, individual locked mini spaces, bike wash facilities). For info easily found.
Glen Affric SYHA for me. Fantastically remote and very, very basic. You'd better take everything you want cos they have **** all to give you. Try it.
A close friend of mine works in YHA hostels all over the place, she was up in the Lakes just after Christmas, in Troutbeck, Borrowdale and Keswick, she's back home here in Wiltshire for six weeks, then she's off up to Conwy for most of the year, where she was last year. That looks good on the map, right below Snowdonia.
I'll show her this thread tonight, I'm out for a drink with her.
I've stayed in many, many hostels - but too many of my favourites have been closed.
I nominate Craig.
This is the approach:
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Highly commended are Minigaff ( a real cyclists hostel) and Achininver.
Pridds - hostels need to be a decent distance apart so stop closing the them please. Some of the best evenings of my life have been spent in the hostel kitchens, so stop people buggering off in their cars to a restaurant. Descending with a group of recent-strangers / newly-met friends to the pub is OK.
When we went to Glen Affric the warden had made cake for everybody. When we were there we swapped food for wine with a couple of blokes that had taken several boxes of wine with them. We also gave directions to an Eastern European barmaid who was heading back to Fort William, in hot pants. Don't forget your midgie net though, you'll need that or Napalm.
I've stayed at Craig too - http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/torridon-overhyped-long-pic-heavy 🙂
Incredible spot - sort of like the fact it's a bothy not a YH now though. The trail there is fun to ride although I had to get off quite a bit.
Fishermans Wharf Hostel San Francisco
The view from our room
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/45/113011818_cee63ef83c.jp g" target="_blank">
Free parking too, which is amazing in San Francisco
And more of a 'hut' than a hostel but this place in Norway, we had it all to ourselves.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4144/4960260653_29fc0f0312.jp g" target="_blank">
"Ilam Hall in the Peak District is pretty amazing!"
This is right.
Another vote for Minehead here...
Scenic location on the slopes of Exmoor, very clean, good food and badger watching...
What's not to like?
(Haven't stayed there for a few years, so might be different now...)
Bogglehole is nice .The trouble with hostels is that they seem to have lost their way if you want a private room often a Premier inn is cheaper .If they went really cheap and cheerful and went back to the days of doing chores it would be better
Many of the 'simple' Youth Hostels from my, erm, youth are now long gone. Gidleigh is a good example - the YH was basically a half-converted cow shed (with the cows still in the other half...).
The chores were all part of the experience and helped to generate a sense of community (in a "we're all in this together" sort of way). I understand that the YHA had to go up market to survive, but something was lost in the process.
Lake Louise and Banff in the Canadian Rockies are both outstanding!
Edric's got a point tho', I took the kids to kielder a couple of years ago and it cost a bloody fortune!
Not a YHA hostel any more, but the one in Coris near Machynlleth is my favourite. Weird, but lovely.
What would make bikers stay?
Bike security.
Good showers.
Washing/drying facility.
A bit of segregation if the bikers want to have a few drinky poos. Some folk in youth hostels can be a bit serious.
Oh, and comfier beds. Worst youth hostel I've been in ... Ullapool, simply on the basis of ridiculously bad beds.
I've nothing helpful to add other than, great thread and one I've earmarked for future use. Thanks.
Hi Pridds
Look at the map of east anglia and tell me why your having trouble attracting tourers ?.
http://www.yha.org.uk/places-to-stay/east-of-england
About 40-50 miles apart would be perfect or do you give up there is Travelodge in town.
Still luv you guys though and dream of opening one in Ston, Croatia
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/ @42.83794,17.696246,3a,90y,349.53h,97.14t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1s5To4DbjQSv4Z-A6MUCD86A!2e0!3e5
i just find them welcoming and pretty cosy.
comfier beds would be my only beef.
Just talking to my friend Fi, and she suggests Tintagel, nice little hostel with fantastic view.
Ohhh and with tents being so light these days . Allowing tourers to pitch a few tents in the garden, with access to the facilities is a good move.
For reasons I won't go into, YHA Ambleside in 1986. She was gorgeous.
For possibly similar reasons to above, Malham. She was gorgeous. 🙂
Rachel
A German one on the Rhine- one of the old castles.
That lesbian couple was gorgeous 😎
Pridds,
Stayed at your place last spring with my 12 year old on a mountain biking trip to the Lakes - i'd say you do a good job:
Lock up - tick
Good showers - tick
Comfy beds - tick
Friendly staff - tick
As for the best - in recent years, Ninebanks and the worst - Helvellyn (we walked away............).
Fifteen years ago me and my partner were summer wardens at Tongue - the best six months of my life. The youth hostel movement in the UK is part of our cultural heritage, and its great that it has survived the competition from cheap hotels, independent hostels and its own efforts to shoot itself in the foot.
Blaxhall
She was a bloody good laugh, when all the street lights went out, and we had to walk/stagger back from the pub and climb in through the window when we couldn't remember the code
Ironbridge Coalport is nice. And Holmbury on the North Downs for the genuine 1930's outdoorsy decoration. I'm going there in a few weeks with my son and his club, Herne Hill Youth CC. Looking forward to it 🙂
Bridges, on the West side of the Long Mynd.
It's in between some fantastic riding, and a great pub.
I think sadly my favourites might well have closed now. There was two down in the brecons somewhere that slept about 12 people and had no electricity. Ruddy wonderful places. Also Corris near Cadair Idris for sheer bonkersness.
The SYHA in Leadhills for the warden who persuaded the pub to reopen the kitchen for some wet cold starving end to enders.
Not by any means objectively "the best", but I went through a happy phase a few years ago of staying at Hindhead and at Tanners Hatch.
Both tiny hostels, less than an hour from central London but secluded enough, and with lousy enough mobile reception, that you could be much, much further away. I used to start my weekend in central London at 7pm on Friday, get down there and bed down, then wake up in what felt like the middle of nowhere early on Saturday morning. You could have what felt like an entire weekend in the bag by supper time on Saturday.
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[url= http://www.yha.org.uk/events/be-last-to-stay-yha-hindhead ]Hindhead is closing [/url] after years of being available for exclusive hire only.
That is a huge pity, and the YHA's view that if they keep Tanners Hatch (which they are) they don't need another small hostel in a different part of the Surrey Hills strikes me as pretty odd. Nevermind. I am increasingly at 36 one of those old men who don't like the modern world. 🙂
It seems one of my favourites is actually still open! Tyncornel YHA, bit remote and really rather lovely.
Price wise you can get twin b and b for the price of a private room in a hostel with breakfast .I wish they went back to the old days and were cheap with chores .I love staying in different hostels but fear lots of the nice ones are going as they are not viable .I cant see why Chester shut though it was always busy and a LEJOG stop over for many .Cheapest places to stay now that I find are caving huts £72 for me and the missus for 6 nights in one in the dales
Once you have stayed in the habitat@ballater your expectations of what a hostel can be change...
Glen Affric SYHA for me. Fantastically remote and very, very basic.
Cycling up at top of loch Affric last year and met a back packer looking for the hostel, he had been walking 12hrs already and looked done in. Poor bloke looked ready to top himself when i said just another 3-4 hrs walk to the hostel! 😯
It's a shame that hostels seem to be shifting towards the Travelodge market. Some of the pricing just seems way off (£70 for a room in Brighton). I know they have to change to keep profitable but I wish they'd stay with the basic approach.