#LiveMoreYHA issue 4

#LiveMoreYHA Issue #04 - July 2016

Roam free

We uncover some of the world's most unique hostels, from Australia to the USA, but still find paradise in Cornwall

Oxford for families Storybooks & picnics

Off to Rio Olympic golden girl Helen Glover MBE

Unique stays abroad + WIN a 6-person tent!

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Welcome The British summer always seems to broaden our sense of outdoor adventure. With winter a distant memory, the mountains appear more climbable, the beaches become more inviting and that long-distance hike or bike ride you’ve been putting off seems that much more achievable.

It’s a time of year for doing rather than planning, and for achieving goals rather than setting them.

This is certainly true for those athletes jetting off to Rio for the Olympics, and it’s this global celebration that lends this issue a more international flavour than normal. So as well as our usual features from around England and Wales – including some great inspiration for an actionpacked YHA break in Cornwall – you’ll find an interview with Olympian Helen Glover MBE and an overview of some of the most unusual properties in the wider Hostelling International network.

Before the Olympics begin in August, however, early July sees the staging of our AGM, which takes place this year in Cardiff. It’s a momentous occasion, partly because for the first time in our history all members have been invited to attend themselves. Our members have always been at the very core of what we strive to achieve as an organisation, and I know many of you will be reading this, so regardless of whether or not you are joining us in Wales, I’d like to express my thanks for your invaluable ongoing support.

Together we’re making a genuine difference to thousands of lives across the country, providing young people with fresh experiences and new opportunities for adventure. And with this in mind, here’s to a fruitful summer ahead, whatever your plans. Happy reading.

ecutive x E f ie h C , e t i h W e n li o ar C 3

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Contents

06 Stepping Out: News, views and inspiration

28 How to... tie a bowline, stay hydrated & more

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We chat with Olympic champion Helen Glover MBE

30 Gear: the best new kit for

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Take the kids on a family weekend to Oxford

32 Hostel guide: plan your next

exploring the great outdoors

adventure

20 The world's most unique and

38 Pictures from your adventures

24 A surfing and hiking break

39 COMPETITION: Your chance to win

unusual hostels

in Cornwall

and #LiveMoreYHA tweets

a 6-man Airgo tent

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Stepping Out: Stamps

Making a mark For almost 80 years, collecting stamps at hostels has been part of the YHA experience. Here we look at some old classics and modern designs.

The beautiful old 1939 membership card reproduced here would have held plenty of examples of one of YHA’s most enduring features: our hostel stamps.

Yes, they date back that far. From 1939, stamps were fairly basic, but became increasingly elaborate in the 1960s and 1970s.

Some, such as the Llanberis stamp, depict the area’s surrounding landscape.

Others, such as Westerdale Hall’s, show the hostel itself. And others – well, they seem to depend on the whim of the designer.

Helmsley, for no discernible reason, has a hedgehog on a penny farthing (answers on a postcard?).

For John Martin, YHA’s volunteer archivist, the stamps hold much more than mere administrative value. “They were certainly a 6

talking point, a way of breaking the ice in the hostel,” he says.

“When you look at the old cards, the stamps provide an instant recognition of the pleasure of a holiday – they store up memories of the individuality of every hostel, of different locations, people, wardens and experiences.

They’re just a great way of pressing the button in your mind and getting a response from that moment in time.”

Today our hostels still have stamps that can be collected in the YHA Membership Passports (members can request one if they haven't got one). Some feature great designs: just look at the stamps for YHA Littlehampton, YHA Haworth and YHA South Downs. And who wouldn’t want to go to YHA Treyarnon Bay after seeing that stamp?

Don’t forget to ask for yours.

Stepping Out: Stamps

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Stepping Out: Green YHA

Welsh hostels show eco credentials Two of our green properties in Wales receive international recognition. Words: Andy Rimmer YHA Idwal and YHA Port Eynon may be at opposite ends of Wales but they have recently raised the bar for accommodation all over the country by gaining international environmental accreditation.

Based in North Wales, nestled beneath the Glyder mountains with views of the Nant Ffrancon Valley, YHA Idwal is YHA’s oldest location in Wales. Having now become one of the first Youth Hostels in Wales to achieve Green Key status, the former quarry manager’s residence is a wonderful site from which to base your adventures. Meanwhile, South Gower’s former lifeboat station YHA Port Eynon faces a stunning award-winning beach which has just retained its Blue Flag status. The hostel grants spectacular views of the Gower Peninsula.

YHA takes its interaction with the environment seriously, so we’re extremely pleased to be recognised for these awards.

What’s more, they fit in perfectly with our YHA Green Spirit Plan for achieving environmental improvements over the next three years. And the award simply wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated and 8

passionate teams at the hostels themselves. So what exactly is Green Key status, we hear you ask? It’s an international FEE (Federation of Environmental Education) programme run in Wales by the environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, who also run the prestigious Blue Flag Beach awards.

Following a very successful pilot scheme last year, the Green Key scheme is now being offered right across Wales. The programme allows tourism businesses to celebrate the positive environmental changes they’re implementing and market themselves to an audience that is increasingly aware of their green responsibilities.

Lesley Jones, Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy, says: “The Green Key and Blue Flag awards have environmental excellence at their core. YHA have done a great deal of work to educate their guests on the importance of environmental sustainability so it is great to see this recognised and applauded with these Green Key awards.”

Stepping Out: Volunteering

YHA Green SPIRIT Plan Our manifesto for the future YHA's 2015-2018 Green SPIRIT Plan sets out the environmental goals we want to reach as an organisation over the next three years. SPIRIT stands for Sustainability, Passion, Innovation, Responsibility, Inclusivity and Trust, and the self-imposed guidelines we’ve abided by have already helped us to save hundreds of tons of CO2.

Using renewable technology such as biomass heating, solar power and LED lighting, we remain committed to reducing our environmental impact wherever possible and measuring our carbon production.

Between now and 2018 we want to further reduce our electricity and gas usage, as well as working towards more green accreditations.

We hope we’ll be sharing plenty more good news in years to come.

Network Rail dig deep for YHA Volunteers give hostel grounds new look

Fifty Network Rail workers transformed the grounds of YHA Stratford-upon-Avon in June, as part of the company’s volunteer scheme. The employees donned hard hats and – with the aid of spades, wheelbarrows and the occasional cup of tea – completed more than £10,000 worth of landscaping and gardening for the hostel in a single day. And all for free.

The work included transforming a disused area of the car park into the New Shakespeare’s Amphitheatre.

Stephen Dodgson, manager of YHA Stratford-uponAvon, said: “I am overwhelmed at what has been achieved. The work has made a huge difference – the new amphitheatre looks amazing and I can’t wait to see it put to use by the school groups that stay with us.”

Interesting in your company doing something similar? Find out more at yha.org.uk/volunteering

YHA Langdon Beck

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Stepping Out: Furry friends

It's a dog's life Get those tails wagging. We know that for many of you, a countryside stay without your dog just isn’t the same, so we’ve had a rethink. As of mid-June this year, dogs are now welcome to stay in YHA campsites, bell tents, tipis, camping pods, cabins and huts, with the sole exception of those at YHA New Forest.

So, if you’ve got a mountain-climbing mastiff or beach-running beagle that might enjoy a break away, England and Wales are now yours to explore.

A party fit for royalty YHA team meet Her Majesty the Queen YHA could have stood for “Your Highness Awaits” in mid-June, when ten of our young volunteers and employees were among the lucky guests at the Queen’s iconic Patron’s Lunch. All ten had been nominated by their fellow employees to attend the ticket-only party on The Mall, which was held in honour of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. The Queen has been a patron of YHA since 1959.

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This year also marks the Diamond Anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which has impacted the lives of millions of children worldwide. Read more about the work the Award does in the next issue.

Stepping Out: Cycling

Ride like an Olympian Cycle the same track used by Laura Trott, Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins on an hourlong taster session at Lee Valley VeloPark “It’s all about positive pedalling,” says Rob, the head coach at Lee Valley VeloPark’s indoor track, as I gape awestruck at the tight pine bends of the indoor circuit. This is the venue in which, four years ago, Team GB’s Olympic and Paralympic cyclists won 24 medals amid deafening spectator noise.

Legends were forged here, records broken, and now I’m wobbling onto the boards myself, trying not to be intimidated by the lightweight fixed-wheel bike I’m on. It has no brakes and no gears. Oh, and the bends on the track are 42 degrees at their steepest.

Doddle, right?

Incredibly – to me, at least – I’m clocking up multiple laps just ten minutes later. I’m hardly going like greased lightning (I work out later that sprint champ Jason Kenny’s lap times are less than half mine), but I’m giving it everything. It’s exhausting but exhilarating.

Pumping down the straights and feeling the air rush past as the bike swings round the high curves is a proper, lung-bursting thrill.

And for this hour at least, I can fantasise that there’s a crowd going wild...

YHA Lee Valley sits just half an hour by direct train from Stratford, where the Olympic Park is located. www.visitleevalley.org.uk/velopark

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Stepping Out: Celebrity

Celebrity Q&A

Helen Glover In 2012, Helen Glover MBE helped win Team GB’s first gold medal at the London Olympics, taking victory in the women’s coxless pairs. Fast forward four years and she’s now also a triple European champion, a triple World champion and a quintuple World Cup champion. Unsurprisingly, she’s also the number one ranked female rower in the world. She took time out from her training to talk exclusively to #LiveMoreYHA about preparing for Rio, growing up in Cornwall and where she draws her inspiration.

You and Heather Stanning are looking to retain Olympic gold in Rio. How are you feeling going into the Games, and how important is it that you’ve stayed together?

We’re both looking forward to racing. Both Heather and I always want to row in the fastest pair, no matter who we might be with, so we feel really fortunate that the two of us together are also the top combination. We love rowing and training together and feel very lucky to be so close in such a competitive environment.

All those early-morning training sessions must take huge commitment. What keeps you going?

Knowing that our competitors all over the world are doing exactly the same thing. We know we can’t afford to slacken off as there is always a team targeting that top spot.

You were born in Truro. As a Cornish girl, what do you remember about your first outdoor adventures?

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Growing up, my family and I led a very outdoorsy lifestyle. No matter what the weather, even when we were toddlers my parents would pack a picnic and we would go for long walks on the beach along with my two brothers and two sisters. When we got older, my brothers and I would get a map and go and get lost on daylong bike rides across the fields.

Outside of your home county, which is your favourite part of England and Wales?

I went to university in Wales and tried to visit the Brecon Beacons when I could. They’re stunning.

And I really want to go and explore more of the British coastline, as I grew up loving the sea.

You got engaged to TV presenter Steve Backshall last year in Namibia. He’s known for his extreme mountain exploits – ever tempted to join him on a challenge?

I haven’t yet had a chance! We have to virtually wrap ourselves in cotton wool as the Olympics approaches so we don't get any injuries, although we have done some climbing together.

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I really look forward to being able to spend more time walking. I can't wait to get a dog!

Summer camps

My favourite place has been at Land’s End in Cornwall. In the future I’m hoping to join him on a kayaking or climbing expedition.

to me before London 2012 telling me that no matter what the result, both my parents would be bursting with pride.

You spend a lot of the year competing overseas. What do you miss most about the UK when you're away?

Being away from home is hard. Steve and I live by the river in Berkshire and I adore summer evenings, having a barbecue in the garden. I really love the English countryside, so once I've finished rowing and feel I have more energy I really look forward to being able to spend more time walking. I can't wait to get a dog!

Finally, what's the single most important piece of advice you've been given?

As a young athlete – I was a middle distance runner – my coach wrote 'carpe diem' in my birthday card, and I think 'seize the day' is great advice no matter what it is you are trying to achieve.

The flight time to Brazil is almost 12 hours.

If you could choose anyone in the world to sit next to, who would offer the most inspiration?

Probably my dad! With my parents in Cornwall I only get to see them once or twice a year. He’s always been a massive inspiration and I feel that we share a very similar idea about sport.

He knows how I am going to feel about my performances even before I speak to him. One of my treasured possessions is a letter he wrote

Helen celebrates gold in 2012 with Heather Stanning

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Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A We spoke to three outdoor enthusiasts to get their thoughts on dorms, dinners and day-walks

Derek Hickman 'Born Again Hosteller'

Want to appear here in the next issue? Email your interest to livemoreyha@yha.org.uk

Countryside, city or coast?

Favourite hostel?

YHA Wilderhope Manor – checked in recently and was asked, “Have you stayed here before?” I replied, "yes, but not for forty years!" Go outside, the stars are beautiful!

Earliest YHA memory?

Cutting my hand open on a can of corned beef when I was 14 at YHA Windermere. The Warden told me off for “bleeding in the Members’ Kitchen!”

Ideal overseas destination?

Perfect hostel dinner?

An item to pack?

A book for a rainy day?

Favourite day-walk?

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Coast – but I have just come back from YHA Port Eynon where I walked the coastal path to Rhossili.

Luxembourg. Beautiful country. I stayed in a hostel there once and completely baffled the Warden by asking to be assigned ‘duties’ in the morning!

One that my son and I cook together after a good day out. Duck at YHA National Forest after a day at the National Memorial Arboretum was superb.

Your son or daughter. We need to introduce YHA values to young people or they will be lost.

Anything by the Bronte Sisters – YHA Haworth: believe me, it rained, but the local Tourist Information Office sells classics for £2.00!

The summit of Snowdon. YHA Llanberis is very comfortable. Combine it with a visit to Dinorwig’s ‘Electric Mountain’ and a look at the Slate Museum.

Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A Luke Bamforth

Bel Clarke

Staff member at YHA Youlgreave

Nine-year-old adventurer

It has to be countryside, but coast comes a close second.

I like staying near the coast because it is easy to go straight out to play in the sea! I like to build dams and play in the sand with my brother, Sam.

YHA Ilam Hall. I made some really good friends there. And hey, it’s a gothic manor house – what’s not to love? I’m a dedicated horror film fan.

YHA Boggle Hole, because there are great treasure hunts to do, a lovely playroom just for kids and fossils to find on the beach.

My first ever YHA fried egg, 90s-style, on a school trip to visit Hadrian’s Wall.

I went to stay at YHA Slaidburn for my cousin's birthday. We had a whole corridor to ourselves and we had a midnight feast of chocolate.

I really want to go to Canada. I’ve spent a fair bit of time overseas, but have never made it there.

I would love to go to Rio in Brazil to see the Olympics and also to see what they make for breakfast there.

For me it would be the classic bangers and mash, probably followed by a nice peach crumble, without oats in the topping. Sorry oat-lovers!

At the coast I would have mussels with garlic butter and crusty bread. In the city I would have ham and pineapple pizza with chips.

A bottle of golden syrup, especially if I’m camping… it makes even the worse porridge edible. Maybe I just need to get better at making porridge!

If you are planning to go crabbing, some bacon (crabs just love bacon!) and a sturdy bucket are really important.

Some type of historic fiction by Simon Scarrow or Bernard Cornwell. I only read Joseph Conrad on sunny days.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone would be my choice. I know it really well but it always makes me feel magical.

Lathkill Dale is one of my favourite parts of the country, so I’d have to say that. The mix of terrains as you walk further up the river is amazing.

Boggle Hole to Robin Hood's Bay and back is a brilliant walk. My favourite part is walking along the cliffs and looking down to the beach and the sea.

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Feature: Oxford

Oxford's uni-versal appeal Oxford has always been a city of storytellers, as Ben Lerwill finds out on a weekend hostel break with his two young kids.

Six-year-old boys, I’ve learned, hold a fairly ambivalent view on museum exhibits.

Anything involving trains or dinosaurs gets the thumbs-up, whereas, let’s say, in-depth geology tends not to generate much enthusiasm. But a cosy indoor shed containing hundreds of old copies of the Dandy and Beano? “Daddy! Look! Dennis the Menace!” goes up the cry. “Can I stay in here all day?”

We’re in Oxford’s new Story Museum, and it’s going down a storm. Open since mid-2014

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in a one-time telephone exchange, it’s exactly what you’d hope it to be: creaky, quirky and full of the giddy magic of children’s tales. The comic shed is a mere bit-part player. There’s a dressing-up room, an illustrator zoo, an enormous storytelling bed – big enough, at a modest estimate, for two dozen rapt listeners – and even an “extreme reading room”, where bookworms young and old can curl up in a boat, armchair or cage.

The museum, of course, finds a natural home in Oxford. On arrival, our two kids had crawled onto the aforementioned bed to hear a reading of Alice In Wonderland, not 50 metres away from Christ Church, the college where Lewis Carroll spent most of his adult life. JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and Philip Pullman all wrote their most famous works in Oxford too. The city also happens to be dotted with Harry

Feature: Feature: Oxford The Story Museum

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"It’s exactly what you’d hope: creaky, quirky and full of the giddy magic of children’s tales

Potter filming locations. Overall, that’s some pedigree.

A family weekend in Oxford has other obvious inclusions. Two of the best are the Norman castle, with its bulky medieval battlements, and the city’s other great kid-friendly museum, the Pitt Rivers.

Entered via a door at the back of the Museum of Natural History – itself a place of T-Rex bones and dodo remains – it’s a glorious half-lit warren of treasure-packed old display cases. Ever wanted to see a collection of actual shrunken heads?

You’re in the right place. They even hand out torches to young explorers.

Another near-compulsory stop is the Covered Market. Standing since 1774, its aisles are still full of independent vendors, many of them selling food and drink. We call in for picnic provisions, with the obligatory stop at the

Four more ideas for family fun close to Oxford • Explore the giant maze at Blenheim Palace • Get up close to giraffes at Cotswold Wildlife Park • Pick your own fruit at Millets Farm Centre • Hire bikes and cycle the Thames Path

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Feature: Oxford original Ben’s Cookies, a local outlet now franchised out worldwide. “Mummy, do you think they have a cookie even more chocolatey than ‘double chocolate’?” comes the question.

“Cos if they do, please can I have that one?”

From here it’s a few minutes’ stroll to Christ Church Meadow (the exact duration of the walk, I can add, being dependent on the given mood of any three-year-olds in the party), with its riverside walks, wildflowers and long-horned cattle. Surely, we decide, no other UK city has such a large tract of wilderness quite so close to its centre.

We eat our rolls and watch the punts dodging the ducks and the ducks dodging the punts. It’s Brighton is ideal for families

Five other great family friendly destinations YHA Hartington Hall: A Peak District manor house with pets’ area, games room and a playground.

said that the Oxfordshire outdoors helped inspire Kenneth Grahame’s Wind In The Willows, and it’s not hard to see why. The writer himself, we later learn, is buried in Holywell Cemetery, less than a mile from where we’re sitting.

The next day, a climb up Carfax Tower – all that remains of a 12th century church, and still the tallest building in the heart of the city – has the six-year-old counting the steps (“Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-niiiine!”) then falling uncharacteristically quiet at the sight of the ranks of college spires. And the two kids 18

YHA Brighton: A lively arts scene, seaside fun and fish and chips – what more do you need?

YHA Ingleton: A great Yorkshire Dales base with a famous waterfall walk.

YHA Penzance: A 15-minute stroll from the seafront, complete with tents and private rooms.

YHA St Briavels Castle: How often do kids get the chance to sleep in an 800-year-old castle?

Feature: Oxford are no less wowed by the size of Blackwell’s bookstore on Broad Street, where a modestly sized shopfront famously conceals a colossal underground gallery of reading material.

The three-year-old keeps excitedly picking up books from the shelves and pressing them into our hands. Oxford has got to her. And around us, the shop is as busy as I can remember seeing a bookstore. But in the city that created worlds like Middle Earth, Wonderland and Narnia, what would you expect?

Six great Oxford reads for grown-ups Brideshead Revisited: The city fills Evelyn Waugh’s classic tale of starry-eyed youth.

Jude The Obscure: Thomas Hardy is said to have penned the novel in The Lamb & Flag pub.

His Dark Materials: All ages can enjoy Philip Pullman’s imperious trilogy, imagining an alternative Oxford.

Last Bus To Woodstock: The first of Colin Dexter’s hugely popular Inspector Morse books.

The Hobbit: You’re never too old for Bilbo’s exploits.

Tolkien wrote at 20 Northmoor Road.

Isolarion: James Attlee’s modern Oxford travelogue focuses on multicultural Cowley Road.

Christ Church Meadow

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Feature: International

The weird and wonderful world of overseas hostels The Hostelling International network is a vast one, providing budget travellers with thousands of different accommodation options across the globe. Here are eight of the most unique and unusual.

Point Montara Lighthouse, USA

Sitting on the Pacific coastline some 25 miles south of San Francisco, Point Montara Lighthouse these days plays home to one of the highest-rated HI hostels in the world. It’s great for serious surfers – the famous Mavericks break is close by – and hiking and horseback riding are further options.

Perks include movie nights and an outdoor BBQ area.

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Youth Hostel Tresor, Slovenia

Set in a turn-of-the-century bank in the heart of Slovenia’s lovable capital city, the building has been transformed into a colourful, lively hostel with 28 different rooms, all of them named after world currencies. Dorms are located in the basement, occupying what was once the bank vault. Overall, a great base for exploring the sights and sounds of Ljubljana.

Feature: International

JumboStay Arlanda Hotel, Sweden

An airport hostel with a difference, this renovated Boeing 747 jumbo jet comes equipped with dorms, private rooms and a café-bar – there’s even conference space on the upper flight deck. For a special occasion, book the double bed ensuite cockpit. The plane is based near Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, and there’s a free shuttle bus to the check-in terminal.

Magnetic Island YHA, Australia

Locations don’t get much more idyllic than Australia’s Magnetic Island, 20 square miles of mountains and beaches on the Great Barrier Reef. The hostel itself fits right in with the tropical vibe, with hammocks, an open-air bar and private A-frame lodges. There’s even the chance to meet the local wildlife by booking a ticket for the hostel’s Koala Experience.

Kadir's Yörük Top Tree House, Turkey

Well situated for enjoying Olympos beach on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, this relaxed hostel has made a name for itself in backpacker circles thanks to its quirky tree-house accommodation and laid-back nightlife. Dorms are on offer too. There are ancient ruins nearby, and the surrounding area also gives options for everything from kayaking and rock-climbing to mountain biking and whitewater rafting.

HI Ottawa Jail, Canada

Occupying what was once Carleton County Gaol, this Canadian hostel still boasts some of its original architecture.

Those so inclined can even spend the night in authentic jail cells. There are free tours of the building every day at 11am, and ghost-hunters might enjoy the fact that it’s considered one of Canada’s most haunted sites. It has a good downtown location.

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Feature: International

The Inside View Hostel aficionado Katie Dawes (@thehostelgirl) shares her thoughts

Stayokay Heemskerk, Netherlands

What are the rewards of hostelling overseas?

I think the greatest reward of hostelling overseas is that you become part of the small international community of each hostel. Not only do you get to experience new cultures by travelling, but also through the conversations you have with new friends made in each hostel!

Where's next on your travel wish-list?

My number one travel wish-list item has to be Burg Altena hostel in Germany.

Not only is the hostel in a castle, but it was here that the history of the YHA and HI all began! As a huge hostel geek and a particular fan of the father of youth hostelling, Richard Schirrmann, this would be my dream hostel stay.

How about closer to home?

I really love YHA Bath. The history and architecture of the building, tucked away in such a beautiful and calm natural setting high up on the hills overlooking Bath makes the whole experience so peaceful!

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Fancy feeling like royalty without paying over the odds? This 13th-century castle in the Dutch town of Heemskerk (northwest of Amsterdam) lets you do just that. This extraordinary hostel has 162 beds spread over the orangery and the castle itself, and there’s a turret bar for those travellers who fancy enjoying a beer or two in medieval surrounds.

Af Chapman boat, Sweden

Water is everywhere you look in Stockholm – it’s part of an archipelago of 30,000 islands, after all – so it makes perfect sense to stay on a boat. And what a boat. The vessel itself is a fullrigged steel ship built in the 1880s, and circumnavigated the world several times before being permanently docked in the Swedish capital. It’s close to the Old Town.

Remember: as a YHA member you automatically become a member of Hostelling International and get up to 10% off overnight stays globally.

Feature: Cornwall

Surf's up

At the western extremity of mainland Britain, Cornwall’s stunning Penwith Peninsula is ideal for a multi-hostel break of coastal hikes and catching waves. Niko Cionek discovers more.

With Sam, surf tuition comes quick, fast and colourful. I’m a novice, but he’s got me catching waves and standing up within an hour of us reaching the beach. I’m stunned.

“Yeah! You’re tearing it up!” he shouts, when I first wobble to my feet. I’m not likely to be turning pro anytime soon – unless there’s a contract for repeatedly wiping out and swallowing seawater – but, wow, I can see how surfing becomes addictive.

I end up spending hours splashing around in the swell. When I’m not trying to ride waves, I’m gazing back at the hills and losing track of time. After all, escaping the everyday grind is what Cornwall is all about. I’m down here for a mini-break at two different hostels, 24

YHA Penzance and YHA Land’s End, both of which are excellently placed for enjoying the county’s easy-going charms.

Penzance is my starting point. I hire a bike (penzancebikehire.co.uk) and pass my first full day buzzing around on two wheels. I take a long dip in the newly reopened Art Deco lido, the UK’s largest seawater pool, call in at the Penlee House Gallery and devour an unfeasibly good crab sandwich at the Mackerel Sky Seafood Bar in nearby Newlyn.

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I gaze back at the hills and lose track of time.

After all, escaping the everyday grind is what Cornwall is all about

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“Surfing is about being yourself,” says Sam Smart, former runner-up at the British Surf Nationals and one of the instructors at Cornwall’s Smart Surf School. It’s a sunny morning, and we’re watching the waves roll onto the broad, near-empty sands of Sennen Cove. “It’s about looking back at the world with all its imperfections and saying ‘screw you – this is my time’.” He picks up his board and laughs.“The best surfers are the ones with the biggest smiles.”

In the afternoon I cycle out to the Minack Theatre – the open-air playhouse created on a cliff side in the 1930s – to watch a performance of As You Like It. The 90-minute ride is a hilly one, but the scenic rewards are huge. I can also vouch for the fact that when you’ve got a curving Atlantic bay as a backdrop, you don’t mind when the occasional renaissance-era pun goes over your head. continues overleaf

Feature: Cornwall

"Really rewarding!"

Ever fancied volunteering? Sally Nutland (left) spent a week doing just that with Hannah Marsland (right) at the recently refurbished YHA Tintagel, on Cornwall’s north coast.

What was the experience like?

Surprising, inspiring and really rewarding!

This was my first time as a Volunteer Manager and it more than surpassed my expectations. It’s a hostel for adventurers and we met so many different people, from firsttime hostellers delighted by their discovery to veteran explorers of the South West Coast Path. Beyond the check-ins, shower cleans, and pride in a job well done, the real pay-off was being a part of people’s journeys, holidays and happy experiences.

What makes it a special hostel?

Location, location, location! The sea view and sunsets have to be seen to be believed and you’re right on the coast path. The proximity to the town is perfect.

It feels secluded and quiet at the hostel, yet it’s only a ten minute walk to pubs, cafes and shops. The refurbishment has been cleverly executed too. The main space is a great place to mix and mingle. yha.org.uk/volunteering

The view from YHA Perranporth

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Feature: Cornwall Refuelled by pizza, sleep and a cooked breakfast at the hostel, I catch a bus out to Sennen Cove the next day (the double-deckers are open-topped from late May to mid-September, so represent a few quid well spent). It’s here I meet Sam and take my first steps into the world of wetsuits and breakers. Surfing’s been on my wish list for years, and Sennen Cove is a great place to start: the sands are clean, the headlands are lush, and looking out from the beach it’s next stop America.

Another great thing about the location is that it’s a short distance from YHA Land’s End (ninety minutes along the coastal path, or fifteen minutes on the bus). It was my first time at the hostel, so sitting in its garden and watching the sun set over the valley and ocean was some introduction.

A wise man once said that if you find yourself staying at a property on the South West Coastal Path, you’d be a fool not to get your walking boots on. I stride out the next morning, back towards Penzance. It’s a fine day, and the coastline snakes off to the distance in rumpled granite folds. Cornish choughs swoop, sparrowhawks hover, waves crash. I’m the happiest man in the West Country.

The walk itself can be as long as desired. From the hostel, short-distance hikers can stop at Sennen Cove or Land’s End itself, while travellers with trekking stamina can push on to Lamorna, Mousehole or even Penzance itself. All have bus connections. I settle for a midway point, the glorious beach at Porthcurno, where after five hours of sublime coastal walking I’m met by the sight of a dolphin pod frolicking offshore. A perfect moment? That’s Cornwall all over.

Smart Surf School 01736 871817 sennensurfschool.com 26

How to: Keep kids happy

H Wto...

Skills for outdoor living

… keep the kids amused on a walk How many times have you suggested going for a walk, only to be met by moans and groans and feeble excuses? It doesn’t have to be like that…

A walk can be an action-packed adventure, a journey of discovery, an escape into the imagination or a thrilling challenge. If you’re willing to be flexible and prepared to play along, you may be surprised by just how far children can walk and how much fun the whole family can have along the way. Going Wild’s Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks offer their top tips on enjoying a walk with your kids.

1. Never say you are going for a walk – entice them out with an exciting adventure or activity. Go on a bear hunt, a bug hunt, or build a den (see our new book The Den Book or www.goingwild.net for ideas!)

2. Dress for the weather and take plenty of snacks – with the right kit you can have fun whatever the weather!

3. Be flexible – do what the children want, even let them lead. Go for a shorter walk if they get engrossed in a particular activity or move on if they get bored!

4. Let them get dirty! Put them in old clothes

28

and carry a spare pair, let them really get stuck in. Remember, puddles are for jumping in!

5. Use your imagination - look for magical creatures camouflaged in the undergrowth, jump on a magic carpet and fly through the woods, or forage for blackberries that give energy or magic powers…

6. Add an element of competition. Who can find the most different insects, who can run up the hill fastest or fire an arrow the furthest….?

7. Encourage them to bring a friend – it’s much more fun with friends! Or you could borrow a dog, or even pretend to be horses and make an obstacle course…

8. Make it more of a challenge – climb a steep hill rather than a flat boring footpath, and clamber over logs rather than take the easy path.

• For more ideas of practical things you can do while walking, find more books at goingwild.net Facebook: GoingWild, Twitter: @goingwildnet.

The Den Book by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield, published

by Frances Lincoln, £12.99 flexibound paperback

How to: Drink well

… stay hydrated

...tie a bowline The bowline is known as the King of Knots, and being easy to tie and easy to undo, it’s an essential knot for the outdoors. It also has the benefit of forming a secure loop. The knot, however, is susceptible to being mis-tied.

Remember being taught something about rabbits, holes and a tree? It’s that one, and using these images still comes in handy. So how is it done? OK…

1. The top end in the photograph is the standing end, the ‘tree’.

Make a loop as shown.

2. The loose end (the ‘rabbit’) comes up through the hole.

3. The loose end (the ‘rabbit’) goes around the tree and back down the hole.

4. Pull the knot tight.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Drink water right! Well yes, but it’s more complicated than that if you’re out walking all day. If someone is flagging, it’s very often mild dehydration that’s causing it. The next step can be exhaustion. Early signs of dehydration include dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea and muscle cramps. Everyone is different, but here are a few general tips on staying hydrated.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Don’t wait until you’re parched – it’s already too late.

Drink moderate amounts regularly and ensure everyone in your group is drinking too.

Hydrate yourself in the morning by drinking half a litre.

For most people a litre of water should be enough for a day, but take climate, terrain and your own personal needs into account. Use a filtration bottle such as Water-to-Go to fill up at a stream without worrying too much about the contents.

Avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee or cola.

Be aware too that tea and coffee have diuretic properties, meaning you’ll need to wee more - and therefore drink more.

Eat potassium-rich food while drinking such as banana and citrus fruits.

Don’t overeat processed or salty foods, some shop-bought trail mixes are best avoided too.

Glucose and sodium chloride help replace salt lost through sweating.

Isotonic drinks help, but squash and a little salt will too.

29

Gear: Cool stuff

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Hydroflask 32 oz Wide Mouth A large-volume outdoor bottle with a vacuum insulation system that keeps drinks icy for up to 24 hours or hot for up to six. It carries almost a litre, so it’s great for beach trips and picnics. Suits water, coffee, beer and more. hydroflask.com

OEX Ultra Lite Camping Chair Weighing just 1.2 kg and packing down to 30cm x 11cm, this a piece of kit with seriously impressive stats. Stuff it in your bag for festivals, days out and camping trips.

It’s simple to put up – and pretty sturdy too. gooutdoors.co.uk

OEX X-Lite Trigger Walking Poles Lightweight and well-priced aluminium walking poles that feel pleasingly robust in the hand. They’re tungsten-tipped and have EVA Comfort Handles. The poles weigh just 288 grams each. A good buy. gooutdoors.co.uk

Osprey Ultra-light Dry Sacks A practical way of keeping the gear in your rucksack a) bone-dry and b) organised. With a few of these roll-top sacks and you’ll never worry about pulling out your pants on a mountaintop again. ospreyeurope.com

Gear: Cool stuff

Páramo Ciclo Jacket This new waterproof jacket from Páramo is designed expressly for cycling – there’s a drop tail, long arms and back pocket – but it’s a very versatile jacket that uses the eco-friendly Nikwax Analogy Light waterproof fabric. paramo-clothing.com

Aku MIO GTX The MIO GTX, from Italian shoemakers Aku, can be used for a variety of activities.

The shoes are pretty lightweight and have a Gore-Tex waterproof lining. Most importantly, they're very comfortable. aku.it/en

Suunto Traverse The Traverse is a GPS watch designed for hillwalking and trekking. It has an astonishing range of features, the most useful of them being GPS, a barometric pressure gauge and a compass. Oh – it also tells the time. suunto.com

Lifesystems Light & Dry Nano First Aid Kit A first aid kit is an essential for any outdoor activity. This tiny package from Lifesystems includes all the essentials for one person, including sterile dressings, swabs, plasters, bandage, safety pins and a care leaflet. lifesystems.co.uk 31

Hostel guide

Wooler Alnwick Byrness

YHA Youth Hostel

North East

Bellingham

Carlisle Edmundbyers Caldbeck Ninebanks Alston Durham Keswick Skiddaw Dufton Borrowdale Langdon Beck Helvellyn Patterdale Grasmere Langdale Ambleside Windermere Hawes

Black Sail Honister Hause Wasdale Hall Eskdale Coniston Coppermines Coniston Holly How Hawkshead

Map Key

Osmotherley Grinton Lodge Helmsley

Chipping

Trawden

Malham Earby Haworth

North West

National Parks

Liverpool Conwy Rowen Idwal Cottage Betws-y-Coed Snowdon Pen-y-Pass

Mankinholes

Manchester Edale Barn Edale Ravenstor Underbank Nab End Sheen Wills Waterslacks

York Leeds Carnegie Village Leeds Kirkstall Brewery Leeds Opal

Hathersage

Woody’s Top Eyam Taddington Sherwood Forest Youlgreave Hartington Hall

Wales Poppit Sands Newport Pwll Deri

Leominster

Dolgoch

Tyncornel

East of England

Wilderhope Manor

Clun Mill

Heart of England

Kington

Cambridge Blaxhall

Stratfordupon-Avon

Llanddeusant Wye Valley

Brecon Beacons Danywenallt Manorbier Rhossili Gower

Swansea

Llangattock

Bristol

Exmoor Pinkery

Cheddar

Exford Northcombe

Portreath Penzance Land’s End

South West Beer

Okehampton

Treyarnon Bay

Dartmoor

Great Hound Tor

Portland

Eden Project

London Lee Valley Oxford St St Pancras Thameside

Earl’s Court

St Pauls

Medway

Tanners Hatch Holmbury

Puttenham

London

Canterbury

Truleigh Hill Littlehampton

South Downs

New Forest Brighton

Lulworth

Litton Cheney

Mor Lodge Perranporth

Cholderton

Street

Okehampton Bracken Tor

Tintagel

London Central Jordans

South East

Bath

Minehead

Elmscott Boscastle Harbour

Oxford

Slimbridge Streatley

Port Eynon

Mullacott

Hawkwood College

St Briavels Castle

Stour Valley

Milton Keynes

St David’s Broad Haven

Sheringham

Thurlby

National Forest

Ironbridge Coalport

Bridges

Borth

Wells-next-the-Sea Hunstanston

East Midlands

Ironbridge Coalbrookdale All Stretton

Beverley Friary

Castleton Losehill Hall

Dimmingsdale Ilam Hall Kings

Swanage Totland

Isle of Wight Cowes UKSA Brighstone

Eastbourne

The Island Of Jersey Jersey-Durrell Wildlife Hostel

Boswinger Coverack

Lizard

*

To book: 32

n -Avo

Yorkshire

Kettlewell

Slaidburn

-u

n po

Whitby Boggle Hole Dalby Forest Scarborough

Brompton

Arnside Ingleton

*

Snowdon Llanberis Snowdon Ranger Snowdon Bryn Gwynant

Y HA S trat for d

Cockermouth Hawse End Buttermere Ennerdale

Berwick

Visit yha.org.uk or call 01629 592 700

*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.

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Meadow Green, Batch Valley, All Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6JW 34 to 38 Green Batt, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1TU The Firs, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3RW Gypsy Lane, Alstonefield, Derbyshire, DE6 2FZ Waterhead, Ambleside, Cumbria, Lakes, LA22 0EU Redhills Road, Arnside, Cumbria, LA5 0AT Bathwick Hill, Bath, BA2 6JZ Bovey Combe, Beer, Seaton, Devon, EX12 3LL Demesne Farm, Bellingham, Hexham, Northumberland, NE48 2BS Dewars Lane, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland, North East, TD15 1HJ Swallow Falls Hotel, Nr Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, , LL24 0DW Friar’s Lane, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 0DF Black Sail Hut, Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria, CA23 3AX The Old School House, Blaxhall, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 2EA Mill Beck, Fylingthorpe, Whitby, North Yorkshire, North East, YO22 4UQ Longthwaite, Borrowdale, Keswick, Cumbria, Lakes, CA12 5XE Morlais, Borth, Ceredigion, SY24 5JS Palace Stables, Boscastle, Cornwall, PL35 0HD Boswinger, Gorran, St Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6LL Libanus, Brecon, Powys, LD3 8NH Ratlinghope, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, , SY5 0SP Old Steine, Brighton, BN1 1NH n hto 14 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA rig B Broad Haven, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA62 3JH Village Farm, 24 Richmond Road, Brompton-on-Swale Buttermere, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9XA 7 Otterburn Green, Byrness Village, Northumberland, NE19 1TS Fellside Centre, Fellside, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 8HA 97 Tenison Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 2DN 54 New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3DT East Tyndall Street, Cardiff, CF10 4BB Old Brewery Residences, Bridge Lane, Caldewgate, CA2 5SR Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 8WB Hillfield, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3HN The Mill, Clun, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8NY Clark House Farm, Chipping, Nr Preston, Lancashire Beacon House, Amesbury Road, Cholderton, Wiltshire, SP4 0EW Double Mills, Cockermouth, Cumbria, Lakes, CA13 0DS Coppermines, Coppermines House, Coniston, Cumbria, Lakes, LA21 8HP Holly How, Far End, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8DD Larkhill, Sychnant Pass Road, Conwy, LL32 8AJ New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1JH Parc Behan, School Hill, Coverack, Helston, Cornwall, TR12 6SA Old School, Lockton, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7PY National Park Study Centre, Talybont-on-Usk, Brecon, Powys, LD3 7YS Bellever, Postbridge, Devon, PL20 6TU Oakamoor, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST10 3AS Dufton, Appleby, Cumbria, CA16 6DB St Chad’s College, 18 North Bailey, Durham, DH1 3RH Le Noyers Residence, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BP 9-11 Birch Lane, Earby, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 6JX 1 East Dean Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 8ES Rowland Cote, Nether Booth, Edale, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 7ZH Cotefield Farm, Ollersbrook, Edale, Hope Valley Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall, PL24 2SG Low House, Edmundbyers, Consett, Co Durham, DH8 9NL Elmscott, Hartland, Bideford, Devon, EX39 6ES Cat Crag, Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria, Lakes, CA23 3AX Boot, Holmrook, Cumbria, CA19 1TH Exe Mead, Exford, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7PU Pinkery Centre, Simonsbath, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 7LL Hawkhill Road, Eyam, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 5QP Port Eynon, Swansea, SA3 1NN

YH

All Stretton Bunkhouse YHA Alnwick YHA Alston Alstonefield Barn YHA Ambleside YHA Arnside YHA Bath YHA Beer YHA Bellingham YHA Berwick YHA Betws y Coed YHA Beverley Friary YHA Black Sail YHA Blaxhall YHA Boggle Hole YHA Borrowdale YHA Borth YHA Boscastle Harbour YHA Boswinger YHA Brecon Beacons YHA Bridges YHA Brighton YHA Bristol YHA Broad Haven Brompton Camping Barn YHA Buttermere Byrness YHA Caldbeck YHA Cambridge YHA Canterbury YHA Cardiff Central Carlisle YHA Castleton Losehill Hall YHA Cheddar Chipping Camping Barn Cholderton YHA Clun Mill YHA Cockermouth YHA Coniston Coppermines YHA Coniston Holly How YHA Conwy YHA Cotswolds YHA Coverack YHA Dalby Forest YHA Danywenallt YHA Dartmoor YHA Dimmingsdale YHA Dufton Durham YHA Ea s tbo YHA Durrell Wildlife Hostel YHA Earby ur YHA Eastbourne YHA Edale Edale Camping Barn YHA Eden Project YHA Edmundbyers YHA Elmscott YHA Ennerdale YHA Eskdale YHA Exford YHA Exmoor Pinkery YHA Eyam YHA Gower

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Easedale Road, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9QG Great Hound Tor, Manaton, Newton Abbot, TQ13 9UW Grinton, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL11 6HS Hall Bank, Hartington, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0AT Castleton Road, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 1EH Lancaster Terrace, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3LQ Hawkshead, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0QD Painswick Old Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 7QW Longlands Drive, Haworth, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RT Hawse End Cottage, Portinscale, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5UE Carlton Lane, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, YO62 5HB Greenside, Glenridding, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0QR Radnor Lane, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NW Seatoller, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5XN 15 Avenue Road, Hunstanton, Norfolk, PE36 5BW Nant Ffrancon, Bethesda, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 3LZ Ilam Hall, Ilam, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 2AZ Greta Tower, Sammy Lane, Ingleton, North Yorkshire, LA6 3EG 1 Paradise, Coalbrookdale, Telford, Shropshire, TF8 7NR John Rose Building, High Street, Coalport, Shropshire, TF8 7HT c/o YHA Totland Bay, Hurst Hill, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight Arctic Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7PQ Welders Lane, Jordans, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2SN Station Road, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5LH Kettlewell, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 5QU Kings, Penmaenpool, Dolgellau Gwynedd, Wales, LL40 1TB Victoria Road, Kington, Herefordshire, HR5 3BX Letcha Vean, St Just-in-Penwith, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 7NT High Close, Loughrigg, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9HJ Forest-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Co Durham, DL12 0XN Leeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus, Leeds, LS6 3GZ Kirkstall Brewery, Leeds Beckett University, Broad Lane, Leeds, LS5 3RX Marsden House, Leeds Beckett University 1-3 Burley Road, Leeds, LS3 1LS The Old Priory, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 8EQ y urlb 63 Surrey Street, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 5AW Th Litton Cheney, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9AT HA 25 Tabley Street, off Wapping, Liverpool, Mersyside, L1 8EE The Polbrean, Lizard Point, Cornwall, TR12 7NT The Old Red Lion, Llanddeusant, Camarthenshire, SA19 9UL Wern Watkin, Hillside, Llangattock, Crickhowell, NP8 1LG 104 Bolsover Street, London, W1W 5NU 38 Bolton Gardens, Earl’s Court, London, SW5 0AQ Windmill Lane, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9AJ 14 Noel Street, London, W1F 8GJ 79-81 Euston Road, London, NW1 2QE 36 Carter Lane, London, EC4V 5AB 20 Salter Road, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 5PR School Lane, West Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5SA Malham, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 4DB Potato Wharf, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4NB Mankinholes, Todmorden, Lancashire, OL14 6HR Manorbier, nr Tenby, Pembrokeshire, SA70 7TT 351 Capstone Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3JE Vicarage Road, Bradwell Village, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK13 9AG Alcombe Combe, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 6EW Mor Lodge, 83 - 87 Mount Wise, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2BP Mullacott Farm, Mullacott Cross, Ilfracombe, North Devon, EX34 8NA Nab End Farm, Hollinsclough, Longnor, Buxton, SK17 0RJ 48 Bath Lane, Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6BD Cott Lane, Burley Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 4BB Lower St Mary Street, Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0TS

Y

s an rd

YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe Great Hound Tor Camping Barn YHA Grinton Lodge YHA Hartington Hall YHA Hathersage YHA Hawes YHA Hawkshead Hawkwood College YHA Haworth YHA Hawse End YHA Helmsley YHA Helvellyn YHA Holmbury YHA Honister Hause YHA Hunstanton YHA Idwal Cottage YHA Ilam Hall YHA Ingleton YHA Ironbridge Coalbrookdale YHA Ironbridge Coalport Isle of White Brighstone Isle of White Cowes UKSA YHA Jordans YHA Keswick YHA Kettlewell YHA Kings YHA Kington YHA Lands End YHA Langdale YHA Langdon Beck Leeds Carnegie Village YHA Leeds Kirkstall Brewery Jo Leeds Opal YHA Leominster YHA Littlehampton YHA Litton Cheney YHA Liverpool YHA Lizard YHA Llanddeusant YHA Llangattock YHA London Central YHA London Earls Court YHA London Lee Valley YHA London Oxford Street YHA London St Pancras YHA London St Pauls YHA London Thameside YHA Lulworth Cove YHA Malham YHA Manchester YHA Mankinholes YHA Manorbier YHA Medway YHA Milton Keynes YHA Minehead MOR Lodge Mullacott Camping Barn Nab End Camping Barn YHA National Forest YHA New Forest YHA Newport

treet

ch

Orchard House, Mohope, Ninebanks, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 8DQ Northcombe Farm, Hollam, Dulverton, Somerset, TA22 9JH Klondyke Road, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1EW Bracken Tor, Saxongate, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1QW Cote Ghyll, Osmotherley, Notherallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 3AH 2a Botley Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 0AB Patterdale, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0NW Castle Horneck, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8TF Droskyn Point, Perranporth, Cornwall, TR6 0GS Sea View, Poppit, Cardigan, Pembroke, SA43 3LP Old Lifeboat House, Port Eynon, Swansea, SA3 1NN Hardy House, Castle Road, Castle Town, Portland, DT5 1AU Nance Farm, Illogen, Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 4QX The Street, Puttenham, near Guildford, Surrey GU3 1AR Castell Mawr, Trefasser, Goodwick, Pembrokeshire, SA64 0LR ynes Millers Dale, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8SS n Ke ilto Rhossili Middleton, Rhossili , Swansea, SA3 1PJ M Rhiw Farm, Rowen, Conwy, LL32 8YW Burniston Rd, Scarborough, , North Yorkshire, YO13 0DA Peakstones, Sheen, Derbyshire, , SK17 0ES 1 Cremer’s Drift, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8HX Forest Corner, Edwinstowe, Notts, NG21 9RN Bassenthwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, , CA12 4QX King’s House, Slaidburn, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 3ER The Wild Goose Lodge, Shepherds Patch, Slimbridge, GL2 7BP Nantgwynant, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 4NP Llwyn Celyn, Llanberis, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 4SR Pen-y-Pass, Nantgwynant, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 4NY Rhyd Ddu, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL54 7YS Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6JS St Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RG Llaethdy, Whitesands, St David’s, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6PR Brantham Hall, Nr Manningtree, Suffolk, CO11 1PT Hemmingford House, Alveston, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7RG Reading Road, Streatley, Berkshire, RG8 9JJ The Chalet, Ivythorn Hill, Street, Somerset, BA16 0TZ Cluny, Cluny Crescent, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2BS Huntington Close, West Cross, Swansea, SA3 5AL Middle Beardshaw Farm, Burnley Road, Trawden, Lancashire Off Ranmore Common Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6BE 16 High Street, Thurlby, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 0EE Dunderhole Point, Tintagel, Cornwall, PL34 0DW Hurst Hill, Totland Bay, Isle Of Wight, , PO39 0HD Middle Beardshaw Farm, Burnley Road, Trawden, Lancashire Tregonnan, Treyarnon, Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8JR Tottington Barn, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FB Llanddewi-Brefi, Tregaron, Ceredigion, SY25 6PH Blaze Farm, Wildboarclough, Macclesfield, Cheshire Wasdale Hall, Wasdale, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1ET Wetton Road, Butterton, Nr. Leek, Staffordshire Church Plain, Wells, Norfolk, NR23 1EQ Abbey House, East Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4JT Manor, Longville in the Dale, Shropshire, TF13 6EG Wetton Road, Butterton, Nr. Leek, Staffordshire Bridge Lane, Troutbeck, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LA Ruckland, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 8RQ 30 Cheviot Street, Wooler, Northumberland, NE71 6LW Near Goodrich, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 6JJ Water End, Clifton, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6LP Fountain Square, Youlgreave, near Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1UR

YH A

dS or xf

YHA Ninebanks Northcombe Camping Barn YHA Okehampton YHA Okehampton Bracken Tor YHA YHA Osmotherley O YHA Oxford YHA Patterdale YHA Penzance YHA Perranporth YHA Poppit Sands YHA Port Eynon YHA Portland YHA Portreath Puttenham Camping Barn YHA Pwll Deri YHA Ravenstor YHA Rhossili YHA Rowen YHA Scarborough YHA Sheen Bunkhouse YHA Sheringham YHA Sherwood Forest YHA Skiddaw House YHA Slaidburn Slimbridge YHA Snowdon Bryn Gwynant YHA Snowdon Llanberis YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass YHA Snowdon Ranger YHA South Downs YHA St Briavels Castle YHA St Davids YHA Stour Valley YHA Stratford YHA Streatley YHA Street YHA Swanage YHA Swansea Taddington Camping Barn YHA Tanners Hatch YHA Thurlby YHA Tintagel YHA Totland Bay Trawden Camping Barn YHA Treyarnon Bay YHA Truleigh Hill Tyncornel Bunkhouse Underbank YHA Wasdale Hall Waterslacks Camping Barn YHA Wells Next The Sea YHA Whitby YHA Wilderhope Manor Wills Camping Barn YHA Tanners H YHA Windermere at YHA Woody’s Top YHA Wooler YHA Wye Valley YHA York YHA Youlgreave

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YHA Membership Save money every time you stay with us • Enjoy up to £3 off per night when you stay with us • Access to over 4,000 hostels worldwide • Get priority notification of special offers by email • Receive regular doses of inspiration and the latest news in our monthly newsletter, The Wanderer • Save £30 when you book a whole hostel through YHA Exclusive Hire • Enjoy great savings with our travel, high street brand and tourist attraction partners • Get kitted out for your next adventure with discounts at Cotswold Outdoor and Go Outdoors • Go to www.yha.org.uk/membership for a full list of benefits

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Bringing you great benefits from the likes of...

WIN! Two pairs of Bogs wellies!

We have two pairs of stylish Bogs wellies to give away. These 100% waterproof boots are packed with technology: shock absorbing soles, insulation and DuraFresh odour control. To win one of these two pairs – one Classic Ultra Mid (£55) for men and one women’s Berkley (£55) – just answer the question below. Winners will be picked at random.

On page 12 we interview Olympian Helen Glover MBE. Can you name her rowing partner?

Answers to: livemoreyha@yha.org.uk

by August 31st. 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?

37

Drying Room: Readers’ pics Driving from YHA Darwin to YHA Alice Springs - gotta love Australia! Sarah Meads

This view of Wastwater greeted me during a stay at YHA Wasdale Hall Glyn Morton

Reader photos We’d love to see your photos of hostel stays.

Share them on Twitter #LiveMoreYHA or email us on: livemoreyha@yhaorg.uk

@HanJMWright We found the Boggle Hole on our visit to @ YHABoggleHole yesterday.

Didn't see the Boggle though... #folklore

@KiaPhel 3 days hostelling and walking, and the kids are still smiling(just) #livemoreyha #yhacastleton #yhaeyam. @YHAOfficial

@petetoon What would #batman do? He'd #livemoreyha

@superc0smic Staying at the lovely #yha#bath this is the 7th yha we have stayed at!! #DoW eGetAMedal#liv emoreyha#adve ntures

@amyalicia New YHA membership cards have arrived!! Where to travel next... #LiveMoreYHA #yha @ YHAOfficial

@chappersyha Led my first activity at @YHARavenstor today. I knew my love of maps would come in useful one day! #orienteering #livemoreyha

Reader tweets: Share your adventure #livemoreYHA

#myYHAviews

You can win free YHA stays and great outdoor gear from GO Outdoors.

Simply share the pictures of your summer YHA stay with #myYHAviews

38

Name the capital cities

Drying Room: Celebrity Q&A

to win an Airgo Solus Horizon 6 tent worth £699.99 We’ve jumbled up the letters of five different European capital cities in the Hostelling International network. Worked out what they are?

Drop us a line at livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by August 31st to be in with a chance of winning.

GREEDLAB SOLO ATA L LV E T SMARTMEAD LOCKMOTHS Airgo Solus Horizon 6-man

To be in with a chance of winning, email your 5 answers to livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by 31st August. The lucky winner will be chosen at random on the 1st September.

• 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?

About the prize To celebrate its partnership with YHA, GO Outdoors, the UK’s largest outdoor retailer, is giving readers the chance to win a fabulous Airgo Solus Horizon 6 Inflatable Tent.

This large inflatable tunnel-tent for six takes hardly any time to pitch. Perfect for camping weekends with family and friends.

Congratulations to the two lucky readers who won Lowe Alpine daypacks by correctly identifying YHA Port Eynon in the last issue. See yha.org.uk/livemoreyha for details of winners.

39

E M O H R U O Y Y FROM AWA OME H

AN EXTRA

10

%

OFF

THE DISCOUNT CARD PRICE

FOR YHA MEMBERS

(ENGLAND & WALES)

OVER 55 STORES NATIONWIDE | GOOUTDOORS.CO.UK

*Offer valid on production of your discount voucher or YHA membership in store, or discount code online. You can download your discount voucher and online code as well as view all the T’s and C’s within the YHA member benefit section of www.yha.org.uk. A Go Outdoors Discount Card is required. Discount Cards are available in store and online for just £5 per year. If you have any questions please call us on 0330 008 1555, or email us at enquiries@gooutdoors.co.uk