Feature: Great Adventres
Great adventures with... Alan Hinkes Alan Hinkes was the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000m peaks. He was awarded the OBE in 2006 and is the first YHA Ambassador – he’s also a past recipient of the coveted Yorkshireman of the Year title. Here he chooses his nine greatest adventures in England and Wales.
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“Picking nine hostels for an adventure is easy – but which nine? I could easily pick 20! My adventures are mostly in the hills, fells, mountains, dales, becks, lakes, caves, forests and beaches of the north: they’re spread across Yorkshire, The Lake District and North Wales.
beginners’ climbs on cliffs such as Shepherd’s Crag. There’s the annual Borrowdale Fell Race too - Chris the manager is an avid fell runner. And Keswick and Derwentwater are only seven miles away if you fancy an easier stroll or lake cruise.”
1. Go fell-walking and climbing in Borrowdale, Lake District “YHA Borrowdale is a delightful, purpose-built wooden building hidden away in the secluded hamlet of Longthwaite. Fell-walking on the surrounding hills can be done straight from the door. There’s plenty of rockclimbing in the Borrowdale valley too, from extreme options to easier
2. Discover the marvels of Malham “YHA Malham is ideally situated for gentle strolls and exciting, dramatic walks. You can wander along beside a gentle beck, passing the delightful Janet’s Foss waterfall, or you can scramble through the vertical-sided gash in the limestone landscape that is Goredale Scar. It’s essentially a giant cave system where the roof has collapsed.