Winter walksAll you need to know to stay safe in the hills

City slickersThe best urban hostels in England & Wales

Golden girlTalking to Olympian Ellie Simmonds OBE

Our guide to the best of North Wales

Stunning Snowdonia

STAY HERE?YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass

#LiveMoreYHAIssue 13 – Winter 2018

WelcomeWith autumn here, and England & Wales resplendent in russet, crimson, copper and gold, we’re donning the woolly pullies, revelling in nature’s majesty and getting out there to make the most of the cooler months.

Issue 13 is full of travel tips to help you explore all manner of winter wonderland. But before we embark on the editorial, let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the impact we’ve made as a charity for young people this quarter.

WelcomeWith autumn here, and England & Wales resplendent in russet, crimson, copper and gold, we’re donning the woolly pullies, revelling in nature’s majesty and getting out there to make the most of the cooler months.

Issue 13 is full of travel tips to help you explore all manner of winter wonderland. But before we embark on the editorial, let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the impact we’ve made as a charity for young people this quarter.

In August, YHA worked with the Family Holiday Association, Venus and Family Action, to deliver free, two-night family activity camps at YHA Ravenstor and YHA Edale. For most, these breaks offered the first family holiday in over two years. For one family, it was their first holiday in a decade.

Eighty-four young people and parents joined us for the trips. All were low income families and most had additional, complex needs which included difficult relationships, disability, long-term health issues and trauma – some had fled conflict zones.

During the activity camps, families walked, talked, played games together, explored the countryside and participated in climbing, archery and canoeing. They spent quality time together, cementing family bonds and making happy memories with newfound friends.

As they left, families reported improved health, wellbeing and a greater sense of satisfaction with life. For those with English as a second language, time spent

interacting with other families brought new confidence in communication as well as a sense of belonging.

Seeing the difference YHA makes had a huge impact on our staff too.

“This opportunity was inclusive and impactful. Additional challenges of language barriers and cultural quirks only added to the richness of experience. One of the best things we’ve done and we’re really looking forward to doing even more next year.” Nick, hostel manager at YHA Edale

Free breaks for families who need them most “Everything was 10/10.

Staff, place, group and facilities spot on. Wouldn’t change anything. We are all extremely happy and very, very GRATEFUL for this fantastic adventure!!! THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES!”

Participant

By staying, joining as a member, donating to our cause or volunteering your time — you’re helping us make transformative trips like this possible for more young people and their families. Thank you. And enjoy the magazine.

A charity for young people

#LiveMore Moments

Each issue we'll be sharing some special moments we've had staying with YHA. We'd love to hear about your most memorable experiences at livemoreyha@yha.org.uk

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“Arthur Hanney (10), keen fisherman and adventure-loverWe stayed at YHA Conwy. It was brilliant because you could see the sea on one side and the river gorge on the other. I really liked the hostel - the food was great and the staff were happy and friendly. One day we all climbed Snowdon.

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Kara of heelsinmybackpack.comAlthough I love to travel, I also love home comforts and our stay at YHA Eden Project offered both. By day we explored the Eden Project and gorgeous Cornish coast, then snuggled up in our cosy shipping container room in the evenings. We even got a takeaway delivered!

Abbi of lifeinarucksack.comOut of my dorm window at YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass, there was about 10 metres of visibility. After breakfast my friend walked in and proclaimed, “So, are we still climbing this thing then?” We did eventually, and it was amazing. Seeing the sunset that night, with a cider in hand and knowing I’d conquered Snowdon, was incredible.

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Contents

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Stepping Out: News, views and inspiration

James Blake: YHA's CEO talks about his tour of 120 hostels

Why Snowdonia National Park has something for everyone

The best of YHA's city hostels for the festive season

Three stories from Exclusive Hire breaks across the country

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How to… stay safe in the hills this winter

Gear: the best new kit for exploring the great outdoors

Hostel guide: plan your next adventure

Your #LiveMoreYHA tweets and Columbia base layers to win

COMPETITION: Win a set of Cicerone walking guidebooks

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Stepping Out: News

Royal residencePrince Charles makes a visit to YHA The Sill at Hadrian's Wall

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Heard the one about the English hostel, the Roman frontier and the Prince of Wales? To mark the occasion of its first anniversary in September, YHA The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall welcomed a high-profile visitor in the form of HRH Prince Charles. The royal heir was given a tour of The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, the ambitious £8.7m learning hub of which our state-of-the-art hostel forms a major part. The attraction has enjoyed significant success over its first twelve months, with more than 170,000 visitors drawn to its, ahem, princely location in Northumberland National Park. His Royal Highness is well known for his interest in nature and the environment, so would surely have been impressed by both the deep views and the landscape-focused exhibition spaces. Did he also book ahead at the 86-bed hostel, making the most of the fact that it opens on selected dates across the entire winter period? Buckingham Palace was unavailable for comment.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-the-sill-at-hadrians-wall

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YHA The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall Year One in figures

• More than 9,000 guests• 35 school groups welcomed• 3,140 guests under 26• Over 10,000 breakfasts served

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Since becoming CEO you’ve made a point of visiting every one of YHA’s 120 directly managed hostels. Firstly, congratulations – being able to see so much of the country must have been fantastic. Secondly, why was it important for you to do this?I’ve hostelled for years but within my comfort zone of favourite places. YHA prides itself on our inspiring buildings, locations and people, so it felt vital to get everywhere, and meet our teams, volunteers and guests first-hand so I can speak from the heart. It’s been amazing!

What first-hand insight did you get into the work that YHA volunteers do?The diversity of roles we offer – and the diversity of volunteers who take them up! A mixed group of young DofE-ers and long-

serving helpers at YHA Hartington Hall were having a ball. And the warmth for YHA – so many volunteers talked about ‘catching the YHA bug’. What a win-win both for YHA and the individuals.

As a long-term supporter of YHA, you'd already stayed at many of these hostels. What did you learn from meeting guests who were experiencing a hostel stay for the first time? I’ve re-learned (I felt it first aged 16) that a stay with YHA is much more than that – it can be life-changing and it’s unique. There’s a world of firsts out there – new friendships, adventures, independence, ways of learning – within everyone’s reach. But I’ve also learned that too many YHA ‘first timers’ are surprised by this – it shouldn’t be a secret.

Q&A: CEO James BlakeThe lessons learned from a year in the job

Stepping Out: Q&A

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So go on then. How many times did you forget your toothbrush? Often enough to know it doesn’t matter - there’s usually a stock of easily forgotten items to purchase at reception! And I only locked myself out of my room twice…

What has the overall process taught you about the network, and the people that work for YHA?It’s true: we have amazing buildings in incredible places, made more special by our teams – mountain adventures in the Lakes, stately home sojourns, haunted houses and castles, Cornwall’s surfer vibe, cosmopolitan city escapes, and more. And our guests are impressed with our bedrooms, décor, facilities, food, social spaces and – best of all – our welcome. We exceed expectations.

How do you see YHA as an organisation developing over the next 5 years?Hostels in tip top repair, consistently high standards of comfort, cleanliness and hospitality, our differences celebrated: local experiences in keeping with the character of each building and location, the individual touch of our talented teams.

To do good, we need to do well. So we’ll continue modernising our operations to deliver what people will want.

With ongoing commercial success will come increasing confidence in demonstrating our purpose - to transform young lives through travel, adventure and discovery. We are a gateway to experiences which help people become happier and healthier, and we’ll build more partnerships to maximise our reach to more young people. It’ll be an exciting journey!

What are they?Short-term volunteer placements at one of our hostels – so a brilliant chance to be part of a team, have fun and try out volunteering without long-term commitment. You choose when, where and for how long you go. Free accommodation is provided, and tasks include anything from decorating to gardening.

Where are they?We offer Working Holidays everywhere from the Lake District to the South West. And the help we receive doesn’t just look great on a CV – it’s also invaluable to us.

Do they run year-round?Yes, and our hostels would love some volunteer help this winter. If there’s a region you’ve always fancied visiting, now’s your chance! All placements also include a thank-you meal and free time.

I’m interested. What next?Visit volunteer.yha.org.uk or call 01629 592562

Volunteer Working Holidays

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There’s something a little different about our newest volunteering recruitment campaign. Not only does it carry a powerful message – it launched across our digital channels in mid-September under the strapline ‘Find your answer through volunteering’ – but it was shaped and created by two young students at Falmouth University.

Beth Harris Brown and Serena Mosely are the latest winners of our Creative Academy competition, an annual contest organised by integrated creative agency Cubo in conjunction with YHA to give undergraduates the chance to have their concepts used in a real-life campaign. Beth and Serena both also volunteer at a café for people living with dementia, which stood them in good stead, as Rachel Ramsay, head of marketing at YHA, explains.

“The fact that Beth and Serena had drawn on their own volunteering and life experiences to create the campaign really appealed to us. We want to reach the 18 – 30 market and it

Stepping Out: News

The fact that Beth and Serena had drawn on their own life experiences really appealed to us“

“We find out about Beth Harris Brown and Serena Mosely's winning campaign designs

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makes absolute sense for this campaign to be informed and driven by the very people we want to target,” she says.

“We loved their concept, particularly the fact that volunteering with YHA opens up opportunities for young people, because this is what YHA’s charitable purpose is all about.”

For Beth and Serena themselves, meanwhile, it opens up further doors. “It was a fantastic opportunity to work on a live brief with feedback from real clients,” says Serena. “It’s given us a depth of experience that we wouldn’t normally have got at this stage in our career.”

See their work on the facing page and at volunteer.yha.org.uk

yha.org.uk/volunteer yhavolunteering @yhavolunteers

What are your plans for the future? ”

“Grandma-you-don’t-want-to-disappoint:

Find your answer through volunteering

Don’t fret, we’ve all been there. If you need a change of direction, more experience for your CV or simply want to try something new, we have a wide range of volunteering options to choose from. You can find your answer here and never disappoint Grandma again!

• Traineeships & Work Experience

• Hostel Placements

• Opportunities in London

• Working Holidays

• Summer Camps

Pick your volunteering opportunity:

Creative Academy

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yha.org.uk/volunteer yhavolunteering @yhavolunteers

What are your plans for the future? ”

“Grandma-you-don’t-want-to-disappoint:

Find your answer through volunteering

Don’t fret, we’ve all been there. If you need a change of direction, more experience for your CV or simply want to try something new, we have a wide range of volunteering options to choose from. You can find your answer here and never disappoint Grandma again!

• Traineeships & Work Experience

• Hostel Placements

• Opportunities in London

• Working Holidays

• Summer Camps

Pick your volunteering opportunity:

In conversation with Ellie SimmondsEllie Simmonds was just 13 years old when she won two gold medals for Team GB at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. She won a further two golds at London 2012, and another for good measure at Rio 2016. Today an OBE, Ellie remains one of the country’s most celebrated sportswomen. Here she speaks to LiveMoreYHA about travel, ocean-swimming and her future dreams

You spent a year travelling after the Rio Games. What was the most important lesson you learned?It was a truly amazing time of my life and something which has well and truly given me the travelling bug. A year earlier I was very lucky to take part in an ITV documentary where

I had the opportunity to free-dive with dolphins off the coast of Mozambique. It genuinely changed my life and gave me the confidence to go out and experience new adventures. The most valuable thing I’ve learned is just to go for it; live life and take every opportunity with open arms. It’s inspired me to do as much

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Stepping Out: Q&A

travelling as I possibly can. In terms of stand-out moments, there were so many. It was a learning curve, and doing things like learning to surf in South Africa, while working in a beach charity shop, will stay with me forever.

You're a source of huge inspiration to young people. Who were the heroes you looked up to when you were a young girl?My hero actually inspired me to push my Paralympic Games dream. I was watching Athens 2004 and I saw Nyree Lewis (now Kindred) swim. Right there and then I decided I wanted to be a swimmer. I feel grateful I got to know Nyree in later years. She’s as awesome as I had hoped.

On your Twitter profile you describe yourself as an "ocean lover". Are there parts of the England and Wales coastline that you have a particular soft spot for?I spent much of my teenage years in Swansea, living by the marina, so I’ll forever have a strong affinity to that area. The high-performance swimming pool was there, so my mum and I moved over when I was 11 years old and would commute back to the Midlands at the weekends after Saturday training. I still love the Welsh coastline and go there whenever I can.

You've said you'd love to become a primary school teacher. What is it that appeals about working with young people? It’s still a huge ambition of mine, and more recently I’ve decided I want to do so in a school overseas, which would hopefully satiate my travelling bug as well. I just love working with children and seeing their enthusiasm for everything. I had such wonderful role models, I just want to do the same.

What would be your ideal Saturday evening activity? Watching Strictly or setting up a tent in the hills? Ooh that’s a tough one. If it isn’t visiting a new place across the world, I’d have to say it’d be settling on the sofa, in my pyjamas, watching Strictly and eating a cheesecake!

What do the next few years hold for you? Are you setting your sights on Tokyo, or is that too far off? Absolutely – Tokyo 2020 is definitely my long-term goal, but I have a lot of shorter term goals too. We have the World Championships in Malaysia next year, for example, and right now I’m working towards that. Before then I have lots of smaller competitions, so I split my goals on shorter and longer term projects!

What's the most important piece of advice you've ever been given? I was once told to make sure you enjoy everything you do. If you’re experiencing something new, take it all in and try your best to have fun while doing it. If you wake up and don't enjoy what you do, then what’s the point in doing it? Do something which makes you excited to wake up in the morning more days than not.

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Coast! I love being by the ocean in summer and in winter. Watching the sunset by the coast is my favourite thing to do.

Great Hostel Backpackers in Banos, Ecuador. I stayed there in 2015 – I met so many amazing people and the atmosphere was so good.

My first stay was this summer in Cardiff which I really enjoyed – it was a great way to start my Wales trip.

Peru. It has a huge coastline, mountains, deserts, rainforests and of course Machu Picchu. Plus it’s easy to get around, and pretty cheap!

I’m not that picky when it comes to the meal, but the perfect hostel menu has to have vegetarian and vegan options so everyone can enjoy something.

I recently purchased a LifeStraw Bottle so I don’t have to buy water bottles when I travel. It was pricey but I’ll save money and I’m reducing my plastic use.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I’m re-reading it before I visit India for the first time. It’s so captivating, and it really makes you want to head out there.

After staying at YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass this summer I’d have to say Snowdon! It was a tough walk but I had incredible weather and it was very rewarding.

Ellie QuinnTravel blogger at thewanderingquinn.com

Countryside, city or coast?

Favourite hostel?

Earliest YHA memory?

Ideal overseas destination?

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 livemoreyha@yha.org.uk

Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A

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I love the New Forest Heathlands. I have very strong memories of being there on holiday as a child. There are so many beautiful walks.

I’m currently walking all parks in London, as well as England’s south coast, so it’s hard to choose. I’ll go coast, for the sea views, and fish & chips.

YHA Oxford. My partner and I stayed there recently with our son, who was three at the time. It was central, friendly and clean – you couldn’t ask for more.

A school trip. I’ve no idea which YHA it was, but we had a fantastic time and the staff were exceptionally friendly and wonderfully patient with unruly schoolchildren.

Southern Spain is a favourite, and I don’t know if it could be called a destination but I’ve always wanted to sail through the Panama Canal.

Something with seafood and a generous glass of white wine.

Always a book. And maybe some clothes too.

I started Welcome to Night Vale recently by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink. Very odd, but entertaining. Or anything by Hakan Nesser.

A walk with my son through the woods on the outskirts of Cirencester. We stop for a picnic half way through and it’s always a big adventure!

Sticking with the coast theme, I’ve got to say YHA Swanage – the location above the town, with sweeping views across the bay is amazing.

I’ve only recently properly discovered YHA to be honest – so YHA Lulworth Cove earlier this year. It's small, but a perfect walking stopover and has sparked a love of YHAs!

I’m a big fan of city walking – Budapest, Tallinn and Oslo stand out. But ideal is New Zealand: it has everything for outdoor adventure.

You can’t beat a huge portion of fish and chips at the end of a long walk – if the hostel has views over the sea then it's a perfect dinner.

I can’t go anywhere without my camera! More practically a battery pack for my phone – without my OS maps app I’d definitely be lost!

A rainy day is no excuse to not get out exploring – there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Wrap up and get outside!

The climb up Cadair Idris - it’s got everything, from a wooded start to a gentle climb, a stunning ridge walk to the summit and a perfect lake to dip your feet in.

Ian WeighillManager at YHA Cotswolds, part of New Brewery Arts newbreweryarts.org.uk

Olly Hicks-PattisonWalker on a mission

Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A

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Snowdonia National Park, capped by the highest mountain in England and Wales, is a wild area – with a wildly diverse range of activities. Planning a trip? Here's what you need to know

Snowdonia:

For familiesSnowdonia holds big things for little people. Those valleys, ridges and peaks aren’t just for Gore-Texed grown-ups, and setting out on a child-friendly adventure is simple. Areas of woodland like Coed y Brenin and Padarn Country Park, near Llanberis, are great for gentle exploration, while if you’re looking to walk – and depending on the ages and enthusiasm levels involved – suitable trails

Britain's playground

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Feature: Snowdonia

Something more adrenaline-fuelled? Surf Snowdonia, an award-winning artificial surf pool in the Conwy Valley, offers kids-only lessons for ages 5 and up (and, yes, caters to wave-hungry adults too) while the excellent Zip World has a whole bundle of high-quality thrills on offer across three different Snowdonia sites. Special mentions go to Bounce Below, a one-time slate mine evolved into an underground trampoline world, Titan, which is Europe’s largest “zip zone”, and the Fforest Coaster, a rail-mounted toboggan twisting through the trees. And don’t forget: you can already book ahead at YHA’s nine Snowdonia properties for next year.

For mountaineering heritageAll sorts of things make YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass a special proposition. For one, it stays open as normal through the winter. For another, it has a phenomenal standalone location at the foot of Wales’ largest mountain. Many would argue, however, that where it really comes into its own is through its history. The building here has been a hostel since 1971 – it’s much modernised now, of course – but its past stretches back a century earlier to the 1870s, when it opened as a coaching inn called the Gorphwysfa Hotel. Heady days were to follow.

By the early decades of the 1900s, the hotel had become a magnet for early mountain-climbers and outdoor adventurers, with the legendary George Mallory a regular guest and other enthusiasts such as the writer Aldous Huxley among those who thronged here for long weekends of rock-climbing and fireside parties. And if the presence of Mallory – who made three ill-fated expeditions to Everest – piques your interest, then be aware

encompass everything from the flat, easy Gelert’s Grave Walk in Beddgelert to the classic up-Pyg-down-Miners ascent of Snowdon itself. And while it’s inevitable that attention tends to be snagged by the mountain scenery, don’t forget Snowdonia has a long, beach-fringed coastline too, with the likes of Abersoch and Barmouth well suited to families. For rainy days, attractions like Conwy Castle and the Llechwedd Slate Caverns hold plenty of appeal. continues overleaf

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“that a mile from today’s hostel you’ll still find the atmospheric Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel, where Edmund Hillary and his team holed up for winter training in advance of their successful 1953 ascent.

For winter visitors Snowdonia can get crowded in summer, as anyone who’s joined a ten-minute queue for a summit selfie will attest. Visit the national park in the depths of winter, however, and you’ll almost have the place to yourself. On a clear day, the season brings a frosty scenic majesty to the hills, and you won’t have to ascend to great heights to revel in the surroundings. Of course, if the conditions are right and you’re equipped with the gear and, more importantly, the expertise, then the prospect of crampon-assisted hiking – or even ice-climbing – comes into play. If you know what you’re doing, there’s serious fun to be had.

But you don’t need to be a grizzled mountain maestro to enjoy the park. The Welsh Highland Railway – one of the most scenic rides in the UK – runs services on limited dates just after Christmas and across mid-to-late February; the National White Water Centre always aims to open for activities on Saturdays in January and February, dependent on water levels; the Snowdonia Riding Stables offer pony-treks throughout winter; and Coed y Brenin’s famous mountain bike trails are open year-round. And the other great thing about coming here in the off-season? There’s no post-exercise glow like a winter post-exercise glow – particularly with a beer and a hot meal to settle down to.

For nature-loversGlasyn is a mountain lake under the easterly flanks of Snowdon, and home to one of Snowdonia’s most remarkable wild animals, known in Welsh as afanc. Although rare, it has been described as a large beaver (afanc also being the Welsh word for beaver). Some say it has crocodile features too. It’s a large and unpleasant monster said to prey on anyone who swims in the lake. Sadly it’s not been seen since, well, at least the 13th century when the beast was finally put to rest by Peredur, son of Efrawg – although some say it was King Arthur who did the slaying. Either way, you won’t find a photo of a giant beaver with crocodile teeth anywhere in contemporary

The season brings a frosty majesty to the hills, and you won’t have to ascend to great heights to revel in the surroundings

Across Y Lliwedd to Snowdon

Feature: Snowdonia

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unruly stem that leads to a beautifully formed bloom. In Snowdon, the minutiae of life on the mountain are often as wrenchingly beautiful as those grand panoramas.

For hillwalkersSnowdonia is a fantastically complex jumble of Alpine-like ridges and cwms rising to the pyramidal peak of Snowdon. Within a couple of hours walking of the park’s showpiece apex, you’ll find walking riches like Glyder

Fawr and Glyder Fach, their shattered rocks casting bizarre shapes, like witches’

fingers pointing to the sky. Then there’s Tryfan, the most pleasingly

pointy mountain in the country. Scramblers take impossible-looking lines up its west face, and the brave (or some might say foolhardy) take the leap from

Adam to Eve, two boulders that rise above the summit. You don’t

want to make a mistake up here.

Below is Cwm Idwal, the place where Charles Darwin had an enlightening moment when he realised that Britain too was once covered by glaciers. On its ice-carved rocks, budding climbers get their first thrill of the vertical on the Idwal Slabs, while walkers can embark some of the best hiking in the UK. Beyond Snowdon and the Glyderau range are the lesser-visited seven peaks of the Carneddau, a range of mountains criss-crossed with a network of hundreds of trails: some lead to the sea, some cross knife-edge ridges and some wind more than a hundred miles across Wales.

Many of YHA’s Snowdonia hostels are available as Exclusive Hire properties over the winter. For more information visit: exclusive-hire.yha.org.uk.

guides to Snowdonia fauna. What you will find is mention of polecats and otters and, in the sky, ravens, peregrines, ospreys and red kites. But it’s perhaps what’s under your feet (well, hopefully not) that is of most interest.

Battling against the twin threats of climate change and hungry sheep, the flora of Snowdonia is among the rarest and most studied in Britain. On the slopes of Snowdon and in Cwm Idwal is the precious Snowdon Lily, an exquisite little flower with white petals that turn yellow as they draw you in. The flower is incredibly scarce, with only a few examples left in secret spots. It survived the last ice age, but some doubt it will survive until the next World Cup. More abundant are flowers like starry saxifrage, an alpine flower on a somewhat

Feature: City break hostels

of the best hostels for amazing city breaks

‘Tis the season for Christmas markets, cosy cafés and wrapping up warm as you step outside. Autumn and winter are the perfect time to take a city break, with or without the family, and these handy hostels are ideally suited for cultural wanderings and downtown exploration

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Cambridge’s colleges and cobbles take on a feel of their own over winter, and YHA Cambridge makes a great base from which to sample the city. It’s just a three-minute walk from the train station, a 15-minute wander from the Fitzwilliam Museum and a 25-minute stroll from storied showpiece attractions like King’s College. And don’t miss the pop-up ice rink on Parker’s Piece… yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-cambridge

YHA CambridgeThe stalwart stopover

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YHA BristolStylish former grain house

A modern bolthole in the hippest of cities, YHA Bristol is the ideal stay for families and friends looking for a weekend break. The likes of Bristol Aquarium, We The Curious and M-Shed are all minutes away by foot, and the hostel’s own Grainhouse Café & Bar offers everything from cooked breakfasts and packed lunches to stone-baked pizzas and kids’ meals. yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-bristol

YHA Bath Newly refurbished 19th-century villa

This tastefully restored (in 2018, no less) listed Georgian hostel is perfect for families looking to soak up some city culture. The property has a gorgeous view of Bath from its hilltop position and guests are free to lounge in either its chilled-out garden, spacious dining room or brand new bar/café.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-bath

YHA Cardiff Central A 5-star no-brainer

YHA Cardiff Central is an instant 'yes' when visiting the Welsh capital. From the broad lobby decorated with local wall-graphics to the rooms themselves, some of which feel more hotel than hostel, it’s a class act. It sits midway between Cardiff Bay and the vibrant city centre, putting almost everything of interest within reach. yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-cardiff-central

YHA BrightonA new lease of life on an old hotel

This renovated Regency-era hotel captures the splendour and fun that makes Brighton suited to revellers, culture vultures and tourists alike. Quirky décor and period furnishings make this no ordinary hostel, and other perks include bike storage and a funky bar area. There are plenty of private double rooms with en-suites too.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-brighton

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YHA Liverpool Culture on a budget

Beatles obsessive? Football fan? Art lover? Nightlife nut? Liverpool has some seriously strong cultural attractions – from the modern panache of Tate Liverpool to the subterranean bolthole of The Cavern Club – and our comfortable, brightly decorated hostel sits close to the centre, with the Albert Docks laying minutes away. yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-liverpool

YHA ManchesterPurpose-built with a modern feel

A fabulous canal-side location makes this purpose-built hostel one of the most popular in the network, being a stroll away from Manchester’s key sights. This is a city of music, museums and where-it’s-at vibes – and its 2018 Christmas markets run from 9 November onwards. Late night? No problem. There’s 24-hour access.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-manchester

YHA OxfordSee the university city

Ah, Oxford. The spires, the pubs, the literary associations hidden around every corner. The city centre is compact and walkable, which makes YHA Oxford – located right next to the train station, a short wander from the key attractions – a great option for everyone from families to festive shoppers. Our verdict? Top-class honours. yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-oxford

YHA London ThamesideDown by the river

We have seven separate hostels in and around the capital – from historic YHA London St Paul’s to bright-lights-based YHA London Oxford Street – but this South Bank gem is as fine a choice as any of them. It has 70 en-suite rooms and sits a walk away from bus, rail and Tube stops, while being far enough from the centre to offer a sense of sanctuary.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-london-thameside

Feature: City break hostels

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Discover why at yha.org.uk/adventure

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were either too small, too expensive or looked too easily damageable by rampant four-year-olds. A hotel? No chance. Bedtimes would be a nightmare.

So – and you’re ahead of me here, I can tell – when an Exclusive Hire of YHA Milton Keynes was suggested, online reviews were checked, group emails were exchanged and websites were consulted. The price was attractive. We booked. A few months later, five family cars could be found convening on a corner of Buckinghamshire that none of us knew much about.

YHA Milton KeynesBen Lerwill headed to our MK hostel with a large group of university friends

In honesty, Milton Keynes wasn’t where we thought we’d end up. We were five families in search of somewhere to spend Easter weekend together. The parents were all one-time university friends, the kids were all devotees to the idea that life should be lived very loudly (seriously, all of them). We needed somewhere central to all five families – ideally somewhere with character but without a hefty price tag. The holiday cottages we looked at

YHA Tanners Hatch Surrey Hills

Step inside...Three tales from

YHA Exclusive Hire getaways

25

Because – let’s be frank, and this is no slight on the good people of the town – Milton Keynes doesn’t tend to feature too often in travel magazines. It’s all concrete cows and endless roundabouts, surely? Well, surprisingly, no. The historic core of Milton Keynes is a small village with a 13th-century thatched pub and an even older church. The hostel occupies a converted farmhouse in this village.

The location was the first plus. The second was the hostel itself. It had a big garden. It had a big kitchen. It had dorm rooms upstairs and common rooms downstairs. It was far enough from other houses for the kids to roam freely and excitably, and it held enough big green duvets to create a massive den that may not have been stable but was at least soft.

By day we turned the communal dining area into a Disney-soundtracked craft room – lots of colouring-in and gluey hats – and on the Sunday the garden became the scene of a half-delirious chocolate egg-hunt. In the evenings we put the kids to bed, then put them to bed again, then gathered around huge one-pot stews and watched the wine stocks diminish. We cooked group breakfasts fit for armies and even managed a walk out to the infamous concrete cows (they confused the kids, I have to say). The weekend was what we wanted it to be: long, fun and full of silliness. And the best part? Being our own bosses in a building big enough to keep all seventeen of us happy.

Feature: Exclusive Hire

YHA Tanners HatchFor Cat Scully’s family and friends, a weekend of rural seclusion proved a winner

The idea was to get the kids out. Some place where their noses weren’t pressed up against screens and their auditory senses would be engaged without headphones. YHA Tanners Hatch sounded like the perfect spot. A remote cottage stuck in the middle of the Surrey Hills woodland, available for anyone to rent exclusively through YHA. We recruited another family of mud-seekers, making our party four adults and five kids in total. For two nights, wellies were going to replace Heelys, sticks instead of tablets and tiredness would come from fresh air, not brain drain.

On a grey February evening, we rolled up to the entrance of the track that led to our temporary haven. Peering down the muddy

path, it was apparent utopia required gaiters and Gore-Tex. But, we had

come prepared: every child had wet weather gear and wellies

were quickly lobbed around like American soldiers dishing out chocolate bars. Office worker grunts were muttered as us parents hoiked on our overstuffed backpacks, food

supplies and wine stock. And within two steps into a leafy

tunnel, our adventure had begun.

Like hostels across the country, the best part about YHA Tanners Hatch is its location. It is almost a mile away from the road, making any trek to and from your car nearly not worth it (depending on your urgency for more nappies continues overleaf

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Feature: Exclusive Hire

or wine). Quaint, clean, warm and cosy, it is the perfect family getaway. As a full-functioning hostel for most of the year, it has an ample number of bunks and beds to choose from, new kitchen appliances, plenty of crockery – and most important of all (when you’ve come to play in the woods), hot showers and heated rooms. Walks tend to be even better, I’ve found, when you can stick the kettle on and open a packet of biscuits as soon as you spill through the door.

The kids ‘bagged’ their bunks, enjoying their freedom to clamber and explore the place. “We have it all to ourselves?!!” they marvelled. Yes. The whole thing. Not only the cottage but the incredible view it has of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There was no one to bother and not one to bother us. We could make as much noise as a bunch of excitable kids’ decibel levels go, or we could enjoy the peace and quiet the surrounding woodland offered.

The weekend unfolded as we had hoped. During daylight, the kids played in the woods, making dens with tall tree branches, burying each other in leaves, playing tag in floppy wellies (several falls and tears were not amiss). A few times we assembled the troops and headed out to explore the intertwining paths found leading past the cottage. Evidence of other hikers or horse riders were found in muddy prints left behind, but we rarely bumped into anyone. We saw a weasel. We made walking sticks. Our youngest made up a song called “fallen tree”. When evening

called, the kids would bound into the cottage rosy-cheeked

and hungry, where we could

answer their needs with a lit fire and a big

hot bowl of ‘help yourself’. Admittedly, books and board games tended to be left untouched in favour of pillow fights or hide and seek, but when the kids did need some ‘down time,’ we simply sat and watched the fire and practised an ancient form of entertainment: talking.

“

“

We simply sat and watched the fire and practised an ancient form of entertainment: talking

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YHA RowenWhen Daniel Neilson needed a North Wales base, this hillside hostel fitted the bill

The idea was a simple one: get a couple of friends together and run the Anglesey Half Marathon on an early Sunday morning in October. The logistics were mildly more complicated. How to get there? Where to stay? I can’t remember who suggested it, but YHA’s Exclusive Hire came up. A cursory search of hostels in North Wales turned up YHA Rowen, a rural farmhouse with four bedrooms and space for 20 guests. Why not bring the families? Log fires, a well-equipped kitchen and a large garden for the kids to run around in. Plus it was only £225 a night all in. Split between three families, well, there was little convincing needed.

A couple of months after booking, 11 of us, five under the age of six, converged at a nearby town for supplies, picked the keys up and then made the steep, steep drive up to YHA Rowen. Like many hostels, and especially those available for Exclusive Hire through the winter months, its secluded location came bundled with views. In YHA Rowen’s case, panoramic views from high above the Conwy Valley. Early one morning we had coffee outside in the clear, cold dawn, our mugs steaming as we watched the low cloud burn away to reveal the river.

There are more than 100 YHA properties available for Exclusive Hire, from YHA Wooler in Northumberland to YHA Land’s End. YHA Tintagel starts at £199 a night, while YHA Hawkshead is from £499 a night and has 72 beds. There are barns and farmhouses, old schools, mansions and former shooting lodges.

It’s not all about the location. For a group of families and friends, other elements make an Exclusive Hire stay as straightforward as possible. A quality kitchen and a big fridge, books and board games, multiple showers and enough rooms for the kids to play seriously lengthy games of hide-and-seek.

While the ‘grown-ups’ cooked, stoked fires and opened beers, the children were outside exploring, yelping with what we hoped wasn’t pain, not quite yet convinced of their new-found freedom. ‘What, you mean, I can just go out there, on my own?’. We settled in for three nights. One morning three of us hobbled for 13 miles around Anglesey, but the rest of the time was taken exploring the local area, taking long walks in the hills, relaxing by the fire and spending hours over dinner. Would we do it again? We already have.

YHA Rowen

Dress for the conditionsWear several layers of clothing and be prepared to take off and add layers where necessary. Starting from next to your body, a specialist technical base layer will move moisture away from your skin, then a breathable fleece will add warmth and a good technical waterproof will keep you dry and protected from the wind. You can take the same approach to layering on your legs – waterproof trousers really come into their own when the weather turns bad in winter. For very cold days, take extra insulating layers, such as a down-filled gilet or jacket. But if you ‘walk warm’ then save your insulating garments for when you stop, as excessive sweating will wet your clothing and reduce its power to insulate.

Navigation A GPS device should not be relied upon as the sole navigation tool. Make sure you carry a map in a waterproof case, and ideally a back-up one too, as well as a spare compass. Over recent years there have been a number of incidents of reversed polarity, where compass needles have been partially or totally reversed as a result of close proximity to an electronic

… prepare for winter walking

H W to...Skills for outdoor living

gadget such as a mobile phone. So keep your compass away from other such pieces of kit, and get into the habit of checking it’s accurate before you leave the house.

Look after your extremitiesA balaclava, Buff or similar piece of kit can help to keep your nose and cheeks warm. If you’re lucky enough to get a bright day, especially on the summits, carry sunscreen. Wear gloves and take at least one spare pair. Also consider doubling up on your socks on very cold days.

Check the forecastsIf you’re heading into the hills, don’t just check the weather forecasts (the specialist Mountain Weather Information Service is invaluable here: mwis.org.uk) but also avalanche conditions. North of the border, the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (sais.gov.uk) provides detailed reports and the Felltop Assessor reports from the summit of Helvellyn are a useful resource for walkers in the Lake District (lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk).

As the temperature drops, adventures on foot take on a whole new dimension. Here are some useful tips from hillwalkers’ bible The Great Outdoors magazine

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Take a torchDon’t forget your headtorch – whether you expect to be out after dark or not. If there’s a chance you’re going to be out late or in difficult terrain, take a spare one as well. And don’t forget a change of batteries.

Stay hydratedGood hydration is as important in winter as it is in summer. On very cold days, make sure you insulate your hydration bladder or bottle, or take a flask with a hot drink.

Allow extra timeEven a familiar route can bring unexpected difficulties under snow, and things can take a lot longer than usual. In the short days of winter, time can run out quickly.

Be careful on slippery groundAn overnight drop in temperature can allow ice to form even on grassy hills where no snow has fallen. Because the slopes look green, it’s easy to assume they’re not icy. Be prepared to change your route if necessary.

Consider spikesOn low-level walks, consider carrying crampons or lightweight alternatives if you’re likely to encounter icy terrain. But if you’re heading onto the hills or anywhere that a fall

Why I love winter walkingby Emily Rodway

"Soft snow underfoot, frost-brittle leaves on the trees, squeaky ice on the pools. Winter walking is at its best when things turn properly cold – entering icy woodlands feels like walking into Narnia and even boggy ground hardens with the chill. In good conditions, there’s serious fun to be had up on the hills and mountains. If you’ve got the skills and equipment, heading upward through the contours can be a gateway to a winter wonderland of snow-draped slopes and (if you’re lucky) bluebird skies. And after a few hours stomping around on the tops, you’ll have earned your fireside pint...."

Emily Rodway is the Editor of the The Great Outdoors magazine. tgomagazine.co.uk

How to...

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could be risky, you’ll need both full crampons and an ice axe – plus, crucially, the skills to use them properly. Get training with a specialist instructor. Visit mountain-training.org/find/find-a-leader to find someone local to you who has a Mountain Leader (Winter) Award qualification.

Gear: Cool stuff

Tried and testedFour outdoor items put through their paces by the #LiveMoreYHA team

I’d like to be confident that I don’t just love these boots for the neon laces, but you can never be sure. What I do know, is that the Salewa Mountain Trainer Mid GTX is one of the most comfortable and confident-feeling boots I’ve tested. The cushioning underfoot has that ‘straight out of the box’ comfort, but it also envelops the heel snugly, and, after a long day out, I didn’t feel much pressure on the knees. The lacing starts down by the toes, getting a good fit all along the foot. The supple suede uppers also flex well and I'm sure they'll last with care. And I am rather fond of the laces.salewa.comDaniel Neilson

The verdict Although not superlight, this is a great boot designed for long days of walking and, for me in particular, backpacking.

Salewa Mountain Trainer Mid

There’s a school of thought that suggests the socks you wear to hike in are as important as the boots you wear. I’d concur in as far as saying that when you’re wearing a quality pair of walking socks, it can make a considerable difference. Here’s an excellent case in point. The socks go for under £20 but feel and look technical – which they are. A double-layer construction keeps your feet comfortable while wicking away moisture, and all-over padding keeps things toasty. I put them to the test on a chilly 16-mile hill walk in October – they’ll be chalking up a fair few more in the months ahead. 1000mile.co.uk Ben Lerwill

The verdictThey’re warm, comfortable and well-made, making them a wise investment if you’re going to be hiking in the cold.

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1000 Mile Heat Walk Sock

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After several years of asking, and proving many times that I could tell the time on a watch with hands on, I finally got a Casio watch with a calculator on it aged eight. It was ‘the future’. I was wrong. This is. The robust exterior of this GPS-enabled watch conceals some astonishing technology – it shows full colour maps (on and offline), holds a compass and barometer, and gives activity status for trekking, paddling, cycling and skiing. The touch screen is intuitive, plus it’s voice activated. After linking it to Wear OS by Google on your Android or iPhone, it can also stream GoogleMaps, Play Music, Google Fit and Google Translate as well as third-party apps including ViewRanger. The future does come at a price however: £350!cotswoldoutdoor.com Daniel Neilson

The verdictOne of the easiest-to-use smart watches designed for the outdoors. It’s durable with an almost endless list of functions for trekkers, paddlers, cyclists and more.

Casio Pro Trek Smart

A lot of base layers have the look of something you might wear to run a marathon. Not this one. It looks and feels so much like cotton casualwear, in fact, that it initially puzzled me. Closer inspection proved enlightening – it’s 85% polyester and 15% Drirelease® fabric, the latter being antimicrobial and breathable. What does this mean in practical terms? You can wear it for two or three days at a time without it getting smelly, you can stuff it into your backpack without it getting all creased and you can rely on it to wick away sweat from your body. It comes in three colours, and even looks pretty good with jeans. On top of all this, part of every sale goes to Sherpa Adventure Gear’s fund to help Nepalese children. sherpaadventuregear.com Ben Lerwill

The verdictA base layer that does the essential stuff while also serving as leisurewear. A fine option for hurried packers.

Sherpa Nima Tee LS

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Hostel guide

To book: Visit yha.org.uk or call 01629 592 700

YH

A S

trat

ford

-upon-Avon

CaldbeckSkiddaw

Hawse EndButtermereEnnerdale

Black SailHonister Hause

Wasdale HallEskdale

Coniston CopperminesConiston Holly How

Hawkshead

Langdon Beck

WhitbyBoggle Hole

York

Haworth

Mankinholes

KeswickBorrowdale

HelvellynPatterdale

Dufton

GrasmereLangdale

AmblesideWindermere Grinton Lodge

Helmsley

Dalby Forest

Beverley Friary

MalhamSlaidburn

EdaleRavenstorConwy

RowenSnowdon Llanberis

Snowdon RangerSnowdon Bryn Gwynant

Sherwood Forest

Thurlby

Cambridge

National ForestIronbridge Coalport

Wilderhope Manor

Clun Mill

Leominster

Wye Valley

Newport Pembrokeshire

Brecon BeaconsBrecon Beacons Danywenallt

St Briavels Castle

OxfordLondon Lee Valley

London Central

Thameside

Earl's Court MedwayCanterbury

Tanners HatchHolmbury St Mary

Truleigh HillLittlehampton

New Forest

Brighton

SwanageLitton Cheney

Boscastle

Eden Project

Boswinger

Coverack

Perranporth

ManchesterLiverpool

Castleton Losehill Hall

Hathersage

Idwal Cottage

Eyam

YoulgreaveHartington Hall

Ilam Hall

Ironbridge Coalbrookdale

Wells-next-the-Sea

Sheringham

BlaxhallKington Stratford-upon-Avon

Milton Keynes

Poppit SandsPwll Deri

St David's

Broad Haven

Manorbier

Port EynonCardiff Central Bristol

Streatley JordansSt Pancras

St Paul's

Oxford St

Bath

Cheddar

StreetMinehead

South Downs

EastbourneLulworth Cove

Portland

BeerTintagel

Treyarnon Bay Dartmoor

Land's EndLizard

Penzance

Hawes

Edmundbyers

Cholderton

All Stretton

Wooler

Alnwick

Bellingham

Alston Ninebanks

OsmotherleyScarborough

Kettlewell

Ingleton

Arnside

Sheen

Alstonefield Hunstanton

Bridges

Kings

Borth

RhossiliGower

Cotswolds

Elmscott

Okehampton Bracken Tor

Okehampton

Portreath

Exford

Totland

LlangattockLlanddeusant

Berwick

Snowdon Pen-y-PassBetws-y-Coed

Brighstone

The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall

YHA

East

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YHA All StrettonYHA Alnwick

YHA AlstonYHA Alstonefield

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 Brecon Beacons DanywenalltYHA Bridges

YHA BrightonYHA Bristol

YHA Broad HavenYHA Buttermere

YHA CaldbeckYHA CambridgeYHA Canterbury

YHA Cardiff CentralYHA Castleton Losehill Hall

YHA CheddarYHA Cholderton Stonehenge

YHA Clun MillYHA Cockermouth

YHA Coniston CopperminesYHA Coniston Holly How

YHA ConwyYHA CotswoldsYHA Coverack

YHA Dalby ForestYHA Dartmoor

YHA DuftonYHA Eastbourne

YHA EdaleYHA Eden Project

YHA EdmundbyersYHA Elmscott

YHA EnnerdaleYHA Eskdale

YHA ExfordYHA Eyam

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YH

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-upon-Avon

YHA

East

bo

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YHA All StrettonYHA Alnwick

YHA AlstonYHA Alstonefield

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 Brecon Beacons DanywenalltYHA Bridges

YHA BrightonYHA Bristol

YHA Broad HavenYHA Buttermere

YHA CaldbeckYHA CambridgeYHA Canterbury

YHA Cardiff CentralYHA Castleton Losehill Hall

YHA CheddarYHA Cholderton Stonehenge

YHA Clun MillYHA Cockermouth

YHA Coniston CopperminesYHA Coniston Holly How

YHA ConwyYHA CotswoldsYHA Coverack

YHA Dalby ForestYHA Dartmoor

YHA DuftonYHA Eastbourne

YHA EdaleYHA Eden Project

YHA EdmundbyersYHA Elmscott

YHA EnnerdaleYHA Eskdale

YHA ExfordYHA Eyam

Meadow Green, Batch Valley, All Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6JW34 to 38 Green Batt, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1TUThe Firs, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3RWGypsy Lane, Alstonefield, nr Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 2FZ Waterhead, Ambleside, Cumbria, 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, 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, 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 8NHNational Park Study Centre, Talybont-on-Usk, Brecon, LD3 7YSRatlinghope, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY5 0SPOld Steine, Brighton, BN1 1NH14 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QABroad Haven, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA62 3JHButtermere, 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 8WBHillfield, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3HNBeacon House, Amesbury Road, Cholderton, Wiltshire, SP4 0EWThe Mill, Clun, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8NYDouble Mills, Cockermouth, Cumbria, Lakes, CA13 0DSCoppermines, Coppermines House, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8HPHolly How, Far End, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8DDLarkhill, Sychnant Pass Road, Conwy, LL32 8AJNew Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1JHParc Behan, School Hill, Coverack, Helston, Cornwall, TR12 6SAOld School, Lockton, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7PYBellever, Postbridge, Devon, PL20 6TUDufton, Appleby, Cumbria, CA16 6DB1 East Dean Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 8ESRowland Cote, Nether Booth, Edale, Hope Valley, Derbys, S33 7ZHEden 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 7PUHawkhill Road, Eyam, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 5QP

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YHA GowerYHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe

YHA Grinton LodgeYHA Hartington Hall

YHA HathersageYHA Hawes

YHA HawksheadYHA Haworth

YHA Hawse EndYHA HelmsleyYHA HelvellynYHA Holmbury

YHA Honister HauseYHA Hunstanton

YHA Idwal CottageYHA Ilam HallYHA Ingleton

YHA Ironbridge CoalbrookdaleYHA Ironbridge CoalportIsle of Wight Brighstone

YHA JordansYHA Keswick

YHA KettlewellYHA Kings

YHA KingtonYHA Lands End

YHA LangdaleYHA Langdon Beck

YHA LeominsterYHA 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 LodgeYHA National Forest

Port Eynon, Swansea, SA3 1NNEasedale Road, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9QGGrinton, 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 0QDLonglands 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 7HTNorth Street, Brighstone, Newport, PO30 4AXWelders Lane, Jordans, Beaconsfield, Bucks, 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 0XNThe 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, MK13 9AGAlcombe Combe, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 6EWMor Lodge, 83 - 87 Mount Wise, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2BP48 Bath Lane, Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6BD

YHA Jordans

YHA Tanners Hatch

YHA Oxford Street

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YHA New ForestYHA Newport Pembrokeshire

YHA NinebanksYHA Okehampton

YHA Okehampton Bracken TorYHA Osmotherley

YHA OxfordYHA PatterdaleYHA Penzance

YHA PerranporthYHA Poppit Sands

YHA Port EynonYHA Portland

YHA PortreathYHA Pwll Deri

YHA RavenstorYHA Rhossili YHA Rowen

YHA ScarboroughYHA Sheen Bunkhouse

YHA SheringhamYHA Sherwood Forest

YHA Skiddaw HouseYHA Slaidburn

YHA Snowdon Bryn GwynantYHA Snowdon Llanberis

YHA Snowdon Pen-y-PassYHA Snowdon Ranger

YHA South DownsYHA St Briavels Castle

YHA St DavidsYHA StratfordYHA Streatley

YHA StreetYHA SwanageYHA Swansea

YHA The Sill at Hadrian's WallYHA Tanners Hatch

YHA ThurlbyYHA Tintagel

YHA Totland BayYHA Treyarnon Bay

YHA Truleigh HillYHA Wasdale Hall

YHA Wells Next The SeaYHA Whitby

YHA Wilderhope ManorYHA Windermere

YHA WoolerYHA Wye Valley

YHA YorkYHA Youlgreave

Cott Lane, Burley Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 4BBLower St Mary Street, Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0TSOrchard House, Mohope, Ninebanks, Hexham, NE47 8DQKlondyke Road, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1EWBracken Tor, Saxongate, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1QWCote Ghyll, Osmotherley, Notherallerton, N 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 4QXCastell 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 3ERNantgwynant, 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 6PRHemmingford House, Alveston, Stratford-upon-Avon, 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 5ALMilitary Road, Bardon Mill, Northumberland, NE47 7ANOff 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 0HDTregonnan, Treyarnon, Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8JRTottington Barn, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FBWasdale Hall, Wasdale, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1ETChurch Plain, Wells, Norfolk, NR23 1EQAbbey House, East Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4JTManor, Longville in the Dale, Shropshire, TF13 6EGBridge Lane, Troutbeck, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LA30 Cheviot Street, Wooler, Northumberland, NE71 6LWNear Goodrich, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, HR9 6JJWater End, Clifton, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6LPFountain Square, Youlgreave, nr Bakewell, Derbys, DE45 1UR

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YHA Tanners Hatch

YHA Oxford Street

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Drying Room: Tweets & more

Each issue we print a reader's pic that's really grabbed our attention. Want to see your photo here? Share it on Twitter #LiveMoreYHA or email us on: livemoreyha@yha.org.uk

This issue: a photograph of the Clogywn Du'r Arddu face on Snowdon by Martha Kneen

#LiveMoreYHA is published by Don’t Look Down Media Ltd in Eastbourne, United Kingdom ISSN 2514-0159

Share your adventure #livemoreYHA

@oly_russell Stunning walk along the canal from @YHAYork into an equally stunning town centre.

@Oratory_Geog Thanks to @YHAOfficial port eynon! A great base from which to explore the Gower Coast on our Geography A Level investigations

@CliveAndrews My biggest mountain biking tip: if you must get a puncture, do so within 50m of a public

workstands and toolkit. Cheers, @YHAOfficial! – at YHA Truleigh Hill

@laurenpethy Be hard pushed to find a more quintessentially seasidey town than the beautiful Sheringham

@CTGale @YHAOfficial great two nights at Coniston Coppermines. Lovely staff and super cosy. Thanks guys!

WIN! Columbia Baselayer top and tights worth £70We have one set of Titanium OH3D™ Baselayer Top & Tights, men's or women's, to give away. They use eye-catching tiny, reflective dots that help regulate your temperature by reflecting and retaining the warmth your body naturally creates.

To enter, just answer the following question.

How many school groups stayed at YHA The Sill atHadrian's Wall in its first year? See page 7 for a pointer.

Answers to: livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by 4 January 2019. Winner will be picked at random.

Name the gold medallists!WIN a set of Cicerone walking guidebooks

About the prizeWalkers, cyclists, trekkers and mountaineers have trusted Cicerone for nearly fifty years to ensure they have a great time on the hills. We’re giving away three inspirational and detailed guidebooks of the winner’s choice from publishers Cicerone. There are dozens of guidebooks available, including new titles in 2018 such as The Southern Upland Way, Walking Hampshire’s Test Way, Cycling Lôn Las Cymru and Fastpacking: Multi-day running adventures. cicerone.co.uk

On page 12 we chatted with Ellie Simmonds OBE. We’ve jumbled up the names of five other Team GB heroes from recent Olympic and Paralympic games. Worked out who they are? Send your answers to livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by 4 January 2019 to be in with a chance of winning.

Last issue: congratulations to Steph Morgan and M Coupar, who both won Lowe Alpine daypacks, and Anna Gleave, who won a bundle of outdoor goodies from Burton McCall.Sh

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To enter simply send us an email with your five answers. The lucky winners will be drawn at random.

Answers to: livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by 4 January 2019. 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?

V I D D A E R W I ( w h e e l c h a i r a t h l e t e )

C A N O I L A M S A D ( b o x e r )

S O N J A N Y N E K ( c y c l i s t )

S I C A S E J N I N E S - L I L H ( a t h l e t e )

N I S T U J S O R E ( g o l f e r )

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Where do youwant to go?There’s an incredible network of over 150 townhouses, mansions, cottages and more to explore.

Make 2018 your year of adventure, and spend it in good company at YHA.

Because where you gochanges who you become

stay | join | give | volunteer yha.org.uk

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