YHA Selling a Third of its Hostels

[chris667]

Where did I say I haven't used a hostel for 12 years? I used hostels right up until they closed for covid, and since then I've been too unwell to go anywhere by hostel or any other means.

I've stayed 567 nights at 205 different hostels in my time, how much support have the YHA had from you?

My mistake - I assumed from one of your posts that your last tour on one was in 2011. I never wanted an argument. I agree with you.

I haven't kept of how many I've stayed in. Less than you, and the last (only) time I tried to go as part of a family group it put me off. When I went touring when I was younger I used to like having a tent and sleeping places I shouldn't.

My last cycling holiday last autumn was based in one static caravan in Lincolnshire for a week. I loved it. I just took myself off in a different direction every day but came home to my own kitchen, shower, bathroom etc. It was 45/night and would have been the same price for six people as one! Real luxury compared to all the hostels I've stayed in. Miles and miles of lanes to explore. Magic.

I suppose some people would say cycling from the same point every day isn't cycle touring, but I don't agree with them personally.

 

[chris667]

Magaluf don't forget!!🤣🤣🤣

The problem is you're right. What a sad statement if that turns out to be all that is on offer.

 

[tyred]

I think ireland has some of the most expensive hostals on Europe. In Dingle today and we are going for a hotel, not paying 130 euro for a mixed dorm and shared toilet. Perhaps we are used to Spain paying for nice 4/5 star at 60 to 100 euro. Or are we seeing the future of budget accommodation or lack of it.

The cost of accommodation of all types here has become utterly ridiculous because the government have rented entire hotels and hostels long-term to put Ukrainian refugees in and those that still take in normal guests are charging what they want due to the reduced competition.

There are still some sensible places around if you look hard enough though. The hostel in Cong I stayed in for a few nights cycling around Connemara was very reasonable (but that was in October so out of season).

When I was on the Isle of Arran recently, I was able to get a private room in Lamlash for less than what I would have paid in Lochranza Youth Hostel for a dorm bed so that was an easy decision to make!

 

[Electric_Andy]

I stayed in both YHAs in Auckland, not the cheapest but were well run. Shared rooms with a lot of weirdos but also met some good friends. Same in Australia, though there is so much competition I think the reputation kept them afloat more than anything. YHA was always mentioned in Lonely Planet guides for example, even though they were usually in the top 10% price wise

 

[mercalia]

so nothing south of London with the Dorking YHA to be sold? Tanners Hatch does not seem to be open last time I looked. And Blaxhall closing means East Anglia a dead zone leaving just Sheringham at the top.

I suppose the oldies here should be glad that in our youth we had a long line of hostels to stay at esp if you got around by bike. My grand tour first time away from home up to the top of Yorkshire from Suffolk by bike would not be possible now. I remmember Selby the barge or Thixendale the school. Grantham and Saltburn on sea. And in Suffolk Nedging Tye an old water mill, saffron Walden and Epping Forest

 

[wiggydiggy]

I stayed in both YHAs in Auckland, not the cheapest but were well run. Shared rooms with a lot of weirdos but also met some good friends. Same in Australia, though there is so much competition I think the reputation kept them afloat more than anything. YHA was always mentioned in Lonely Planet guides for example, even though they were usually in the top 10% price wise

When I was there (2016ish) NZ was incredibly easy to find and book accomodation at short notice, there was an App I downloaded which searched all accomodation and we never booked more than 24hrs in advance. My favourite was a campsite where there was no room for even our 2 small tents, but the lady at the desk cleared out a shack that was used occasionally as caretakers accomodation and we stayed in that. That was in Omaru.

 

[matticus]

My favourite was a campsite where there was no room for even our 2 small tents,

well they are designed for Hobbitses nowadays ...

 

[grldtnr]

so nothing south of London with the Dorking YHA to be sold? Tanners Hatch does not seem to be open last time I looked. And Blaxhall closing means East Anglia a dead zone leaving just Sheringham at the top.

I suppose the oldies here should be glad that in our youth we had a long line of hostels to stay at esp if you got around by bike. My grand tour first time away from home up to the top of Yorkshire from Suffolk by bike would not be possible now. I remmember Selby the barge or Thixendale the school. Grantham and Saltburn on sea. And in Suffolk Nedging Tye an old water mill, saffron Walden and Epping Forest

By Dorking ,you mean Holmbury St .Mary, one of the first purpose built hostels in the UK, built in 1935, or first opened.

I suppose I ought to count myself lucky that I had the opportunity to visit so many hostels when I was in my prime, but I would still like to do that now, but things have changed so much.
Gone are the days when I could leave work on my bike, ride for 40 miles and have a weekend away, back home in time to go to work Monday.
Even back then , hostels were being weeded out, Colchester, the old hut in Epping forest, Castle Hedingham and slew of hostels in the home counties.
With the closure of Blaxhall, it is truly a desert in East Anglia, it seems the buildings the YH wants to keep are in the cities ,but even they are not safe, I mean Oxford was demolished, it was a modern purpose built building, pulled down to expand the Station?
The Hostel Association in this country isn't safe, I cannot see it surviving as long as they keep closing hostels, the prime reason was to give people the chance to explore the countryside, you really can't do that from a sanitized urban landscape.
If they continue to dispose of hostels, they will not be able to reinstate the network,

It's as simple as that

 

[Ming the Merciless]

In Dingle today and we are going for a hotel

Well you are in tourist central. One of the most popular places on the West Coast

 

[Ming the Merciless]

YHA Blacksail is £220 for a private room. I’m lucky I did long distance walking tours when I did. That’s an outrageous price.

 

[matticus]

YHA Blacksail is £220 for a private room. I’m lucky I did long distance walking tours when I did. That’s an outrageous price.

<contrary view> It IS on the world-famous Wainwright coast-to-coast route, possibly the standard end-of-day-1, and a truly idyllic spot.
And probably a lot cheaper in March?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

<contrary view> It IS on the world-famous Wainwright coast-to-coast route, possibly the standard end-of-day-1, and a truly idyllic spot.
And probably a lot cheaper in March?

As it was in the 1970s, at YHA traditional pricing. The irony was that he did the coast to coast as an example of how to put together your own long distance path. It was never meant to be adopted to become what it has.

 

[mercalia]

By Dorking ,you mean Holmbury St .Mary, one of the first purpose built hostels in the UK, built in 1935, or first opened.

I suppose I ought to count myself lucky that I had the opportunity to visit so many hostels when I was in my prime, but I would still like to do that now, but things have changed so much.
Gone are the days when I could leave work on my bike, ride for 40 miles and have a weekend away, back home in time to go to work Monday.
Even back then , hostels were being weeded out, Colchester, the old hut in Epping forest, Castle Hedingham and slew of hostels in the home counties.
With the closure of Blaxhall, it is truly a desert in East Anglia, it seems the buildings the YH wants to keep are in the cities ,but even they are not safe, I mean Oxford was demolished, it was a modern purpose built building, pulled down to expand the Station?
The Hostel Association in this country isn't safe, I cannot see it surviving as long as they keep closing hostels, the prime reason was to give people the chance to explore the countryside, you really can't do that from a sanitized urban landscape.
If they continue to dispose of hostels, they will not be able to reinstate the network,

It's as simple as that

when I was at uni in London I would use the Colchester yha as a mid point stop over from Lowestoft, traveling by bike. There used to be an old pigstye/cattle shed yha west of Ipswich I once stayed at. real basic but it worked. I never stayed at Castle Hedingham but my route always went past it. The thing is people like that are few and far between now - they turn up in groups in mini buses and never leave the bubble.

 

[grldtnr]

The mainstream broadsheet papers are asking readers for comments on memories of hostelling ,across the political divide, Guardian, Independent and the Telegraph or is it the Times?
Perhaps this will bring the issue to the attention of the YH board, certainly those that have responded are of the consensus opinion ,it is a mistake to dismantle the rural network of hostels.
It is a folly, this will have a knock on effect on businesses in these areas , the Hosteller pound must keep those businesses afloat.

 

[presta]

.

Tanners Hatch does not seem to be open last time I looked. And Blaxhall closing means East Anglia a dead zone leaving just Sheringham at the top.
My grand tour first time away from home up to the top of Yorkshire from Suffolk by bike would not be possible now.

Tanners Hatch is a favourite of mine, although I don't know whether I'd like the refurbishment, I think they might have spoilt the simplicity and character of the place. From here, I used to be able to reach Castle Hedingham, Colchester, Saffron Walden, Blaxhall, Epping, Harlow, Ivinghoe, Lee Valley, Medway, & Cambridge, now there's only the last three left, and most of the ongoing connections

As it was in the 1970s, at YHA traditional pricing. The irony was that he did the coast to coast as an example of how to put together your own long distance path. It was never meant to be adopted to become what it has.

Hmm, the book was in the form of a guide though, if he didn't want people following in his footsteps he could have written a travelogue like A Pennine Journey.

I never stayed at Castle Hedingham but my route always went past it.

That was the first hostel I did by bike, with a lad from the scouts, it's only about 10 miles from here.

Perhaps this will bring the issue to the attention of the YH board, certainly those that have responded are of the consensus opinion ,it is a mistake to dismantle the rural network of hostels.

At the time of the closures in the aftermath of foot & mouth, Channel 4 News did a piece about the YHA. After the journos had finished sniggering at grown men sleeping in bunk beds they asked the CEO or whoever he was "What about the traditional hostellers?".
"Oh, we don't take any notice of them, they're living in the past" was the reply.

I suppose some people would say cycling from the same point every day isn't cycle touring, but I don't agree with them personally.

Before I switched to cycling I used to do most of my fellwalking as circular walks from a car and a B&B, but I also got into walking long distance footpaths as well, and the car wasn't very helpful for those. I'd get a train to the start of a path and back from the finish, and found that I absolutely loved the feeling of freedom, just putting on my boots & rucksack in the morning and walking as far as I like with no ties, then looking for another B&B at the end of the day. When I switched to cycling I just did the same, move on every day, and just go wherever takes my fancy.