grldtnr
Senior Member
Clyffe Pypard was a long time ago! Or was for me, whilst it was a YHA, ,I think it was more a private bunkhouse using the YH for business.
I agree with you about the Warden,
YHA Selling a Third of its Hostels
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Clyffe Pypard was a long time ago! Or was for me, whilst it was a YHA, ,I think it was more a private bunkhouse using the YH for business.
I agree with you about the Warden,
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presta
Guru
It was 2006 when I stayed there, one night on the way down to Lands End, and another on the way back. I was planning to take a route home south of London via Cholderton, but I couldn't raise them on the phone.
The landlady reminded me a bit of Basil Fawlty, she was houseproud, and kept fussing around and getting under people's feet. I had a couple of breadcrusts I was going to fill up with as I'd run out of other food, I only turned my back on them for a few seconds and she tidied them away into the bin. Another guy flounced off to the car with a crate of food because she kept nagging him to put it back in the cupboard.
Captain Sensible
Senior Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
T6.1 😜
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
Yes that was the place.
Our group of five cyclists stayed there in a six bed room, the sixth bed was being used by a self employed businessman who used the hostel as a cheap means of accommodation.
Needless to say he didn't get much sleep that night as one by one each of us had to empty our bladders overnight due to a long evening in the bar.
TrishE
Über Member
A few hostels do camping which is great for me as dogs are allowed and also welcome in the hostel buildings, apart from at Hawes where it's independently owned. I've stayed at Windermere twice, Hawes, and Borrowdale this year. Previously camped at Grasmere and Holly how as in the photo. I don't even take a stove as they have the kitchens and at Windermere there's a bungalow with the kitchen for camper's use. I've paid £9 a night this year with membership so not bad at all. Having electric for charging stuff is good too. They still stamp your book and you can buy a stamp book for £1 I think it was.
I first stayed in hostels late 70s and early 80s on school trips and Have great memories.
YHA has definitely lost the plot with the selling of hostels and also they seem to be trying to deter individuals by making many as groups only. They have released a report where they've said they are moving towards groups and families so I'm wondering how much longer I should continue with my membership. Would be good if the hostels sold off and becoming independent offered camping. I've got the independent hostels book and I don't think any do but odd ones are dog friendly.
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grldtnr
Senior Member
I don't mind camping at Hostels in the warmer months, they offer good rates compared to campsites, but it's the perineal 'new' problem , if they will allow you to, as often school parties or groups book the whole hostel, obsessed with this 'Safeguarding' rule.
So what's different , if I am staying when it is open to the public, do they not need 'safeguarding' then.
The reality is giving the young and disadvantaged access to the country side is a laudble thing, but chances are they won't ever do it outside of a school party or youth group, and are families turning up in stonking great fuel guzzling SUV's disadvantaged?
Er ,no not really.
So what's different , if I am staying when it is open to the public, do they not need 'safeguarding' then.
The reality is giving the young and disadvantaged access to the country side is a laudble thing, but chances are they won't ever do it outside of a school party or youth group, and are families turning up in stonking great fuel guzzling SUV's disadvantaged?
Er ,no not really.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
TrishE
Über Member
I left Windermere early because a huge family with a not so friendly dog turned up, there were loads of them and as I left the kids were running riot and dismantling the signs so there was wood with nails lying in the grass. They'll turn into holiday camps which is a shame. I'm going to look at hostels with limited camping area and backpacking tents only to try and avoid it happening again. The YHA is actively discouraging individual people and encouraging groups instead so selling off hostels to people who hopefully will welcome individuals might be a good thing, although there's a few groups only independent hostels near me. Such a shame what's happening with hostelling.
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presta
Guru
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The independent hostels are more prone to being groups only than the YHA. I haven't checked, but I suspect that the YHA hostels that have gone over to groups only are all ones that are independently owned. (I stayed at an independent at Ystradfellte once, it was groups only, but as I was ringing the night before, and she had no booking, she let me stay the night.)
Schools now insist on sole use, so they aren't open to the public, it all started after the incident when a child was murdered by a paedophile in a French (independent) hostel. Prior to that I stayed in several hostels with school parties.
I've had wardens tell me that casual bookers are a PITA, and one tell me that they'd been told that Travelodge are now their competition. The manager at York stopped for a long chat once when I was there, and he was saying that they have very few cycle tourists like me any more, but when I mentioned it to the guy on the desk he said "Oh, he doesn't know what he's talking about, we get loads, but he wouldn't know because he's never on the reception desk". If that's the feedback higher management are geting it's not looking good.
theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
yes been there ...just up the road from me
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presta
Guru
I stayed there when I did the Pennine Way, but had meals provided, so I didn't see the members' kitchen. My main recollection of it was hoping that the dam held for another 24 hours, and discovering that Hannah Hauxwell used to be the next door neighbour.
It traded as an independent called Blackton Grange for a while, but it's now luxury accommodation.
grldtnr
Senior Member
Ouch. Perineal problems are bad, new or old.
Ah Wel you know what I mean, but I'd say a case of 'farmers' is far preferable than this current policy of the YH.
such as it is, it's prompted me to resign membership.
cougie uk
Guru
Not all schools/hostels insist on exclusive use. There's a small school party at the YHA this week but plenty of other guests and it's still open for meals etc too.
I was a hosteller for several years; just near the end of when it was still 'proper' hostelling. I enjoyed it. Basic, meeting other folk etc..
But in recent years for many reasons, the YHA has dropped many of it's 'rules' and had to adapt. The end for me came when I regularly saw car parks full of SUVs,
uncontrolled youngsters noisily running around the hostels, 
table service in what used to be the dining areas 
and virtually unused member's kitchens. 
Oh and the prices going through the roof. 
We now tend to used AirBnB; often cheaper.
Very sad as I do miss the simple facilities, making do and comradeship that was usual once.
But in recent years for many reasons, the YHA has dropped many of it's 'rules' and had to adapt. The end for me came when I regularly saw car parks full of SUVs,
uncontrolled youngsters noisily running around the hostels, table service in what used to be the dining areas and virtually unused member's kitchens. Oh and the prices going through the roof. We now tend to used AirBnB; often cheaper.
Very sad as I do miss the simple facilities, making do and comradeship that was usual once.
grldtnr
Senior Member
I do think the YH needs to get back to the old values, open up the small basic places in the country side, and not the big multi storied 'Super' hostels in towns and cities....I mean where's the adventure in the Urban sprawl, wheres the nature and the great outdoors.
In these modern times, it's so hard to find that, let alone build a network of simple accomodation in the shrinking modern world.
Hostelling in the UK , I knew and loved has gone, it can still be offered, i do understand that it has to be tweaked a little to comply with 'roolz', but that is why it should primarily be a members only organisation.
Perhaps the arguement is it's for Youths' and not us seniors, well in that case we seniors are teaching and showing them the wrong way.
I do wonder do those who are running the board of directors actually do any hostelling and activities....... Many Wardens in the good old days did, a way to means , many Wardens had outdoor interests , running a hostel let them spend time doing that once the Guests had left for the day.
In these modern times, it's so hard to find that, let alone build a network of simple accomodation in the shrinking modern world.
Hostelling in the UK , I knew and loved has gone, it can still be offered, i do understand that it has to be tweaked a little to comply with 'roolz', but that is why it should primarily be a members only organisation.
Perhaps the arguement is it's for Youths' and not us seniors, well in that case we seniors are teaching and showing them the wrong way.
I do wonder do those who are running the board of directors actually do any hostelling and activities....... Many Wardens in the good old days did, a way to means , many Wardens had outdoor interests , running a hostel let them spend time doing that once the Guests had left for the day.
