#LiveMoreYHA issue 6

#LiveMoreYHA Issue #06 - January 2017

Ride into

the New Year We make the epic long-distance ride from Land's End to John O'Groats

Take the kids

Sarah Outen

Cambridge

9 of the best familyfriendly hostels

The inspirational new YHA ambassador

Beat the summer crowds by visiting now

NEW YEAR

NEW ADVENTURES

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Welcome I hope you’ve enjoyed the start to the year. 2017 looks set to be a truly exciting time for us at YHA. I’m delighted to say we’ll be unveiling a fantastic new property, YHA The Sill at Hadrians Wall in the heart of the stunning Northumberland National Park. No less excitingly, we’ll also be making more announcements regarding plans for YHA London Stratford, due to become the largest hostel in the UK. The months ahead will be a significant period for me personally, too.

After nine years as Chief Executive, I’ve decided that Summer 2017 will be the right time for me pass on the baton. I’ve absolutely loved my time here, and it has given me huge satisfaction to see YHA continue to grow and evolve so successfully. I’m immensely proud of the passion and commitment of all our people, staff and volunteers and I know they’ll continue to be a credit to the organisation.

Of course, just as crucial to our success are you, our guests. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely for your ongoing and invaluable support, and I hope you’ll find plenty of travel inspiration from this issue of #LiveMoreYHA. Among other features, you’ll find an account of cycling between Land’s End to John O’Groats, a spotlight on some of our most family-friendly hostels and an interview with our newest ambassador, the incredible Sarah Outen MBE. Elsewhere, we’ve included some creative hostelkitchen recipes for the self-caterers among you, and we also pay a winter visit to the history-rich city of Cambridge.

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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*Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Selected lines are exempt. Only valid upon production of your YHA membership card in store or use of discount code online. Offer expires 31.12.17

Contents

06 Stepping Out: News, views

28 Food special: How to...cook

08 A Q&A with YHA's extraordinary

30 Gear: the best new kit for

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32 Hostel guide: plan your next

Cover: Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley/Shutterstock.com

and inspiration

new ambassador Sarah Outen

The long road: Land's End to John O'Groats by bike

easy regional recipes

exploring the great outdoors

adventure

20 Nine great hostels perfect for a

38 Pictures from your adventures

24 Stepping into history on a

39 COMPETITION: Win a waterproof

family-friendly escape

visit to Cambridge

and #LiveMoreYHA tweets

backpack worth ÂŁ95

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Stepping Out: Hadrian's Wall

Wonder Wall Opening in Northumberland National Park in summer 2017, YHA The Sill at Hadrian's Wall sits just a few minutes from the wall itself and will form part of a major new discovery centre

Tim Saxon/Shutterstock.com

For more than three centuries, Hadrian’s Wall was the defining northern edge of the Roman Empire. Stretching almost 80 miles from west coast to east, it took 15,000 people six years to build.

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Today, almost 2,000 years since Emperor Hadrian ordered its construction, large parts of it remain, and the wall still inspires the same awe it first did.

In 2017, another remarkable construction will open: The Sill, made up of a cuttingedge landscape discovery centre and a brand new, 86-bed state-of-the-art hostel.

With its use of stone, timber and glass

materials inspired by a nearby natural landmark, the Great Whin Sill, the modern hostel will be the perfect base to explore the wonder of Hadrian’s Wall.

The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre will host permanent exhibitions, a “living” grass roof, a café and even arts performances. It opens later this year.

The property's potential for outdoor and educational groups is huge. Bookings for 16 or more can be made now: groups.yha. org.uk/hostel/yha-sill-hadrians-wall General booking opens in February: yha.org.uk/hostel/sill-hadrians-wall

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With its use of stone, timber and glass materials inspired by a nearby natural landmark, the modern hostel will be the perfect base for families to explore the wonder of Hadrian’s Wall

An artist's impression of The Sill

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Stepping Out: Sarah Outen

Celebrity Q&A

Sarah Outen YHA’s newest ambassador is the extraordinary Sarah Outen MBE. The 31-year-old is best known for her epic expeditions, the most recent of which saw her making a 25,000-mile “London2London” loop of the planet using a rowing boat, a bike and a kayak

Being away from people is a bit of a running theme, given your longer journeys. (laughs) Yes! Although I should clarify that I

Your London2London expedition took four and a half years and at one point involved spending 150 consecutive days alone at sea.

Was there a particular moment that was toughest to bear?

Some of the hardest bits were when I was actually back in this country. I’d never planned to be back during the journey but events forced me to. I got caught in a tropical storm out in the Pacific in 2012. Before being rescued I spent three days being confined to my cabin, just getting smashed about. That was a really scary time, but coming home it was almost even worse. The psychological fall-out of going through that experience alone was tough.

And then within that context, trying to get the journey up and running again, to go back and have another go – that was really difficult.

I got caught in a tropical storm out in the Pacific in 2012. Before being rescued I spent three days being confined to my cabin, just getting smashed about.

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Main photo: Nigel Millard

Do you have a favourite part of the UK? I love the southwest coast down in Cornwall.

I like the fact that it’s quite rugged – there are plenty of places you can go where you don’t see any signs of people, no buildings or telegraph poles. It’s just sea and beach and cliffs. That’s what I like. I like being away from people.

love people! It seems I’ve got both parts of that personality, in that I embrace solitude and love being in places that feel wild, but then equally I do enjoy being with others and learning from them.

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What do you remember about your first outdoor experiences?

I just remember being outside all the time – in the garden, in fields, wherever I could get to.

My parents would always take us caravanning to random little campsites beneath the bottom of mountains or next to rivers, so we spent many of our holidays on or near national parks.

When I was 9 or 10 I went on an activity week at Llangollen. They called up the week before we were due to go and said, “You’re the only girl.

Does that matter?” I said, “No! I’m still going!”

Summer camps

And the highlight of the expedition?

There are so many. One moment that particularly comes to mind is on the Atlantic Ocean in 2015. I was a few hundred miles west of the Azores and found myself in really biologically rich waters. One day I had four sperm whales just hanging out next to the boat for about an hour, two mothers and two calves. They were rolling over on their backs. I could see their teeth, their eyes, the scratches on their bodies. That was really special.

What keeps you going during the hardest moments?

When things are really tough, or scary, you know they’re not going to last forever, so if you can keep holding on for the better times, that’s really powerful. You have to celebrate small successes and the fact that you’re still going.

What do you miss most when you’re away?

I don’t crave home comforts. I appreciate them when I have them, but it’s not as though I’m out in the ocean thinking about my bed or a shower.

It’s people that I miss the most, and more so as I’ve got older. One thing I do dream about out at sea is fresh food! I do always make sure I have some chocolate bars to hand though.

What does the future hold?

My partner Lucy and I got married in the summer and I’m really enjoying being at home, putting down roots, building a garden and spending time together. I have ideas for other journeys but I’m not sure at what point they’ll happen. Lucy and I have plans to create an adventure farm, to get kids out onto the farm learning about food, building dens, camping out, jumping in rivers. That’s our goal. Spending time outside is so important. A lot of people’s health problems would be much improved if they only spent more time outside.

What’s the most important piece of advice?

My parents set a great example. They taught me to make the most of the good times and hold on through the not so good times. That was really important for me. Their advice was go and do whatever you want to do, go and make it happen, no one’s going to do it for you.

It was almost permission to dream.

Read Sarah’s account of her epic London2London expedition in her book Dare To Do, which is out now on Nicholas Brealey Publishing. sarahouten.com 9

Stepping Out: Dark Skies

Lights out

for dark skies New research has shed light on England’s dark skies, pinpointing the best places to see the stars

Stargazing is one of life’s purest pleasures, inspiring a sense of wonder that few other things can match. Yet in our increasingly switched-on world, with ever-expanding towns and cities, light pollution means that seeing the glorious night sky, with the great celestial swoop of the Milky Way curving across it, can often be tricky – or downright impossible.

In an effort to encourage more people to experience the delights of unhindered stargazing, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has mapped the night skies, showing the best places to appreciate them.

The resulting map (pictured inset) shows almost half the UK’s top stargazing spots are in zones protected by National Park status, or in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. A huge 96 per cent of Northumberland National Park, for example, has “pristine dark skies”, as does 79 per cent of the North York Moors National Park.

All of which gives another reason for us to shout about some of our more remote youth hostels. The properties on the right are all in locations that lend themselves to spellbinding night skies. Layer up and enjoy…

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Six of the best hostels for stargazing YHA The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall Northumberland has the highest proportion of pristine dark skies in England. The 86-bed hostel, to be opened this year, is located in the National Park. Also try: YHA Wooler.

YHA Honister Hause In Cumbria, an impressive 62 per cent of night skies fall into the darkest category. YHA Honister Hause is one of the most remote properties in the region. Also try: YHA Black Sail.

YHA Wilderhope Manor Shropshire is another county with high levels of dark skies. Don't miss the Grade I Elizabethan house YHA Wilderhope Manor.

Also try: YHA Clun Mill.

YHA Exford Exmoor National Park was designated Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve in 2011, and YHA Exford sits in the heart of it.

Also try: YHA Minehead, YHA Brecon Beacons Danywenallt Brecon Beacons National Park is another official Dark Sky Reserve – you’ll find three hostels and a bunkhouse to choose from.

Also try: YHA Brecon Beacons.

YHA Sheringham The East of England benefits from plenty of dark skies. YHA Sheringham is a superb option to introduce the kids to the night canopy. Also try: YHA Hunstanton.

© Natural England copyright 2016. Contains Ordnance Survey data Crown copyright and database right 2016. Earth Observation Group, NOAA National Geophysical Data Center. Developed by LUC

Northumberland International Dark Sky Park. Photo: Ian Glendinning

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Stepping Out: Books

Great reads for 2017 Short daylight hours aren’t all bad.

The start of the year is a perfect time for curling up with a good book, and we’ve picked five colourful new releases that celebrate adventure and the outdoors

Cormorance

Wild Times

The Snowdonia Way

Bradt Travel Guides, £14.99, Jini Reddy

Cicerone, £14.95, Alexander Kendall

Publishers Bradt have real pedigree when it comes to books on the UK (check out their excellent Slow Travel series) and this is another superb read. Writer Jini Reddy takes on 26 different adventures “connecting with nature in Britain”, from moonlight walks in Suffolk to foraging by kayak in Cornwall.

With Cicerone you’re always guaranteed the kind of detailed walking guide that brings fresh life to a trail, and this new Snowdonia Way handbook is no exception. Following a spectacular route through the national park from Machynlleth to Conwy, the 176-page guide will appeal to all Eryri-lovers.

Open To All: How Youth Hostels Changed The World

Explorers’ Sketchbooks: The Art of Discovery & Adventure

FeedaRead.com, £9.98, Duncan M Simpson

“Beginning in 1929 with no money, no leader and only a simple idea, today they cover the globe.” So explains Duncan M Simpson in this comprehensive history of youth hostels in England and Wales. With long experience of working in hostels – and at YHA’s head office – he tackles the subject with insight and passion.

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Jonathan Cape, £18.99, Nick Hayes

Sometimes, text is superfluous. This enchanting graphic novel does away with speech entirely, and uses the unlikely setting of a disused London reservoir to tell a moving, wordless tale of the power of connecting with the natural world. A beautiful, thought-provoking book.

Thames & Hudson, £29.95, Huw Lewis-Jones & Kari Herbert

This extraordinary collection of extracts from the sketchbooks and journals of early global explorers – among them Darwin and Captain Scott – is a stirring reminder of a time when the concept of adventure meant uncovering brand new horizons. At times the sense of wonder almost bursts off the pages. Fascinating.

Yorkshire-based theatre company to tour a play about hostelling

Not just another drama Curtain up! A new play about the history of youth hostelling is about to embark on a 75-date nationwide tour – but it’s no ordinary playhouse circuit. The 46-year-old Mikron Theatre Company is one of the most unusual of its kind in the country, travelling around the UK by narrowboat and performing everywhere from allotments to pub gardens.

And given the subject matter of this newest production, it makes perfect sense that the company have worked a dozen different YHA venues into their 2017 tour. The play, titled Best Foot Forward, has been written by Maeve Larkin, who has BBC credits to her name.

Audiences can expect a fun, pacey script, and a heroine in the form of Connie, a YHA warden “with a heart as big as her rucksack”.

All performances at YHA venues are 'pay what you will'. Visit mikron.org.uk for further details.

See Best Foot Forward at these hostels: 30 March YHA York 4 April YHA Liverpool 12 April YHA Castleton 11 May YHA Ambleside 13 May YHA Boggle Hole 14 May YHA Howarth 2 June YHA Coalport

23 June YHA Stratfordupon-Avon 28 June YHA Brighton 29 June YHA Bath 30 June YHA Eden Project 12 July YHA New Forest

Show the Love YHA is proud to be among the organisations supporting The Climate Coalition, the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action on climate change. The coalition runs an annual Show The Love campaign – a week showing support for clean energy – so if you’re staying with us over this February half-term, look out for stickers and poster packs in hostel. You can find out about opportunities to get involved at showthelove.org.uk.

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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

Paul Kavanagh Manager at YHA Penzance

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

Countryside, city or coast?

Favourite hostel?

Earliest YHA memory?

Ideal overseas destination?

I’ve stayed in many throughout the world, but my two favourites would be YHA Dartmoor and YHA Tintagel. I used to cycle to them both after work in Plymouth.

I was 16 and cycled with my sister to YHA Dartmoor. I remember being rudely awakened by the warden ringing a bell at 7am. I’m glad some things have moved on!

The travel bug was started for me with a trip to mainland Greece. I stayed in Athens for a few days then headed to the coast.

Perfect hostel dinner?

A beautiful cottage pie grilled with cheese and served with vegetables that I can identify is an ideal end to a day. I could also eat breakfast at any time!

An item to pack?

I went to the Soviet Union and took Mars Bars – they had a great exchange rate. These days I pack my binoculars and walking boots, but I still take Mars Bars.

A book for a rainy day?

For a hearty chuckle, Bill Bryson’s Notes From A Small Island. Once you’ve read this, try Down Under, where he believes everything he touches will harm him.

Favourite day-walk?

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I can’t live without the sea. Even my holidays are at sea level. I ventured to London once – I enjoyed the hustle and bustle but always had a return train ticket.

The coastal walk from Cape Cornwall to Porthcurno – seven miles of hidden coves, long sandy beaches, stunning cliffs and, most importantly, a café for a cream tea.

Stepping Out: Hostellers’ Q&A Jon Grosz

David Mellor

Weekend outdoorsman and fell-basher

Family blogger at pottyadventures.com

Not the city! I don't mind a city-break now and again, but it's the countryside I enjoy being in the most – and the Lake District the best of all.

It’s got to be the countryside for me, preferably in among some awe-inspiring mountains and lakes. That said, we do love coastal trips too.

YHA Black Sail, hiding in the heart of the Lakes between Ennerdale and Wastwater. It’s a beautiful and remote escape with a world of iconic walking from its doorstep.

We love YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass. Smack bang at the bottom of two of my favourite routes up the mountain. We couldn’t ask for a better location!

I spent five years in the Air Training Corps, and my first YHA stay was somewhere in North Wales during an adventure training weekend.

My earliest YHA memory was on a school trip to London aged about 11. I think it’s fair to say things have come a long way since those days.

Greenland or Iceland for some remote Arctic Circle adventure. I'd also love to trek to Everest Base Camp.

I’d love to explore South America, particularly Patagonia and Chile. The Torres del Paine National Park is definitely on my bucket list.

I've usually been out in the mountains all day, so something filling like bangers and mash or a pasta dish is great – along with a beer of course!

If I’m staying with YHA I’m generally doing something active the next day, so a main of carbs with a side serving of more carbs please.

A towel! I always seem to forget a towel. I pack light, but try to remember the items I'll need to make my stay comfortable.

A silk sleeping bag liner for a touch of nighttime luxury. Once you’ve tried one you’ll never be without it!

If I’m travelling light, one of Wainwright’s walking guides. If I’ve got more space, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller or Into the Silence by Wade Davis.

Something like White Noise by Don DeLillo.

It’s full of satire and black comedy – a really good read.

Helvellyn – my favourite mountain and the one I've walked the most. There’s a great circular route from Glenridding near Ullswater.

Anywhere with my family. There’s nothing quite like strapping your baby into the carrier and coercing your toddler to put some miles in, and then heading out onto the hills.

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Feature: LEJOG

The

Long,

Long

Road Cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats is not for the faint-hearted. Amateur adventurer Simon Lock saddles up for the UK’s toughest endurance ride The rain on my glasses was making it difficult to see. The wind was getting stronger, making my waterproofs flap like sails on two small boats caught in a storm. As the damp started to work its way into my shoes, I wished I’d filled my water bottles with something stronger.

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For the next two weeks I would be spending more time on my bike than anywhere else, even bed. I was undertaking a journey that was due to make or break my relationships with cycling, with my riding buddy Rich, and with British weather. I couldn’t wait.

Ever since cycling became more than just a way of getting from A to B, I’d dreamed of riding ‘LEJOG’. It’s a rite of passage for any self-respecting British cyclist, but it also represented an incredible way to explore a country I’d called home all of my life, but of which I had pretty limited experience. I’d done my fair share of travelling, but only a

Feature: LEJOG and we’d also get to share a few stories with like-minded cyclist on the way. It was a nobrainer.

We’d plotted a 1000-mile route, with each hostel acting as a dot that we had to then link up with a combination of NCN routes and our own navigational guesswork.

The trip was due to take us 13 days. It’s a time that would leave us woefully short of the record of 41 hours, 4 minutes and 22 seconds, but we weren’t looking to go down in history. This was a once-in-a-lifetime ride – if we didn’t have time to enjoy the scenery, we didn’t see the point.

After weeks of anticipation, careful routeplanning and a few last-minute impulsive kit purchases we arrived at YHA Land’s End in darkness before the following morning’s departure. The forecast for the morning looked pretty grim, but spirits were high as we checked into the first in a long line of welcome rest stops.

Being the wrong side of 30 and a bit soft, I wanted to take my time and sleep in an actual bed. On this basis, Rich and I agreed that youth hostels were the perfect option.

We’d keep within our fairly modest budget, avoid the nightmarish ordeal of pitching a tent in the dark after 100 miles of cycling

The following morning we bid farewell to the hostel staff with big grins and full bellies, and started our trip with the obligatory Land’s End signpost photo. From here we had 70 miles between us and our first stop off at the YHA Eden Project.

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small amount in the UK itself – and almost nothing in Scotland.

As the rain became heavier the Eden Project seemed an impossibly long way ahead continues overleaf

We’d plotted a 1000-mile route, with each youth hostel acting as a dot that we had to then link up with a combination of maps and guesswork.

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Feature: LEJOG – never mind Carlisle or the Scottish Highlands. What would the weather have in store for us up there? Wet kit and dampened spirits were now a reality we’d hoped to avoid.

Thankfully the weather we experienced on our first day was by far the worst, and our waterproofs saw only intermittent use for the next week. From the Eden Project we struggled up and down countless hills as we skirted Exmoor before enjoying the stark contrast across the Somerset Levels.

After a night on the harbourside in YHA Bristol we crossed the Severn Bridge, flirting with the Welsh border, stopping in the Shropshire village of Clun. The two hostels sat at the opposite ends of the spectrum we’d encountered. One was a buzzing urban hub with young travellers coming and going, the other a charming old farmhouse surrounded by rolling hills and agricultural land. We loved each one for different reasons and, knowing we’d end the following day by crossing the Mersey into Liverpool, enjoyed the tranquility of our stay at YHA Clun.

As we left YHA Liverpool we were slowed by biblical rainfall and disheartened by the imposing industrial estates that flanked our route. Within minutes, however, the rain cleared and the grey concrete gave way to farmland as we followed canals towards rural Lancashire and the picture-postcard village of Slaidburn.

Lands End to John O’Groats

in facts and figures 18

The trip had already thrown up some incredible riding and allowed us the chance to stop in some great locations. We were hostel-hopping from cosmopolitan cities one night to remote corners of the countryside the next. Wherever we stopped we were met with a warm welcome and a wave of endorphins that only come from a long day in the saddle. Every hostel allowed us the opportunity to meet new people and discover a new place to satisfy our now colossal appetites.

MILES CYCLED:

DISTANCE CLIMBED:

NEARLY TWO EVERESTS!

1,048 15,000

Feature: LEJOG

Each morning we saw landscapes change around us as we made our way up the country.

We were scrumping apples, slipstreaming tractors and throwing bikes over road closure barriers in an attempt to maintain our progress.

The trip was everything I’d hoped it would be and more, and despite the fatigue and the saddle sores, the warm beds and hearty breakfasts made the whole thing something I simply can’t recommend highly enough.

CALORIES BURNED:

(approximately)

72,000

Motorways travelled:

It took us just over a week from leaving YHA Land’s End to reach Gretna Green, where

we were met by offers of discount wedding packages. Despite the overwhelming sense of achievement at having travelled the length of England under our own steam, however, we were in no mood for romance as the prospect of hilly terrain and Scotland’s infamous rainfall levels lay ahead.

Simon and Rich reached John O’ Groats at 5.37pm on Friday 16 September 2016 almost two weeks after setting off. They covered 1,048 miles and raised £3,700 for their chosen charities.

0 MANY HILLS SWORN AT:

FEELING OF ELATION:

DATA UNAVAILABLE 19

Feature: Family Hostels

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Perfect Family Friendly Hostels

It’s as a child when a love of the outdoors is instilled. Playing games in coastland coves, discovering wildlife on woodland walks, reaching new heights on adventure-packed weekends.

All the hostels in our network are set up for family visits, but kids will particularly love these ones

YHA Boggle Hole A cosy coastal hideaway

It’s an adventure just walking down to this coastal hostel, with North Sea waves splashing towards you. Set in an old mill in a smugglers’ cove near Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay, there’s a sense of fun everywhere, with pirate stories on the walls, spooky trails and a few secrets to discover… yha.org.uk/hostel/boggle-hole 20

Feature: Family Hostels

YHA London Lee Valley The best of city and countryside

YHA Manorbier Clifftop Pembrokeshire hostel

Although just 20 minutes by train from central London, the six high wooden lodges here have a rural feel, being set among the 10,000-acre Lee Valley Regional Park. The hostel is also near the Herts Young Mariners Base – great for kayaking, sailing and canoeing – and the Lee Valley White Water Centre. yha.org.uk/hostel/london-lee-valley

Set high above the ocean on the South Wales coastline, this hostel has amazing views and easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. You'll find child-friendly sandy beaches, and the region is also a playground for climbing and watersports, with many providers nearby. Kids love the camping pods here too. yha.org.uk/hostel/manorbier

YHA Beer Family-friendly manor by the Jurassic Coast

YHA Stratford-upon-Avon A large hostel near the Bard’s birthplace

This Devon hostel near the old fishing village of Beer is tailormade for quality family time, with mackerel-fishing, safe sea-swimming and fossil-hunting. If its location weren’t enticement enough, it occupies a stone country house with a rich pirate and smuggling history that children will love hearing about. yha.org.uk/hostel/beer

“Barnes (bairns) are blessings”, wrote Shakespeare - so why not treat them to a few days of history and culture around the Bard’s hometown? The hostel is a large Grade II-listed building with plenty of space both inside and in the grounds, and Warwick Castle is nearby too. yha.org.uk/hostel/stratford-upon-avon

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Feature: Family Hostels

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YHA York Loads to do in lovely York

YHA Ilam Hall A grand Peak District manor

York is a city with some of the country’s best family attractions, including the Jorvik Viking Centre (reopening in April 2017) and York Castle Museum. Scaling the city’s walls or wandering through the Shambles gives an evocative flavour of York’s long history. The hostel sits a 15-minute riverside walk from the centre. yha.org.uk/hostel/york

There’s a sense of grandeur in the approach to Ilam Hall, but while this 17th-century Gothic manor might be wonderfully imposing, it’s also full of places for the kids to discover. And as well as 84 acres of National Trust parkland to explore, there’s also a games room. It’s well placed for Peak District attractions too. yha.org.uk/hostel/ilam-hall

YHA Hawkshead Lake District family larks

YHA Hartington Hall A character property chock-full of fun

In the heart of Beatrix Potter country, this Lake District hostel is a brilliant base for family adventures, school trips and activity breaks. It’s set in a Grade II-listed mansion, and the expansive grounds also offer camping pods, cabins and tipis. Nearby you’ll find Go Ape Grizedale Forest (10% discount for YHA members) and Lake Windermere. yha.org.uk/hostel/hawkshead

Very old buildings have a personality of their own, and this 17th-century manor has character in swathes. Children will love exploring the oak-panelled interiors, the games room and the giant chessboard outside. And as well as the al fresco joys of the Peak District, Alton Towers and Chatsworth House are both close by. yha.org.uk/hostel/hartington-hall

Brilliant Residentials From the moment the Youth Hostels Association was set up in Britain in 1930, it had a clear purpose: to help all, but especially young people, to a greater knowledge, use and love of the countryside, particularly by providing hostels or other accommodation for them on their travels.

More than 85 years later, this goal has remained at the core of everything we do.

It’s why we’re so proud to be championing Learning Away’s #BrilliantResidentials campaign, encouraging more young people to

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Residential programmes can have a huge impact on young people

experience our flexible, high-quality residentials.

School trips with an overnight stay can lead to meaningful, life-enhancing outcomes such as increased resilience, self-confidence, acquisition of new skills, better social relationships and educational achievements.

Residential programmes really can have a huge impact on young people, and an overnight stay with YHA has the potential to achieve so much more than a day trip. Being away from home encourages students to manage their own behaviour, to accommodate others and to manage conflicts and make decisions independently.

To learn more about YHA group stays visit groups.yha.org.uk 23

Cambridge calling

Beat the summer crowds by visiting one of England’s most fascinating cities over the colder months.

Ben Lerwill wraps up warm King’s College Chapel is mine alone. It’s midafternoon in Cambridge, and the dusky winter glow outside is seeping through 500-year-old stained glass. The nave is completely empty, as are the choir stalls. Flickering candle-lights cast shadows onto the exquisite tracery of the fan-vaulted ceiling. This chapel is Cambridge’s crowning glory: a place of royals, poets and Nobel laureates. Right now, it’s all mine. My trainers echo on the floor in triumph.

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Visiting Cambridge outside of the peak tourist months has very real advantages. You find the colleges full of quiet lawns, and bowler-hatted porters trying to look busy. You find the River Cam undisturbed, save for the odd hardy punt braving the chill. And you find Fitzbillies, the oldschool café that has been serving up Chelsea buns for nine decades – “peerless”, according to Stephen Fry – with plenty of tables to spare. It’s quite easy to feel smug.

Feature: Cambridge At the wonderfully atmospheric Eagle pub, where Francis Crick and James Watson famously burst in one lunchtime to announce their discovery of DNA, I have no trouble finding a spot. It was back in 1953 that the two scientists rushed in to inform the assembled drinkers that they had “discovered the secret of life”, and today the pub still serves a special, own-brewed ale to commemorate the occasion (it’s called DNA – obviously – and happily it’s very drinkable).

“They did all their work at the old Cavendish Laboratory, just a few metres that way,” the barman tells me, pointing down narrow Free School Lane. “It’s the same laboratory where the atom was first split. And Isaac Newton used to do experiments there too. That’s Cambridge for you. History everywhere. Characters everywhere.”

Left: The Eagle Pub Below: Punting Page 24: The cool colours of Cambridge in winter Page 26: The Corpus Clock Photos: visitcambridge.org

He’s not wrong. On an official guided tour of the city, my guide Sibella turns out to be the wife of the master of Corpus Christi College.

She was once an undergraduate herself – studying history alongside Prince Charles, no less – and is devotionally fond of Cambridge.

She refers to Oxford semi-jokingly as “the other place; we don’t mention its name”, and leads us on a snaking walking route of the centre, chattering all the while as we take in centuries-old bridges, hushed colleges and stall-filled market squares.

At Trinity College, founded back in the 1500s by King Henry VIII, she points out a statue of the king himself. He originally held a ceremonial sceptre, but after a student prank many decades ago the monarch now proudly bears aloft a wooden chair leg. It’s testament to the university’s unconventional sense of continues overleaf

Alternative Explorations Two Other Ways to Discover Cambridge Showcasing regional produce and local food suppliers, the Cambridge Food Tour puts a culinary spin on the standard university city tour. Incorporating everything from cheese tastings and artisan fudge to street food and craft beer, options vary from daily guided food trails and private tours to punt excursions.

Haunted bookshops? Red-eyed hellhounds?

Active poltergeists? Take an after-dark view of Cambridge on one of its various ghost tours.

The city is well stocked with spooky tales of the supernatural, and whether you’re a believer or not, these walking tours are a way of getting a new perspective on the place.

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Feature: Cambridge Names like these make Cambridge feel crowded with history, even when the streets are quiet. Bikes are omnipresent in the city, rattling over cobbles and careering down side-roads pinging bells, but there are few cars in the centre. It gives the whole place a nice stuck-in-time feel.

Later, Sibella stops at the controversial modern clock that sits behind glass on one of the outer walls of Corpus Christi College.

The giant golden timepiece is topped by a kind of mutant metal grasshopper, marching forward without rest, eating up each passing second. “We love the clock,” she explains mischievously. “People used to stand here and turn their backs on Corpus Christi to look at King’s College Chapel. Now people turn their backs on King’s to look at our clock.”

The clock, a plaque tells me, was unveiled back in 2008 by Stephen Hawking. Metres away, another plaque marks the spot where codebreaker Alan Turing used to study.

Cambridge isn’t the kind of city that changes fast. There are few places in the country, however, that can match it for historical pedigree. And by paying a visit at quieter times of year, its bookish magic is all the more pronounced.

Did you know?

YHA Cambridge has been in place since 1945, and benefited from a £1.4 million restoration in 2014. It’s an easy 20-minute walk from King’s College, and also has secure bike lockers. Another highlight is the new Scholars Bar & Café, serving food until 9.30pm daily.

Bikes are omnipresent in the city, rattling over cobbles and careering down side-roads pinging bells.

It gives the whole place a nice stuck-in-time feel.

26

“

tradition that the sceptre was never replaced.

In the college court, meanwhile, I’m shown the fountain in which Lord Byron reportedly took regular baths with his pet bear. Eccentricity and Cambridge go hand in glove.

After the tour I walk up to the superb Fitzwilliam Museum, where the ornate rooms of art and antiquities are, again, empty of tourist crowds. The collection is a phenomenally far-reaching one, taking in mummy coffins from ancient Egypt, European medieval armour and entire galleries full of priceless paintings. Without having to jostle with other visitors, it’s like being treated to a private viewing.

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Book now at europcar.co.uk/yha

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Europcar reserves the right to end this promotion without notice.

27

How to: be a hostel chef

H Wto... … make easy regional foods In this foodie special we’re celebrating some of the country’s best local dishes and ingredients. From Cornish mackerel to Lancashire hotpot, here are some easy hostel kitchen recipes that will serve four hungry hikers. Wonderful aromas and envious glances guaranteed…

Mackerel ceviche This isn’t a traditional Cornish recipe (it comes by way of Peru), but it really brings out the freshness and flavour of Cornish mackerel.

Ceviche is a South American dish combining raw fish with citrus juices, fresh herbs, chilli and vegetables. The acid in the lime ‘cooks’ the mackerel. Needless to say, the fish needs to be extremely fresh and from a reputable source.

It’s a beautiful dish.

INGREDIENTS 3 super-fresh mackerel, filleted and skinned half a cucumber 4 limes 1 fresh chilli a handful of fresh mint a handful of fresh coriander METHOD 1. Cut the mackerel into dice size pieces. Do the same with the cucumber, discarding the seeds.

2. Juice the limes and combine in a bowl with the mackerel and cucumber. Be sure to stir it up. After about five minutes the colour of the mackerel will change as it ‘cooks’.

3. Thinly slice the hot chilli until you have the amount desired then add to the bowl with the finely chopped herbs. Make sure the fish is now opaque and serve immediately.

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Lancashire hotpot The classic one-pot Lancashire hotpot is a warming stew of lamb or mutton, onion and potatoes. Beyond these key ingredients, this easy and forgiving recipe can take whatever else you have lying around, such as carrots or celery – kidney and even oysters were once added to bulk out the dish. In short, anything goes, but here’s a pure-ish recipe. The prep itself takes little time, but it does need to be popped in the oven for around two-and-a-half hours.

INGREDIENTS 900g of lamb or mutton cut into chunks (ideally a mix of best end and middle neck) 3 large potatoes cut into 2cm slices 2 carrots (optional) 2 sliced onions 500ml of lamb or chicken stock 1tb of flour A bay leaf and thyme if you have it Worcester sauce Butter METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C. Dust the meat with flour, season, then brown it in the butter using a casserole dish, over the hob. Remove.

2. Place some of the sliced potatoes at the bottom of the dish and season. Add all the meat. Add the bay leaf and thyme, then layer the onions on the top and season again. Pour over the stock until it nearly reaches the onions.

3. Layer the potatoes over the top like fish scales, brush with some butter, season, cover and put into the oven for two hours (2.5 hours for mutton).

Take the lid off and cook for another half hour.

How to: be a hostel chef

Middlesbrough parmo So, not every meal has to be super-healthy!

This fast food dish is little known outside Teesside, but blimey it’s good (and easy). It’s essentially deep-fried, breaded chicken with béchamel sauce (packet sauce is easy to get – we’re not in a Michelin-starred kitchen here) and melted cheese. Perfect after a long day on the hills. It’s pretty straightforward to make and can be served with mash or oven chips. In this recipe we’re going to pan-fry the chicken.

INGREDIENTS 4 chicken fillets 1 egg 150g of breadcrumbs oil 100 g of cheddar cheese 5tbs of butter 4 tbs of flour 1 litre of milk METHOD 1. If you’re making the béchamel sauce the proper way, first melt the butter then add the flour slowly but continuously until it’s a smooth texture. Heat the milk in another pan until just off the boil. Slowly add the milk to the pan, whisking all the time. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly and melt in the cheese then remove. (Or buy a packet and mix it after the chicken is cooked).

2. C over your chicken breasts in greaseproof paper and bash with a rolling pin until flattened. In a bowl, break and mix the egg. In turn, dip each breast in the egg, and then into the breadcrumbs to cover. Season.

3. Heat 4 tbs of oil or butter in a pan and fry until golden – around 4 minutes each side.

4. Plate up the chicken, pour the béchamel sauce over the top. It is good served with mash, but just about anything goes.

Welsh rarebit The world’s greatest lunch? Quite possibly. But it’s just plain old cheese on toast right? Well, no – with a bit of TLC it can be elevated to a thing of beauty. Some add Dijon mustard and tomatoes, but the best we’ve tried is the beery version at St John Restaurant in Smithfield, where it’s served with a green salad. Here’s our take on that recipe (but frankly, as long as you have a decent loaf, decent cheddar and Worcestershire sauce you can’t go far wrong).

Incidentally, the dish was first recorded in 1725, and is thought to be named for the Welsh love of cheese.

INGREDIENTS Butter 400g of strong cheddar 1tbs of flour 1 tsp of English mustard powder 200 ml of stout or dark ale Worcestershire sauce 4 pieces of thickly sliced toasted bread METHOD 1. Melt a tablespoon of butter, stir in the flour and wait ‘until it smells biscuity’. If you have it, add the mustard powder, the beer, a big dash of Worcestershire sauce and then gently melt in the cheese.

2. When the sauce is smooth, take it out and allow it to cool a bit. Then spread on the toast and pop under the grill until it looks amazing.

29

Gear: Cool stuff

30

Salomon Drifter Mid Hoodie This reversible mid-layer has a different face fabric on each side. One is a windproof fabric that retains warmth, the other is breathable and stretch-woven. It also gives two contrasting (and very stylish) looks.

Clever? Too right it is. salomon.com

Finisterre Blazey Beanie Made from 100% lambswool, this one-size unisex bobble hat is a stylish option for winter hiking. It’s warm, well-made and looks good, but be aware that it’s on the small side. Matching scarves and mittens are also available. finisterre.com

Sealskinz Trekking Mid-Length Socks Few things are more soul-sapping than getting soggy feet during a hike. Sealskinz are the masters of socks that laugh in the face of H2O, and these beauties are 100% waterproof and breathable, with merino wool lining. sealskinz.com

Lowa Renegade GTX Mid Boot A handsome midweight hiking boot with plenty of selling points: they're snug, hardy and provide good foot and ankle support.

They're relatively lightweight too, and Gore-Tex lining keeps them waterproof. lowa.co.uk

Columbia OutDry Ex Gold Down Jacket A godsend in cold, wet conditions, this absolute gem of a jacket is fully seamsealed and contains 700-fill power goose down. It’s waterproof, breathable and looks fantastic on the trail.

Available at blacks.co.uk

ReimaGO Fleece Not just a cool kids’ fleece. The sleeve zip contains a ReimaGO sensor that tracks your child’s daily physical activity, sending results to a dedicated app. Less intrusive than a wristband, it helps to reward an active lifestyle. Jackets also available. reima.com

Primus TrailBreak Ex Vacuum Flask A robust flask ideal for a family hike – because everyone deserves a hot blackcurrant on a mountaintop! Keeps drinks heated for 20 hours, and the lid is a stainless steel cup. Comes in two models: 750ml (pictured) and 1 litre. primus.eu

Polar M400 GPS Watch Today’s GPS watches are often refined but super-pricey, so the M400 (less than £140) is a really strong choice. It’s waterproof, sturdy and pairs to your phone, and the advanced GPS tracks pace, distance and altitude. polar.com 31

Hostel guide

Berwick

Y HA S trat for d

Wooler Alnwick

North East

Bellingham

Herding Hill

Hawse End Buttermere Ennerdale

Edmundbyers Ninebanks Alston Durham Keswick Dufton Borrowdale Langdon Beck Helvellyn Patterdale Grasmere Langdale Ambleside Osmotherley Windermere Grinton Lodge Hawes Helmsley

Caldbeck Skiddaw

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

Arnside Ingleton

Beverley Friary

Mankinholes

Manchester

Castleton Losehill Hall

Liverpool Edale Ravenstor

Conwy Rowen Idwal Cottage Betws-y-Coed

Snowdon Llanberis Snowdon Ranger Snowdon Bryn Gwynant

Hathersage

Sheen

Snowdon Pen-y-Pass

Bridges

Borth

Wales

Leominster

East of England

Heart of England

Kington

Llanddeusant Brecon Beacons Llangattock Brecon Beacons Danywenallt

Cambridge Blaxhall

Stratfordupon-Avon

Oxford Slimbridge

Bristol

Jordans

South East

Bath

Minehead

Cheddar

London Central

Cotswolds Streatley

Cardiff Central

Street

Boscastle Harbour

South West

Okehampton Bracken Tor

Tintagel

Okehampton

Beer

Perranporth Portreath Penzance Land’s End

Dartmoor Treyarnon Bay Mor Lodge Eden Project

Portland

St Pauls

Medway

Tanners Hatch Holmbury

London

Canterbury

Truleigh Hill Littlehampton

South Downs

New Forest Brighton

Lulworth

Litton Cheney

London Lee Valley Oxford St St Pancras Thameside

Earl’s Court

Cholderton

Exford Elmscott

Stour Valley

Milton Keynes

Wye Valley

St Briavels Castle Port Eynon

Sheringham

Thurlby

Wilderhope Manor

Clun Mill

Poppit Sands Pwll Deri Newport Pembrokeshire

Wells-next-the-Sea Hunstanton

East Midlands

National Forest

Ironbridge Coalport

All Stretton

Manorbier Rhossili Gower

Sherwood Forest Youlgreave Hartington Hall Alstonefield

Ironbridge Coalbrookdale

Kings

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Woody’s Top

Eyam

Dimmingsdale Ilam Hall

St David’s

Whitby Boggle Hole Dalby Forest Scarborough

York

Haworth

North West

Swanage Totland Brighstone

Eastbourne

The Island Of Jersey Jersey-Durrell Wildlife Hostel

Boswinger Coverack

Lizard

To book: 32

n -Avo

Yorkshire

Kettlewell Malham

Slaidburn

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Visit yha.org.uk or call 01629 592 700

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Port Eynon, Swansea, SA3 1NN Easedale Road, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9QG 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 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 North Street, Brighstone, Newport, PO30 4AX Welders Lane, Jordans, Beaconsfield, Bucks, 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 The Old Priory, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 8EQ 63 Surrey Street, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 5AW Litton Cheney, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9AT 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, MK13 9AG Alcombe Combe, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 6EW Mor Lodge, 83 - 87 Mount Wise, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2BP 48 Bath Lane, Moira, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6BD Cott Lane, Burley Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 4BB Lower St Mary Street, Newport, Pembrokeshire, SA42 0TS

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Orchard House, Mohope, Ninebanks, Hexham, NE47 8DQ Klondyke Road, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1EW Bracken Tor, Saxongate, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1QW Cote Ghyll, Osmotherley, Notherallerton, N 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 Castell Mawr, Trefasser, Goodwick, Pembrokeshire, SA64 0LR Millers Dale, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8SS Rhossili Middleton, Rhossili , Swansea, SA3 1PJ 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, 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 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 Tregonnan, Treyarnon, Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8JR Tottington Barn, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FB Wasdale Hall, Wasdale, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1ET Church Plain, Wells, Norfolk, NR23 1EQ Abbey House, East Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4JT Manor, Longville in the Dale, Shropshire, TF13 6EG 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, nr Bakewell, Derbys, DE45 1UR Visit yha.org.uk to book your next hostel stay 35

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Log in/register on www.yha.org.uk with the email address you provided when you purchased your membership

2. Once you arrive at “My Profile” click the “Member Benefits” tab 3. This will provide you with discount codes for our partners and

a button to access over 350 discounts on high street brands

Bringing you great benefits from the likes of...

WIN! One of two fitness sets New from Go Outdoors is a fantastic fitness range, and we have one men's and one women's set to give away to two lucky winners. The men's set includes the Fara shorts (worth £30) and Diffusion base layer (worth £30). The women's set includes the Lewis legging (worth £30) and a Serene vest (worth £16).

To enter, just answer the question below.

How far did Simon Lock cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats? (clue: see page 18)

Answers to: livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by April 3, 2017. Winners will be picked at random.

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Drying Room: Readers’ pics @lucyduk Woke up to snow on the hills and crisp blue skies after a great weekend at YHA Grinton Lodge @Fiveonholiday Most beautiful Youth Hostel ever? Thanks @yhaofficial for a lovely stay in Beer…

From the front door of YHA Eskdale to the top of Harter Fell for sunrise Kirsten Shaw

@mac8lay Happy Birthday @YHAOfficial On Dec 12 in 1929 pioneers on Merseyside made a first step to a youth hostels association for GB! @markkenna Amazing to hire a @YHAOfficial barn near hound tor, set up a temporary cinema & watch American Werewolf in London #keepoffthemoor #awil

Riding above a sea of clouds in the Peak District Steve Chapman

Setting up for an impromptu gig at YHA Stratford-upon-Avon Tom Hyatt (tomhyatt.co.uk)

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

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

@acidnat New @yhaofficial membership card arrived today! Here's to another year of cheap and nice accommodation @morwhenna @ClimbSnowdon @YHAOfficial I climbed Snowdon. Took me 4 hrs. Not bad as I have a walking implant as a result of stroke!

Reader tweets: Share your adventure #livemoreYHA

Our online guide to the season’s best bits livemore.yha.org.uk/winter

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Name the mountains

Drying Room: Celebrity Q&A

WIN! A £95 waterproof backpack Calling all outdoor-lovers! We’ve jumbled up the names of five iconic mountains. There’s one apiece from England, Wales and Switzerland, with the final two further afield. Worked out what they are? Drop us a line at livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by April 3, 2017 to be in with a chance of winning.

ASLEEPFLICK VETSEER RAILJAMOINK DOWNSON N O R M H AT T E R

To enter simply send us an email with your five answers.

The lucky winner will be drawn at random.

Answers to: livemoreyha@yha.org.uk by April 3, 2017.

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?

Overboard 30l ProLight Backpack

About the prize We have an amazing Overboard 30l Pro-Light Backpack worth £95 to give away. It's made of environmentally friendly and ultra-lightweight TPU fabric with a seamless electronicallywelded construction and a roll-top sealing system, making it fully submersible and 100% waterproof. Other features include a front mesh zip pocket, padded shoulder straps and an airflow back panel. Winners will be picked at random.

Last issue: congratulations to David Sadler and Tracy Lee, who both won North Ridge Nord down jackets, and to Daniel Gotts, Michael Turner and Michelle Davidson, who each won Hydro Flasks.

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A H Y E R O #LIVE MWITH

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