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Was thinking of doing a 2 day hike around Ennerdale and 2nd night at Youth hostel but checking the rates its expensive for the night at £35 per night, for youth hostel Is this expensive or is it me being tight.
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In reply to Dingerbell:
It's expensive, add breakfast and evening meal and it will cost over £50!
Black Sail is very popular and The YHA know it.
Skiddaw House is far less expensive and loads better (but not much use if it's not where you want to hike).
It's expensive, add breakfast and evening meal and it will cost over £50!
Black Sail is very popular and The YHA know it.
Skiddaw House is far less expensive and loads better (but not much use if it's not where you want to hike).
Post edited at 15:22
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In reply to Dingerbell:
Well, if you go to the YHA site and click on some random hostels you can compare. For a Saturday in October:
- Bath £22
- Beer £23
- Boscastle £23
- Bristol £35
- Cheddar £19
- Coverack £23
- Dartmoor £19
- Eden Project £50
B&B/hotel in Cleator for a Saturday night looks to be £90ish.
YHA may have dynamic pricing (a la Ryanair) or a surrounding scarcity model or both.
Well, if you go to the YHA site and click on some random hostels you can compare. For a Saturday in October:
- Bath £22
- Beer £23
- Boscastle £23
- Bristol £35
- Cheddar £19
- Coverack £23
- Dartmoor £19
- Eden Project £50
B&B/hotel in Cleator for a Saturday night looks to be £90ish.
YHA may have dynamic pricing (a la Ryanair) or a surrounding scarcity model or both.
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In reply to Dingerbell:
Better to stay in your tent.
FWIW We stayed in the Don Willans hut at the Roaches for 3 nights £30!
Better to stay in your tent.
FWIW We stayed in the Don Willans hut at the Roaches for 3 nights £30!
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In reply to Deadeye:
Yes they do use dynamic pricing, which means Friday and Saturday nights and school holidays will cost more in most locations, but also means you can get rooms or beds very cheaply at some locations midweek outside school holidays. There is an availability and price page on the website that shows that black sail is £35 every night in October (so must be very popular) but ennerdale is £18 six days a week, and £22 on Saturdays. Buttermere is charging £30 at weekends but only £13 Sunday - Thursday nights, so if you take off £3 membership discount you can get a bed for £10 per night.
So you could save yourself a fair bit by doing the 4 mile walk down the forest track. Or over scarth gap.
Yes they do use dynamic pricing, which means Friday and Saturday nights and school holidays will cost more in most locations, but also means you can get rooms or beds very cheaply at some locations midweek outside school holidays. There is an availability and price page on the website that shows that black sail is £35 every night in October (so must be very popular) but ennerdale is £18 six days a week, and £22 on Saturdays. Buttermere is charging £30 at weekends but only £13 Sunday - Thursday nights, so if you take off £3 membership discount you can get a bed for £10 per night.
So you could save yourself a fair bit by doing the 4 mile walk down the forest track. Or over scarth gap.
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In reply to Dingerbell:
Its worth it. They provide Duvets and Pillows and Evening Meals, Breakfast and packed lunch if you wish, they also sell beer. About £60 all in with 2 or 3 beers. All you need carry is a day pack with toothbrush and silk bag liner. Think of it more as a Refugio.
Its worth it. They provide Duvets and Pillows and Evening Meals, Breakfast and packed lunch if you wish, they also sell beer. About £60 all in with 2 or 3 beers. All you need carry is a day pack with toothbrush and silk bag liner. Think of it more as a Refugio.
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In reply to Dingerbell:
Hi ,I am hoping to do a circuit up in the lake district over Xmas and looked at a hostel to hostel walk but most of the yha hostels are 30pounds + a night ! so i am planing now to use a few camping barns and independent hosels you may find these links helpful , the camping barns are 10 pounds a night, fairly basic but seem ok,
https://independenthostels.co.uk/
http://www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk/
Hi ,I am hoping to do a circuit up in the lake district over Xmas and looked at a hostel to hostel walk but most of the yha hostels are 30pounds + a night ! so i am planing now to use a few camping barns and independent hosels you may find these links helpful , the camping barns are 10 pounds a night, fairly basic but seem ok,
https://independenthostels.co.uk/
http://www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk/
In reply to J1234:
it's too effing expensive, I can see that I'll never be able to afford to stay there - perhaps someone could build a proper hostel nearby at pauper's rates
YHA are starting to price poorer people out, spoken as a YHA member
it's too effing expensive, I can see that I'll never be able to afford to stay there - perhaps someone could build a proper hostel nearby at pauper's rates
YHA are starting to price poorer people out, spoken as a YHA member
Post edited at 19:00
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In reply to wercat:
Yup. It's the posh pound and the Lakes is an open air centre parks for people with it, unless you're prepared to wild camp.
You could have a better time walking in to the Black Sail with a good sleeping bag, pillow, air mattress and Aldi beer.
Walk a circuit around the head of the valley, sneak in for a shower, drink your own beer, sleep outside in comfort then sneak in for a posh shit in the am
> it's too effing expensive, I can see that I'll never be able to afford to stay there - perhaps someone could build a proper hostel nearby at pauper's rates
> YHA are starting to price poorer people out, spoken as a YHA member
Yup. It's the posh pound and the Lakes is an open air centre parks for people with it, unless you're prepared to wild camp.
You could have a better time walking in to the Black Sail with a good sleeping bag, pillow, air mattress and Aldi beer.
Walk a circuit around the head of the valley, sneak in for a shower, drink your own beer, sleep outside in comfort then sneak in for a posh shit in the am
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In reply to wercat:
We will have to agree to differ on that one , however if you think thats expensive price up booking for one night, for one person, one tent and a car at NT Wasdale or Langdale, now i think thats expensive.
We will have to agree to differ on that one , however if you think thats expensive price up booking for one night, for one person, one tent and a car at NT Wasdale or Langdale, now i think thats expensive.
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In reply to J1234:
What if people don't want these extras, such as evening meal and cold beers. Why should they pay the extra to subsidise people that do? Yha have lost their principles. This isn't a hostel for town tourists, it's a hostel for walkers wanting an overnight stay. £15 for the bed and nothing else would seem reasonable?
> Its worth it. They provide Duvets and Pillows and Evening Meals, Breakfast and packed lunch if you wish, they also sell beer. About £60 all in with 2 or 3 beers. All you need carry is a day pack with toothbrush and silk bag liner. Think of it more as a Refugio.
What if people don't want these extras, such as evening meal and cold beers. Why should they pay the extra to subsidise people that do? Yha have lost their principles. This isn't a hostel for town tourists, it's a hostel for walkers wanting an overnight stay. £15 for the bed and nothing else would seem reasonable?
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In reply to Dingerbell:
You don't get much change out a tenner for a quick lunch out and about in most towns and cities, excluding the supermarket deals with their purchasing power
3 times that for a bed in a sought after, unusual location doesn't seem that bad! As somebody else said like huts I guess
You don't get much change out a tenner for a quick lunch out and about in most towns and cities, excluding the supermarket deals with their purchasing power
3 times that for a bed in a sought after, unusual location doesn't seem that bad! As somebody else said like huts I guess
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In reply to Dave the Rave:
Well if thats what you think, crack on and open a hostel charging £15 a night.
> What if people don't want these extras, such as evening meal and cold beers. Why should they pay the extra to subsidise people that do? Yha have lost their principles. This isn't a hostel for town tourists, it's a hostel for walkers wanting an overnight stay. £15 for the bed and nothing else would seem reasonable?
Well if thats what you think, crack on and open a hostel charging £15 a night.
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In reply to Dave the Rave:
It would appear that the YHA has lost it's soul. Please excuse my ignorance but I haven't used a YHA since the late 70's ! At that time it was possible just to pay for a bed and do your own cooking or whatever. Is this no longer the case ?
> What if people don't want these extras, such as evening meal and cold beers. Why should they pay the extra to subsidise people that do? Yha have lost their principles. This isn't a hostel for town tourists, it's a hostel for walkers wanting an overnight stay. £15 for the bed and nothing else would seem reasonable?
It would appear that the YHA has lost it's soul. Please excuse my ignorance but I haven't used a YHA since the late 70's ! At that time it was possible just to pay for a bed and do your own cooking or whatever. Is this no longer the case ?
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In reply to J1234:
No ta. I will save the money spent on Black Sail for petrol money to get to Scotland, then use the bothies, for all intents( no pun) and purposes, Black Sail was.
Yes I'm a Scottish MBA member. They've got it right north of the border.
> Well if thats what you think, crack on and open a hostel charging £15 a night.
No ta. I will save the money spent on Black Sail for petrol money to get to Scotland, then use the bothies, for all intents( no pun) and purposes, Black Sail was.
Yes I'm a Scottish MBA member. They've got it right north of the border.
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Now I stopped In Plas curig hostel £52 for 2 nights and that was worth the money. friendly, clean and cosy in a good location. Thumbs up to Plas curig!
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In reply to Pyreneenemec:
I can't comment on Black Sails but the ones I've slept on recently have all offered bed only
I can't comment on Black Sails but the ones I've slept on recently have all offered bed only
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In reply to J1234:
£11
> We will have to agree to differ on that one , however if you think thats expensive price up booking for one night, for one person, one tent and a car at NT Wasdale or Langdale, now i think thats expensive.
£11
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In reply to Dingerbell:
It's all down to modern over expectations..
Warm and dry with a roof would fit my expectations. A cheap, posh 'hotel' for people that thought it was an adventure just to walk up a track to it wouldn't.
> Now I stopped In Plas curig hostel £52 for 2 nights and that was worth the money. friendly, clean and cosy in a good location. Thumbs up to Plas curig!
It's all down to modern over expectations..
Warm and dry with a roof would fit my expectations. A cheap, posh 'hotel' for people that thought it was an adventure just to walk up a track to it wouldn't.
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In reply to John Kelly:
Have they stopped the £5 booking fee, thats good Minimum of two nights for online booking though, not good for someone walking site to site. Mind my sources tell me that the chap in charge at Langdale is a good sort and would not turn away a walk in
Have they stopped the £5 booking fee, thats good Minimum of two nights for online booking though, not good for someone walking site to site. Mind my sources tell me that the chap in charge at Langdale is a good sort and would not turn away a walk in
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In reply to J1234:
Never turn away a walk on, backpacker (£3 discount per night for backpackers)
Booking fee disappeared last year
'2 night minimum weekend' - it's a good thing for the operation of the site, in other words it makes camping better for the campers, would quite like ditch it midweek but that's tricky with booking system
'Good sort' - not sure about that, wife certainly wouldn't agree
Never turn away a walk on, backpacker (£3 discount per night for backpackers)
Booking fee disappeared last year
'2 night minimum weekend' - it's a good thing for the operation of the site, in other words it makes camping better for the campers, would quite like ditch it midweek but that's tricky with booking system
'Good sort' - not sure about that, wife certainly wouldn't agree
Post edited at 21:22
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In reply to Dingerbell:
You have the Dubs bothy and the Warnscale bothy just above Black Sail between Haystacks and Honister, free to stay in and on the ridge so no dropping down to BlackSail if you're doing the Ennerdale Horseshoe. No comfy beds and no beers on tap but wood burners in both and a roof to keep you dry. If you want the comfort, the cooked meals and beers you've not had to carry then I guess you have to pay for the privilege!
You have the Dubs bothy and the Warnscale bothy just above Black Sail between Haystacks and Honister, free to stay in and on the ridge so no dropping down to BlackSail if you're doing the Ennerdale Horseshoe. No comfy beds and no beers on tap but wood burners in both and a roof to keep you dry. If you want the comfort, the cooked meals and beers you've not had to carry then I guess you have to pay for the privilege!
Post edited at 22:10
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In reply to J1234:
Nope. That is not a requisite of membership or achievable for myself. However, I do leave fuel and carry out other people's shit.
> Do you ever go on Bothy working parties?
Nope. That is not a requisite of membership or achievable for myself. However, I do leave fuel and carry out other people's shit.
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In reply to Dave the Rave:
probably could for a welsh MBA bothy?
(happily none in somerset so im safe to pontificate )
> Nope. That is not a requisite of membership or achievable for myself. However, I do leave fuel and carry out other people's shit.
probably could for a welsh MBA bothy?
(happily none in somerset so im safe to pontificate )
In reply to J1234:
I'm not in MBA and have only used a bothy a couple of times but did spend an idyllic weekend in September in the 80s exterior painting and working on Camasunary
I'm not in MBA and have only used a bothy a couple of times but did spend an idyllic weekend in September in the 80s exterior painting and working on Camasunary
Post edited at 08:24
In reply to Dingerbell:
"Because YHA is a charity, when you stay with us you are helping us keep our prices affordable, "
Is now questionable. We've had stays where a familyYHA room with 2 kids has cost rather more than a Travelodge, important if you're holidaying on a tight budget
You have to fight for the special offers as they go fast. It's changed greatly in the last decade and there are hostels in Scotland now that vamped up and far more expensive- Glamstels?
"Because YHA is a charity, when you stay with us you are helping us keep our prices affordable, "
Is now questionable. We've had stays where a familyYHA room with 2 kids has cost rather more than a Travelodge, important if you're holidaying on a tight budget
You have to fight for the special offers as they go fast. It's changed greatly in the last decade and there are hostels in Scotland now that vamped up and far more expensive- Glamstels?
Post edited at 10:10
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In reply to wercat:
Yes; if it's a group of adults each paying for themselves, they can still be a cheap sleep. Ambleside in lakes in particular, get 4 of you and you've got a de facto private room for as little as £15pppn. For a family though, at many places it's not a cheap option- and- travelodge or premier in gives you your own bathroom and a proper bed...
Yes; if it's a group of adults each paying for themselves, they can still be a cheap sleep. Ambleside in lakes in particular, get 4 of you and you've got a de facto private room for as little as £15pppn. For a family though, at many places it's not a cheap option- and- travelodge or premier in gives you your own bathroom and a proper bed...
Post edited at 10:37
In reply to wercat:
Its affordable for the location. The logistics of getting food, fuel and stuff up to Black Sail is immense and the warden will need paying and all the booking infrastucture. Also it will have to conform to the same regs re fire,m water safety etc as a travelodge on a mainstreet. What I would say is that Blacksail is reasonable and that Climbing Huts run by clubs are the bargain of the century and unless more climbers enage and start putting something other than their membership fee, they will become untenable, and we will lose them.
Well done on painting the Bothy, if every user put that much effort in once every 37 years, all the bothys would probably be pristine. Thats not sarcasm, by the way
> "Because YHA is a charity, when you stay with us you are helping us keep our prices affordable, "
>
Its affordable for the location. The logistics of getting food, fuel and stuff up to Black Sail is immense and the warden will need paying and all the booking infrastucture. Also it will have to conform to the same regs re fire,m water safety etc as a travelodge on a mainstreet. What I would say is that Blacksail is reasonable and that Climbing Huts run by clubs are the bargain of the century and unless more climbers enage and start putting something other than their membership fee, they will become untenable, and we will lose them.
Well done on painting the Bothy, if every user put that much effort in once every 37 years, all the bothys would probably be pristine. Thats not sarcasm, by the way
Post edited at 10:34
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In reply to Dave the Rave:
Is the "Scottish MBA" an organisation I've not heard of, that is separate from the MBA (who look after many bothies in England and Wales as well as Scotland)?
> Yes I'm a Scottish MBA member. They've got it right north of the border.
Is the "Scottish MBA" an organisation I've not heard of, that is separate from the MBA (who look after many bothies in England and Wales as well as Scotland)?
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In reply to J1234:
Not much fear of that, most of them require booking months or even years in advance if you want to go at the weekend
> Climbing Huts run by clubs are the bargain of the century and unless more climbers enage and start putting something other than their membership fee, they will become untenable, and we will lose them.
Not much fear of that, most of them require booking months or even years in advance if you want to go at the weekend
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In reply to Dingerbell:
Most times i've been past there have always been several vehicles parked up outside which detracts from staying there. If you want a hard roof over your head rather than canvas, i would stay up at one of the two bothies above warnscale Beck.
Most times i've been past there have always been several vehicles parked up outside which detracts from staying there. If you want a hard roof over your head rather than canvas, i would stay up at one of the two bothies above warnscale Beck.
In reply to Dingerbell:
YHA closed many of the basic hostels because the 'customer' did not use them anymore. Dormitories were not popular in particular. People using YHAs want them to be hotels so that's what is provided. Its not fair to blame YHA for this.
As others have said avoid the weekends and you can get some cracking deals. Furthermore if you pool resources you can find better deals - we hired Glentromie lodge ( http://glentromie.co.uk ) for a group of 25 people for less that it would have cost to stay in Aviemore SYHA.
YHA closed many of the basic hostels because the 'customer' did not use them anymore. Dormitories were not popular in particular. People using YHAs want them to be hotels so that's what is provided. Its not fair to blame YHA for this.
As others have said avoid the weekends and you can get some cracking deals. Furthermore if you pool resources you can find better deals - we hired Glentromie lodge ( http://glentromie.co.uk ) for a group of 25 people for less that it would have cost to stay in Aviemore SYHA.
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In reply to Toccata:
Fair enough up to a point. But the YHA can be blamed for abandoning their traditional membership completely. Some of the basic hostels became independent hostels instead, and have thrived as such, so the problem was as much in management as anything else.
> People using YHAs want them to be hotels so that's what is provided. Its not fair to blame YHA for this.
Fair enough up to a point. But the YHA can be blamed for abandoning their traditional membership completely. Some of the basic hostels became independent hostels instead, and have thrived as such, so the problem was as much in management as anything else.
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In reply to Simon Caldwell:
that makes me wonder whether their charitable status should be examined - the more up market they aim the more it is analogous with private schools
that makes me wonder whether their charitable status should be examined - the more up market they aim the more it is analogous with private schools
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In reply to Simon Caldwell:
Maybe the world has moved on and their traditional membership does not exist in large enough numbers anymore. Also the staffing and regulatory costs are much higher. People generally have much more many now and higher expectations.
Should it be a charity? I do not know, but I could imagine the hoha if the Charity Comissioners tried to strip it of that status.
> Fair enough up to a point. But the YHA can be blamed for abandoning their traditional membership completely.
Maybe the world has moved on and their traditional membership does not exist in large enough numbers anymore. Also the staffing and regulatory costs are much higher. People generally have much more many now and higher expectations.
Should it be a charity? I do not know, but I could imagine the hoha if the Charity Comissioners tried to strip it of that status.
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In reply to J1234:
and yet many of the hostels that the YHA abandoned because no one would stay in them are still going strong - the Cambrian mountain hostels being the most obvious examples - for hostels that no one wanted to stay in, they seem to have a remarkable number of people staying in them...
the YHA had a very deliberate policy in the 1990's of ditching the rural, basic hostels and concentrating on the super-hostels in Oxford and London - i think the CEO was Colin somebody-or-other - and they awre explicit about it. it was given a facade of neccessity, but it was very clear that it was preference dressed up as neccessity.
> Maybe the world has moved on and their traditional membership does not exist in large enough numbers anymore. Also the staffing and regulatory costs are much higher. People generally have much more many now and higher expectations.
and yet many of the hostels that the YHA abandoned because no one would stay in them are still going strong - the Cambrian mountain hostels being the most obvious examples - for hostels that no one wanted to stay in, they seem to have a remarkable number of people staying in them...
the YHA had a very deliberate policy in the 1990's of ditching the rural, basic hostels and concentrating on the super-hostels in Oxford and London - i think the CEO was Colin somebody-or-other - and they awre explicit about it. it was given a facade of neccessity, but it was very clear that it was preference dressed up as neccessity.
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In reply to ballsac:
Yup. That's when I finally let my membership lapse.
> the YHA had a very deliberate policy in the 1990's of ditching the rural, basic hostels and concentrating on the super-hostels
Yup. That's when I finally let my membership lapse.
In reply to Simon Caldwell:
me to.
i've stayed in YHA's perhaps three or four times since, but i use independants or bothies for me, and travelodge/premierinn for the family.
a big shout out here for the Elenydd Hostels Trust - they bought two (Dolgogh and Ty'n Cornel) of the old YHA's in mid-Wales and run them beautifully. £12 a night for a bed in the middle of nowhere. magic, magic places...
http://elenydd-hostels.co.uk/index.php/en
me to.
i've stayed in YHA's perhaps three or four times since, but i use independants or bothies for me, and travelodge/premierinn for the family.
a big shout out here for the Elenydd Hostels Trust - they bought two (Dolgogh and Ty'n Cornel) of the old YHA's in mid-Wales and run them beautifully. £12 a night for a bed in the middle of nowhere. magic, magic places...
http://elenydd-hostels.co.uk/index.php/en
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In reply to Toccata:
Nah, they pulled out of several on the last decade which mostly have gone from strength to strength despite legacy building costs and remote locations, ditto SYHA. Not sure of the reasoning or data behind the decision making process; fannying about in the outdoors has never been more popular in the u.k...still it's good to see enthusiastic small independent hostels springing up where the British Rail of rural hospitality cannot get it's act together.
D
Nah, they pulled out of several on the last decade which mostly have gone from strength to strength despite legacy building costs and remote locations, ditto SYHA. Not sure of the reasoning or data behind the decision making process; fannying about in the outdoors has never been more popular in the u.k...still it's good to see enthusiastic small independent hostels springing up where the British Rail of rural hospitality cannot get it's act together.
D
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In reply to Simon Caldwell:
Nope. You facetious arse
> Is the "Scottish MBA" an organisation I've not heard of, that is separate from the MBA (who look after many bothies in England and Wales as well as Scotland)?
Nope. You facetious arse
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