Hostels can be brilliant for solo travellers in search of affordable accommodation — whether you’re after a dorm bed or a private room — and are great places to meet like-minded travellers. Here are four properties with plenty of on-the-doorstep adventure.
YHA Whitby
Lying in the shadows of one of England’s most evocative ruins – namely the towering gothic shell of Whitby Abbey – this Grade I listed mansion sits on a headland above the town of Whitby itself. Take a short stroll from the hostel’s front door and you’ll be rewarded not only with free entry into the Abbey, but also views over a harbour that has attracted maritime trade since the 7th century. Beyond town, the North York Moors ripple into the distance and the waves of the North Sea roll in from the horizon. It’s quite a spot.
For walkers, the classic option is to follow the Cleveland Way National Trail south along the coastline, tracing the cliffs for around nine miles before reaching Robin Hood’s Bay and, shortly afterwards, the cosy confines of YHA Boggle Hole, a property skilled in providing restorative tea and cake.
In Whitby itself, highlights include the Captain Cook Memorial Museum and the fabled ‘199 Steps’ leading down into town from the hostel headland. If you’re keen to delve into the local associations with Dracula, meanwhile, try downloading the free walking tour from the GeoStories app.
Solo travellers’ treat: Drinking morning tea while overlooking the Abbey and the sea.
Stay at YHA Whitby
YHA York
It takes just 15 minutes of riverside walking to wander from YHA York to the heart of this historic walled city – and having ambled along the Ouse, you’ll be faced with myriad attractions. York was founded by the ancient Romans as Eboracum in the year 71, and the past two millennia have left it with some memorable sights.
Arguably the most atmospheric of them is The Shambles, where cobblestones line one of Europe’s best preserved medieval shopping streets – expect tearooms and Diagon Alley-style wizarding shops – while close by is the ever-popular draw of York’s Chocolate Story. This is the home city of both Rowntree’s and Terry’s, so there’s plenty in the museum to get your (sweet) teeth into.
Other attractions include the steepling colossus that is York Minster, an ancient cathedral with centuries-old stained glass; the Jorvik Viking Centre, which takes a multi-sensory look at the city’s period of Scandinavian rule; and the free-to-enter National Railway Museum, where train-lovers can lose themselves for hours in world-class exhibits of locomotives.
As with many of our hostels, this place offers a choice of private rooms and beds in shared rooms.
Solo travellers’ treat: Lively social areas with a pool table, and a great self-catering kitchen.
Stay at YHA York
YHA Ambleside
As scenic locations go, a plum site on the shores of Lake Windermere takes some beating. The Lake District holds rewards at any time of year, but visiting over autumn – after summer but before the proper chill of winter – can make for a wonderful experience, whether you’re an adrenaline-seeker or just keen to soak up the Lakeland atmosphere.
Ambleside itself is a picturesque lakeside town of Victorian slate buildings – highlights include Zeffirellis independent cinema and the local history-focused Armitt Museum – but it’s also close to some of the national park’s top attractions, from The World of Beatrix Potter and Wordsworth Grasmere to the scenic natural majesty of the fells themselves.
Short, easy walks include the stroll to Waterhead Pier – just a few minutes from the hostel – while longer, higher hikes can take in summits such as Loughrigg Fell and the more testing Wansfell. Water sports companies tend to pull the shutters down after summer, but it’s possible to take a steamer cruise along Windermere (England’s largest lake, lest you forget) year round. Ghyllside Bike Hire in Ambleside, meanwhile, can kit you out for local cycle trails.
Solo travellers’ treat: Watching sunset over the lake as your hiking boots recover in the drying room.
Stay at YHA Ambleside
YHA Liverpool Albert Dock
Liverpool is another of the UK’s top city-break destinations. The hostel is a mere five-minute walk from Albert Dock and the world-famous waterfront, where you’ll find Tate Liverpool – one of only two Tate galleries outside of London – and the soaring trio of heritage buildings known as The Three Graces. At historic Pier Head, meanwhile, you’ll also find a statue of four tousle-haired young lads by the names of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
The Beatles are as inescapable as that other globe-straddling colossus – Liverpool FC – and both can be incorporated into a stay. The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour is hugely enjoyable, taking in immortalised locations such as Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields as well as the former houses of the bandmates themselves. Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium, meanwhile, offers regular tours if you’re unable to bag a match ticket.
The city is packed with other high-quality diversions, from the Museum of Liverpool and the International Museum of Slavery to the Walker Art Gallery and the astonishingly vast Liverpool Cathedral – not to mention the buzzing nightlife of Concert Square, Hardman Street and Mathew Street.
Solo travellers’ treat: Being in a safe and secure hostel within walking distance of the big sights.
Stay at YHA Liverpool Albert Dock
