Dear YHA,
My love affair with youth hostels began when I was a young boy. I was around 10 years old, and as a family we had just got our first car. On sunny Sundays we would go out for a drive and frequently visited YHA Ilam Hall’s Italianate Garden. I recall looking at the building with my father and he saying to me: “when you are a big lad, you will be able to come and stay here”. From then on I couldn’t wait to be old enough to stay, and that day finally came in 1961, when I was 14 years old.
YHA Ilam Hall became my favourite hostel, along with YHA Hartington Hall, and the surrounding countryside I got to know extremely well. From that day in 1961 to this very day, YHA has been a very big part of my life. I became a young member representative on the peak regional council, and was soon to become YHA’s vice chairman.
One of the highlights for me was meeting the late Queen Elizabeth II when she opened YHA South Downs. For me, every stay at YHA is memorable — whether volunteering on a working party to assist with gardening and decorating or simply visiting as a member.
I have so many happy memories of hostelling with YHA — the experiences of different hostels, the camaraderie of one’s fellow travellers and the conversations held with many different nationalities will be with me forever.
To think my love affair with YHA grew from my first glimpse of YHA Ilam Hall all those years ago.
Yours sincerely,
Lindsey Porter
Do you have any fond memories of YHA? Maybe a trip you took when you were younger? Or a getaway you went on with loved ones? We would love to hear them! Please share them with us via our social media channels. We look forwarding to hearing from you!
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