Here’s our guide to 12 YHA hostels that are in fabulous literary locations in England. Visit for inspiration and you be the next Beatrix Potter, Mary Shelley or perhaps William Wordsworth!
YHA Ambleside
Literary connection – Beatrix Potter.
Nestled in the heart of the Lake District, YHA Ambleside offers the perfect base to explore the enchanting world of Beatrix Potter. As you stroll through the countryside she once called home, whimsical tales of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-Duck burst into life. Only a few miles away from the hostel, you can visit Potter’s charming 17th-century farmhouse, Hill Top, which has been preserved as if she just stepped out, and beloved characters greet visitors at The World of Beatrix Potter interactive attraction. Children’s stories meet breathtaking landscapes and inspire both young and old alike to rediscover the magic of the natural world.
Must-visit places – Hill Top and The World of Beatrix Potter.
Reading suggestions – The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter.
Visit YHA Ambleside
YHA Bath
Literary connection – Jane Austen, Samuel Pepys, Mary Shelley, and Charles Dickens.
The city of Bath is like stepping into a Jane Austen novel with its Georgian architecture, regency charm, quaint tea rooms and historical spas. Not only did Austen call Bath her home for some time, but she also set two of her novels there – Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Time your visit to YHA Bath for September to enjoy the annual Jane Austen Festival, when the city celebrates all things Austen, with guided walks, costumed balls, and theatrical performances! There must have been something in the water, as notable figures like Pepys, Shelley and Dickens, all found themselves drawn to the baths.
Must-visit places – The Jane Austen Centre, Bath Abbey, and the Roman Baths.
Reading suggestions – Persuasion by Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
Visit YHA Bath
YHA Bristol
Literary connection – Robert Louis Stevenson, Daniel Defoe, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Immerse yourself in Bristol’s rich maritime history, where stories of high seas, treasure hunts and adventure come to life. Explore historic ships and maritime landmarks, before settling in at YHA Bristol, whose riverside setting places you at the heart of a city bursting with literary legends and hidden histories. The Llandoger Tow pub inspired the Admiral Benbow Inn in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, while local tales of a real castaway (Alexander Selkirk) influenced Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe.
Must-visit places – Llandoger Trow pub, Brunel’s SS Great Britain and the Arnolfini Arts Centre.
Reading suggestions – Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
Visit YHA Bristol
YHA Cambridge
Literary connection – Virginia Woolf, Lord Byron, Rupert Brooke, Sylvia Plath, and Zadie Smith.
Wander through the streets of Cambridge and walk in the footsteps of literary giants, before returning to YHA Cambridge full of inspiration. From Virginia Woolf’s Jacob’s Room being set at Trinity College to modern masterpieces by Zadie Smith and the poetic musings of Sylvia Plath, Cambridge is overflowing with academia legends. Explore the iconic colleges, wander through picturesque grounds, or take a punt on the River Cam.
Must-visit places – Trinity College, King’s College Chapel, Cambridge University gardens and The Eagle (a historic pub known for being the location where Francis Crick and James Watson announced their discovery of DNA).
Reading suggestions – Jacob’s Room by Virginia Woolf, Ariel by Sylvia Plath and White Teeth by Zadie Smith.
Visit YHA Cambridge
YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe
Literary connection – William Wordsworth.
Tucked away in the scenic village, where Wordsworth lived with his sister Dorothy for 14 years, YHA Grasmere is the perfect spot for poetry lovers. Wordsworth once described Grasmere as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found,” and his words continue to capture the village’s beauty that inspired so many of his works. Visit his home, Dove Cottage, and if you are looking to experience a local tradition, don’t forget to stop at The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
Must-visit places – Dove Cottage, the Wordworth Museum, and the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop.
Reading suggestions – The Prelude by William Wordsworth and Home at Grasmere by Dorothy Wordsworth.
Liverpool
Many, no doubt, would argue The Beatles had a literary flourish to their lyrics (Paperback Writer?), but the more obvious plaudits go to poets Roger McGough, Adrian Henri and Brian Patten, who published Mersey Sound, one of the biggest selling poetry anthologies of all time. Seafaring author Herman Melville was familiar with the city, and wrote about it in his autobiographical Redburn, and Beryl Bainbridge was born here, inspiring the novels The Dressmaker and Liverpool Miss. The vibrant Museum of Liverpool features its literary history. Make the most of your trip and stay at YHA Liverpool Albert Dock.
Don’t miss: Museum of Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery
Reading list: An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge, Mersey Sound by Roger McGough
YHA Hathersage
Literary connection – Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austen.
Located amidst the dramatic landscapes of the Peak District National Park, YHA Hathersage is nearby to many literary sites. The ‘Jane Eyre Trail’ leads you through wild moors and misty cliffs reminiscent of Brontë’s novel, whilst the nearby Chatsworth House is said to have inspired Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, as Austen wrote the novel in the nearby town of Bakewell. If you’re interested in screen adaptations, take a trip to Haddon Hall which was used for filming both Jane Eyre and The Other Boleyn Girl.
Must visit places – The ‘Jane Eyre Trail’ through Hathersage, Haddon Hall, and Chatsworth House.
Reading suggestions – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Visit YHA Hathersage
YHA Haworth (Partner)
Literary connection – The Brontë sisters.
For fans of gothic literature, Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Brontë created tales of haunting love and tortured souls in the quaint village of Haworth. Steeped in literary history, you can visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum or explore the surrounding moors and landscapes to see first-hand what inspired their legendary works. YHA Haworth (Partner) offers a gateway to experience the cobbled streets of this charming village and step into the world of the Brontë sisters.
Must-visit places – The Brontë Parsonage Museum, Top Withens (a ruined farmhouse which was supposedly the inspiration for Wuthering Heights) and the Brontë Falls.
Reading suggestions – Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.
Visit YHA Haworth (Partner)
YHA Liverpool Albert Dock
Literary connection – Roger McGough, Adrian Henri, and Brian Patten.
YHA Liverpool Albert Dock is close to the heart of the city’s vibrant poetry scene which is championed by the ‘Liverpool Poets’ of the 1960s, McGough, Henri, and Patten. Their playful, relatable work captured the essence of the city’s unique voice by blending humour, love, and local charm. Dive into Liverpool’s artistic heritage, whether that’s musical with the Beatles, or literary with the Mersey poets.
Must-visit places – The Everyman Theatre, Liverpool’s Central Library, and the Beatles Story.
Reading suggestions – The Mersey Sound by Roger McGough, Adrian Henri, and Brian Patten.
YHA London sites
Literary connection – JB Priestley, Arthur Conan Doyle, and John Keats.
London is a city with a rich and varied literary scene, and with the variety of YHA London sites, you are never too far from a bit of magic and inspiration. Catch a play at Shakespeare’s Globe, where his works are brought to life just as they were in the Elizabethan times. Venture to 221b Baker Street to explore the Sherlock Holmes Museum, dedicated to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s brilliant detective. For poetry lovers, visit Wentworth Place in Hampstead, where John Keats crafted some of his most cherished verses.
Must-visit places – The British Library, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe, and Keats House in Hampstead.
Reading suggestions – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley.
Visit one of our YHA London sites
YHA Manchester
Literary connection – Elizabeth Gaskell, Anthony Burgess and Charles Dickens.
A stay at YHA Manchester immerses you in the industrial landscape that inspired Elizabeth Gaskell for her tale of class struggle and resilience, Mary Barton. Visit her house, 84 Plymouth Grove, which is now equipped with a tearoom, second-hand bookshop, and small garden. Also proving to be inspiration for Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, Manchester is perfect for lovers of social novels. Don’t forget to stop by John Rylands Library to explore rare books, manuscripts, and archives.
Must-visit places – Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, the John Rylands Library, and The Anthony Burgess Foundation.
Reading suggestions – Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.
Visit YHA Manchester
YHA Stratford-upon-Avon
Literary connection – William Shakespeare.
Widely recognised as the greatest writer in the English language, a literary journey would not be complete without visiting the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Stay at YHA Stratford-upon-Avon and appreciate the market town’s cobbled streets, lush gardens, and historic charm. Make time to watch a live performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and visit Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, which belonged to his wife.
Must-visit places – Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Reading suggestions – Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, or Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare.
Visit YHA Stratford-upon-Avon
YHA Whitby
Literary connection – Bram Stoker.
For Gothic horror fans, YHA Whitby offers an unforgettable stay with cliffside views over the atmospheric seaside town. Having inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula, Whitby’s eerie beauty, with a windswept coast and haunting Abbey ruins, is perfect to revisit Stoker’s masterpiece. Explore the town’s narrow alleys, feel the echoes of the spooky narrative and, for those who want to delve deeper into the novel’s spine-chilling legends, visit the Dracula Experience.
Must-visit places – Whitby Abbey and the Dracula Experience.
Reading suggestions – Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Visit YHA Whitby
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