The Journey: autumn 23
Hello… and welcome to the autumn issue of The Journey. It’s always tempting to view the year with a wide-angle lens (can the festive season really be so close already?), but the real joys come from focusing on the here and now. So pull out those warmer clothes and fix your gaze outside — autumn, it’s great to see you again.
It’s a season with huge potential for adventure, whether you’re hitting the slopes, visiting a city or exploring a completely new part of the map. In this issue we’re travelling everywhere from South London to Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, sharing tips on how to make the most of a visit.
We also have an exclusive interview with Eastenders and Gavin & Stacey star — and YHA supporter — Larry Lamb, who speaks with passion about getting young people outdoors. Elsewhere, you’ll find an overview of how to enjoy the canals of England and Wales without getting into a narrowboat, a round-up of some of our best mountain hostels and a focus on nature conservation, as well as the usual news and reviews and Let’s Go!, our regular four-page pull-out for kids. Happy reading, and enjoy the season.
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Articles for this edition of The Journey
Introducing Outdoor Adventure Girls
All you need to know about the UK’s fastest-growing women-only outdoor adventure community.What is Outdoor Adventure Girls?Outdoor Adventure Girls was founded in 2021 by Sophie Davis, a travel writer and influencer. In Sophie's words, “the group aims to give women...
Walk of the season: Bath
This is a city walk with a difference — for a city with a difference. There’s nowhere quite like Bath, where wellbeing has been a way of life for 2,000 years, where townhouses stand on stately Georgian terraces, and where you still half-expect to see gentlemen in...
Meet our newest ambassador – Larry Lamb
Eastenders and Gavin & Stacey star Larry Lamb’s first outdoor experience was on a youth hostelling holiday in the late 1950s. Seven decades later, after reading about YHA’s No Child Left Behind appeal, he was moved to make a donation and has now become an...
The YHA guide to Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park
Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, covering 823 square miles of north Wales, is one of the UK’s most thrilling destinations. It encompasses nine mountain ranges and a whole world of long-distance walks, dramatic coastlines, gnarly crags and steep biking trails — as...
Nine hostels (mostly) in the mountains
For this issue’s pick of the hostels, we’re on our way up. These properties are primarily found among mountains (or among hills, or at least near cliff-edges), making them perfect for walkers and cyclists in search of adventurous autumnal outings, long walks and...