The Journey: summer 19
Hello and welcome to the summer issue of The Journey.
For hostellers, the warmer months of the year are often a time of exploration, whether discovering new places or revisiting favourite haunts. There’s nothing quite like travelling back to a familiar corner of the country to find it remains as handsome as ever, and similarly there’s little that compares to that feeling of arriving somewhere special for the first time and puzzling ‘why haven’t I made it here before?’.
As ever, we hope the following pages bring you some inspiration for your adventures. In this issue, we talk with traveller extraordinaire Simon Reeve, visit the birdlife-rich North Norfolk coast on a hostel-to-hostel walk and flag up nine of our favourite properties along the coast.
You’ll also find the usual competitions, news and gear reviews, as well as a special pull-out kids’ section. Enjoy the read, and happy travels – wherever it is you are, and wherever it is you’re going.
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Articles for this edition of The Journey
Summer science
How do bees make honey? Female worker bees fly from flower to flower, sucking out a sugary juice called nectar with their tongues.When their ‘honey stomachs’ are full of nectar, they fly back to the hive. Here they pass the nectar from mouth to mouth. Some people...
Make your own trail mix
When you’re hiking, it’s always a good idea to carry water and snacks – and this simple trail mix recipe is perfect for keeping your energy levels up. 1 big handful of nuts (cashews, peanuts and almonds are all good) 1 small handful of dried fruit (try raisins,...
Take a slow safari
It’s very easy to rush through life – to charge about the place like a hare in a hurry, dashing here and darting there, never standing still. After all, everyone loves adventure. But sometimes, slowing down can show us things we would normally miss. When was the...
Your YHA discoveries
Each issue we’ll be sharing some special moments you’ve had while staying with YHA. We’d love to hear about your most memorable experiences at [email protected] Blossom's Discovery “We stayed in a youth hostel in the middle...
Yorkshire gold
The Cleveland Way turns 50 years old in 2019 The North York Moors are – to coin a phrase – as old as the hills, but the famed long-distance walking route that traverses the heather moorland is rather younger. When the 109-mile Cleveland Way was opened in 1969, it...
The 268-mile man
Paul Howlett, YHA’s Operations Manager for the North West, conceived an epic new challenge to raise money for YHA. It will involve a 160-mile ride, a 100-mile run and an eight-mile swim. He’s this edition’s hostel hero.Our staff and volunteers make our organisation...
Big plans for Bryn Gwynant
Help save this special hostel Few who visit YHA Snowdon Bryn Gwynant are unmoved by its location. This Victorian mansion is set in 42 leafy acres among the giants of Snowdonia National Park. It overlooks Llyn Gwynant, Moel Hebog and Snowdon itself. That the view...
Northern exposure
Myth, legend, art and literature permeate the North East of England like few other places in the UK. This under-visited corner of the country is home to some of the nation’s most important historical and cultural treasures. The ruins of Lindisfarne Priory on Holy...
Q&A: Simon Reeve
Simon Reeve did not have an easy childhood. The presenter and author – whose on-the-road documentaries have taken BBC audiences everywhere from Colombia to Kazakhstan – spent his teenage years spiralling into destructive behaviour to the point where he considered...
9 hostels for coastal getaways
Few things in life beat a trip to the seaside, and more than 35 of our hostels sit on – or within strolling distance of – the endlessly varied shoreline of England and Wales. These include classic options like YHA Brighton and YHA Boggle Hole, as well as a whole...
Norfolk skies
The Norfolk Coastal Path is a treat for walkers, as Ben Lerwill discovers on a hostel-to-hostel hike. Now here’s a name that deserves an ice cream: Henry L’Estrange Styleman Le Strange. I’m in the seaside resort of Hunstanton, the start-point of the Norfolk Coast...
How to: Go fastpacking
Fastpacking? This has become one of the latest crazes in the mountains. A multi-day or done-in-a-day route that lets you cover ground quickly, see more and test your endurance. Here’s how to go fastpacking. Fastpacking has become one of the outdoor industry’s...
YHA Street: Old meets new
Like so many hostels in our network, YHA Street had a curious beginning. The hostel on Ivythorn Hill, Somerset, was built in 1914 by two local sisters as a summer house in the Swiss chalet style. The newly established YHA leased it in 1931, a month before the...