The Journey: Winter 19

WIN! a Berghaus rucksack worth £110. Visit Wales has designated 2020 as its Year of the Outdoors – making now the perfect time to plan your next Welsh jaunt. We have more than 20 hostels in Wales, and we’ve jumbled up the names of five of them here. Worked out what...

We have two copies of Lily Dyu’s Fantastic Female Adventurers to give away. Published by Shrine Bell and new for 2019, the children’s book tells the in-depth tales of 14 inspiring characters, from former YHA ambassador Sarah Outen to champion runner Mira Rai.To...

Our reader’s picture this issue comes from Emma Johns. “I thought I would send this picture of our daughter Ella at 10 weeks on her first YHA trip, to YHA Hartington Hall in the Peak District.”What a cutie! Do you have a great picture you’d like to see here? Share...

Four outdoor items put through their paces by The Journey team. Ortlieb Atrack ST 34L Waterproof BackpackOrtlieb.comThe Ortlieb Atrack looks unlike any other backpack or waterproof bag – and works unlike any other. Ortlieb, pioneers in waterproof packs, have...

Download and print our stargazing guide. Clear evenings are perfect for stargazing. Dr Sheila Kanani of the Royal Astronomical Society guides us through Britain’s night sky and teaches us how to stargaze. Astronomy can be hugely rewarding, whether you have a...

Oh, the joys of a hostel to yourself! More than 100 of our hostels for Exclusive Hire are open over the winter months. From historical cottages to mountain lodges – giving you, and your friends and families, free rein over accommodation in some of the most...

A winter trip to the UK countryside can showcase the landscape at its most beautiful. We speak to five hostel managers to find out their reasons to like winter. LAKE DISTRICT, YHA Keswick Rachael Kirkby, hostel manager“A reason to like winter is because winter is...

It might be the chilliest time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun outside. Try our winter scavenger hunt – how many of these things can you do where you are. Look for a spider’s web. Can you see a spider too? First on our winter scavenger hunt list...

Some mammals, like hedgehogs and dormice, hibernate in winter. This means that they spend the coldest months of the year resting somewhere safe and warm. Their heartbeat and their breathing both slow down whilst they...

Winter can be a difficult time for birds. They need to eat lots of winter bird food, for energy and warmth, but the days are colder and darker. We can help by leaving out things for them to feed on. If you have a bird-feeder,...

The South West’s biggest city is a gem, but knowing where to start your explorations can be tricky – we take three separate city tours to give you some guidance. Tour 1: Bristol street art tour John Nation points up at the...