YHAgroup.org.uk » Web Links http://www.yhagroup.org.uk News & Views for Local YHA Groups Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:18:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Follow Caroline White! http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/follow-caroline-white http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/follow-caroline-white#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 12:29:25 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/?p=747 Related Posts]]> Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you start hiding in the bushes around Matlock, stalking the YHA’s esteemed Chief Executive. Instead you can do it from the comfort of your computer!

Caroline has started her own Twitter account, so you can follow what our glorious leader is doing – or at least what she wants to tell us about it. I don’t know how much we’ll learn from it, but it should be welcomed as part of YHA’s new efforts to communicate with the membership.


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/follow-caroline-white/feed 0 My Wordle! http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/my-wordle http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/my-wordle#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:00:11 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/?p=323 Related Posts]]> Since this is a day for looking back, I’ve fed the recent output of this site into a nifty tool called Wordle to produce a graphic representation of its content. I think it looks kinda cool (click on the image for a bigger version):

By way of contrast, here’s what it produces for Karl’s YHA Blog:

Wordle will build a graphic for any block of text, or any website with an RSS feed. It’s great fun, but be warned – you can spend hours playing with it!

Here’s to plenty more interesting words in 2009, Happy new year!


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/my-wordle/feed 1 Stay Safe This Winter http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/stay-safe-this-winter http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/stay-safe-this-winter#comments Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:20:25 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/?p=301 Related Posts]]> Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening… At this time of year many of us yearn to be out walking in a winter wonderland, instead of trudging round the shops listening to naff Christmas songs. But how can we stop a snowy day out in the hills ending with a less than festive call to mountain rescue?

Outdoor news site Grough has a lengthy article detailing how to stay safe this winter, covering everything from how to plan and pace your route to what kind of crampons to wear. They even extoll the virtues of a regular communal faff! It’s well worth a look if you’re heading for the hills over the next few months.


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/stay-safe-this-winter/feed 0 Fix a Fell for Christmas http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/fix-a-fell-for-christmas http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/fix-a-fell-for-christmas#comments Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:40:48 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/?p=278 Related Posts]]> With the festive season almost upon us, what do you get the hill walker in your life? Yet another pair of gloves or socks? A pin-up of Julia Bradbury? Perhaps not. How about a stretch of Lakeland footpath?

Fix the Fells has been featured on these pages before – it’s a partnership run by the Lake District National Park Authority, The National Trust and Natural England to repair Lake District paths and combat erosion in the future. All their work is heavily dependent on public fund-raising.

This year they’re running a Fix a Fell for Christmas campaign. Simply donate a sum on your loved one’s behalf and it will go towards upland paths. Just £10 will replant vegetation alongside one metre of path, whilst £600 will pay for an hour of helicopter time. What’s more any amount you give will be tripled by the Heritage Lottery Fund, so a donation of £10 actually gets them £30.

But how do you wrap up a few square metres of Cumbria and put it under the tree? Don’t worry, they’ve thought of that. When you make a donation, a personalised certificate is generated for you to print out and give as your gift.

But remember, a Lakeland footpath isn’t just for Christmas…


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/fix-a-fell-for-christmas/feed 0 Free Offer for Local Group Members http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/free-offer-for-local-group-members http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/free-offer-for-local-group-members#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:54:54 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/free-offer-for-local-group-members Related Posts]]> Sam Dalley of the Backpackers’ Press writes:

One of our member hostels has pointed out to me that YHA local groups are short of accommodation which is available to individuals and small groups in the winter.

There are over 250 Independent Hostels in the UK and over 95% of them stay open all year.

Full details of all these hostels are in the Independent Hostel Guide which retails for £4.95.

I would be glad to offer these guides for free (while stocks last) to any local group member who sends 5 second class stamps to cover the postage.

I’ve seen a copy of the guide and it’s quite impressive, listing 275 hostels across the UK plus a further 50 in Ireland and continental Europe. If you want to take Sam up on this kind offer, send your stamps to:

Backpackers Press
Speedwell House
Upperwood
Matlock Bath
Derbyshire
DE4 3PE

Potential independent hostellers should also visit the recently remodelled Independent Hostel Guide web site, where the same information can be found online. The site isn’t perfect, but there’s a a thing or two YHA could learn from it.


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/free-offer-for-local-group-members/feed 0 Lakeland Camping Barns http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/lakeland-camping-barns http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/lakeland-camping-barns#comments Wed, 03 Oct 2007 15:52:02 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/lakeland-camping-barns Related Posts]]> Until recently, this network of “stone tents” in the Lake District was managed by the YHA. Now they’ve gone independent, and have a slick website to sell their services. Each of the twelve barns is extensively photographed and described, and availability can be checked online for the next twelve months.

If you’re looking for somewhere simple to stay in the Lakes, these could be just the job.


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/lakeland-camping-barns/feed 0 Munro Magic http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/munro-magic http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/munro-magic#comments Wed, 09 May 2007 17:33:54 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/munro-magic Related Posts]]> If you’re heading north to tick off some more of Sir Hugh Munro’s list of 3,000-foot mountains, you could do worse than check out Munro Magic first.

All 284 Munros & 220 Corbetts are covered in detail including descriptions, pictures, location maps, walking routes and weather reports, as well as listings of nearby accommodation in which to rest up afterwards.


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/munro-magic/feed 2 Facility of the Month http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/facility-of-the-month http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/facility-of-the-month#comments Thu, 16 Nov 2006 23:23:50 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/facility-of-the-month Related Posts]]> Pete Owens is a man with a mission. A mission to track down the finest “facilities” inflicted upon cyclists by the planners of our highways. Take a look the hall of fame (or should that be shame?) at the Warrington Cycle Campaign.


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/facility-of-the-month/feed 0 Closed Youth Hostels http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/closed-youth-hostels http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/closed-youth-hostels#comments Tue, 24 Oct 2006 16:41:27 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/closed-youth-hostels Related Posts]]> Sadly, there are more of these every year. This forum is a place where you can see pictures, and share stories, of hostels gone by.

[Marlborough Youth Hostel]


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]]> http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/closed-youth-hostels/feed 2 Elenydd Wilderness Hostels http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/elenydd-wilderness-hostels http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/elenydd-wilderness-hostels#comments Mon, 02 Oct 2006 20:06:16 +0000 Chris Hunt http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/elenydd-wilderness-hostels Related Posts]]> Deep in the heart of Mid Wales lie T’yn Cornel and Dolgoch, the last survivors of six hostels which once dotted the isolated Elenydd area. This is hostelling as it used to be – an open fire for warmth, gas for lighting and cooking. The addition of a shower is the only concession to 21st century comforts.

But the survival of these hostels depends on the efforts of a committed bunch of volunteers – the Elenydd Wilderness Hostels Trust. Formed after both hostels were scheduled for closure, the trust have already been able to save T’yn Cornel (with the help of two generous benefactors) and are currently raising funds to buy Dolgoch next year.

They desperately need your help, both financial and moral, to succeed in their mission. Why not join the trust and lend them your support!


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