Has the YHA gone bonkers?

[Crackle]

Been there and done that, very recently. Carried my light-ish tent on the bike, along with the necessary sleeping bag, and self inflating thermarest mattress. So as light as possible, but still a hell of a difference when pulling it over a couple of days and 120 miles.

Then there was the camping experience. Put up tent while being attacked by midges. No entertainment for miles around (remote camp site) so early night. Uncomfortable sleep, until the sun came up about 4.30 am and that was end of sleep. Get up for a pee, and try to find a spot where I won't be seen (toilet block miles away). Watch condensation drip off roof of tent for a few hours, then get up. Queue up for awful shower. Take tent down while being attacked by midges again. Roll up soggy tent (condensation inside, dew outside) and pack it onto bike. Have greasy breakfast at site cafe, pay £6 for it. Pay site office £10 for my square of grass for the night. So £16 for "bed" and breakfast. A tenner more and I could have been in relative luxury.

NEVER; EVER, again!! (and that was without any bad weather).

I know it wasn't meant to but that made me laugh. I think anyone who has cycled toured can identify with all of that. Camping has it's own pleasures, though sometimes they are not evident. I've certainly shared the lonely feeling of an isolated campsite, peeing rain and midges but I've also experienced being stretched out in the sun, peaceful and relaxed with a good camp meal inside me.

Hostelling too has it's downsides. Who has not experienced a crowded noisy hostel, peeing down outside, condensation on the inside, all the cookers taken, people boiling teapots on the stove (normally Germans ), a queue for the showers, the dryers all busy and you standing there dripping from a day's riding in the rain. It's those moments you wish you were in a B&B. Now as for B&B's.........

 

[Tasker]

Hmm. And the original ethos presumably had nothing to do with tolerance and respect for people of different backgrounds? Or giving young urban working-class people the chance to get into into the countryside?

I'm a cycle camping person, simply because I don't think you can beat the experience but that's just my personal take on it but sometimes you just have to just have a shower and fall into a bed.

As a (once young) urban working class person myself I see we have more in common than you might think. Absolutely agree with what you've said. As for meeting people from different backgrounds, fine. Love to do it - but only with the proviso that they practice as a minimum, a basic consideration for their fellow travellers.

Therefore my advice still stands: find a cheap (but clean) alternative to these awful 'Yoof' Hostels - if at all possible - because if you're hoping to find yourself among fellow travellers who have arrived either by bike or foot, you've had it. And that's the sadness of it all.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Can anyone give the actual facts behind the allegations about bans on single men? I can understand the YHA not being keen on putting middle-aged men in dorms with teenagers (and in all honesty who in their right mind would want to share with schoolkids? No offence to any teenagers reading this, but you wouldn't invite your Grandad to a sleepover). I've stayed at YHAs that have had school parties in.

I got a huge amount out of the YHA in my youth and slightly later, including an intorduction to Mrs Bromp!!

Our son is 16 & doing GCSE this year so in another week when his exams are finished he's free until 6th form starts in September. He was quite keen to do what I did in the seventies and bike or walk alone from hostel to in perhaps the Lakes, Peaks or West Country. YHA however won't allow under 18s in dormitory accom unless accompanied by an adult. He couldn't interest a mate in joining him and even if I had the leave going with your dad ain't the same type of break!!

So that's a few more overnights lost.

 

[hubbike]

I got a huge amount out of the YHA in my youth and slightly later, including an intorduction to Mrs Bromp!!

Our son is 16 & doing GCSE this year so in another week when his exams are finished he's free until 6th form starts in September. He was quite keen to do what I did in the seventies and bike or walk alone from hostel to in perhaps the Lakes, Peaks or West Country. YHA however won't allow under 18s in dormitory accom unless accompanied by an adult. He couldn't interest a mate in joining him and even if I had the leave going with your dad ain't the same type of break!!

So that's a few more overnights lost.

so in what way, shape or form are they a hostel for youth? A youth hostel that only puts up adults. The answer to this thread seems to be YES. The YHA have, in fact, gone completely bonkers!!!

Their very reason to exist is to provide hostel accommodation to young people and yet they refuse to do so. This is seriously weird.

 

[TwoInTow]

so in what way, shape or form are they a hostel for youth? A youth hostel that only puts up adults. The answer to this thread seems to be YES. The YHA have, in fact, gone completely bonkers!!!

Their very reason to exist is to provide hostel accommodation to young people and yet they refuse to do so. This is seriously weird.

Well, it's sad, but not weird. Widespread hysteria over paedophilia and child protection means that you cannot run any sort of institution which has adults sleeping in the same room as children. YHA is not alone in being hamstrung by regulations which are aimed at preventing highly unusual, but still possible, abuse.

 

[andym]

Well, it's sad, but not weird. Widespread hysteria over paedophilia and child protection means that you cannot run any sort of institution which has adults sleeping in the same room as children. YHA is not alone in being hamstrung by regulations which are aimed at preventing highly unusual, but still possible, abuse.

Are you sure that it's not more a question that the YHA becomes responsible for the children (and legally your son is still a child even if he is 16) and if anything were to happen the parents probably would hold the YHA responsible. I'd blame the 'compensation culture' rather than the YHA. But yes it is sad - another aspect of the way kids are much more supervised, organised and regimented than past generations.

Therefore my advice still stands: find a cheap (but clean) alternative to these awful 'Yoof' Hostels - if at all possible - because if you're hoping to find yourself among fellow travellers who have arrived either by bike or foot, you've had it. And that's the sadness of it all.

Are young people behaving worse or are old men getting grumpier? Or both? Discuss.

 

[Cush]

Are young people behaving worse or are old men getting grumpier? Or both? Discuss.

No discussion needed, the young are disgusting and the old are always right. Ah then I remember Teddy Boys, flick knives, dusters (as in knucle) Now when was that? let me think Ah yes back in the early sixtys and my Uncles and Grand parents telling us what a load of so &so's we were. Hostels have changed and not always for the better. I dont want to give myself away but two I have been in recently had fullblown wine swiging loud mouthed hen partys making more noise than the bunch of American teenagers in another and a group of German teenagers in another (the Germans made plenty of noise till a teacher said quiet and after that it was, the Americans were extremly well mannered but left too much expencive gear lying around) There is room for both the Young and old in the hostels and both are good for each other, it only needs the hostels to get back on line.

 

[Cush]

Sorry only meant to quote the first line of the last posting , bit tired tonight, five weeks of weeds, grass and hedge grown had to be dealt with today.

 

[Alembicbassman]

I'd have donned a wig and gone for the female dorm

 

[Cush]

I would have had to shave as well and I only do that when date has three zero's in it.

 

[andym]

I would have had to shave as well and I only do that when date has three zero's in it.

You only shave in October?

 

[Danny]

To be fair to the YHA many of their hostels are pretty old now and desperately in need of refurbishment and modernisation. They simply do not have the funds to do them all up and have little prospect of getting grants or other kinds of funding.

There are still many good hostels around, and the ones that have been refurbished now offer a much better standard of accommodation.

 

[Danny]

It lost it's way years ago.

That's why it's selling / sold its hostels at Hawkshead, Derwent Water, Thirlmere, etc, etc.
These are not isolated places well off the beaten track, but in the major centres of the Lake District.
If it can't run those, what hope is there?

Despite my comments above I was shocked by some of the latest hostels to be put up for sale. And I hadn't realised they include Derwent Water which is often full all year round and in a stunning location.

 

[Ticktockmy]

Despite my comments above I was shocked by some of the latest hostels to be put up for sale. And I hadn't realised they include Derwent Water which is often full all year round and in a stunning location.

I think they have looked at the total bed nights for an area, then looked at which hostel will raise the most cash if sold, without any regard to what the membership think or whether it is the most popular hostel in the area.

 

[MacB]

Can anyone give the actual facts behind the allegations about bans on single men?

Not particularly, but I know my sons recent school trip to Stow on the Wold was greatly increased in size. As it was a school party they had to take the entire accomodation whether they used it or not, so they increased the number of children to about 100. I don't know whether that was a school or hostel policy but my impression is hostel, but I suspect a bit of both.