Accommodation and More in England and Wales

YHA England and Wales takes care of the local hostels and it’s more than just a hostelling organisation. The staff always give you a warm welcome, and the hostels offer you deep relaxation and a relaxing atmosphere. They also provide all the necessary information and make sure your stay is as pleasant as it gets. The organisation believes that people play a vital role in hostels, so its hostels are always full of interesting travellers and staff members you can meet. The organisation’s vision is to inspire all travellers, especially younger ones, to broaden their horizons, gain new knowledge and become more self-reliant through new experience.

YHA has a long history. The first HI hostel opened in 1929, and in two years eleven new hostels sprang to life. The development of the organisation and its hostels is linked to the Great Depression of the 1920s and 1930s. Low hostel prices provided young people with an opportunity to escape the polluted city air, uncomfortable homes and difficult life, and instead retreat to the countryside. In the 1980s, hostels changed in accordance with the wishes of the guests. Yet even today, the organisation aims to help tackle the issues young people face and to improve their welfare. YHA therefore actively participates in the society. It’s a charitable organisation that offers employment and relaxation to all generations. It organises camps for families in financial and mental distress, providing them with a relaxed and friendly environment, at least for a while. All kinds of families are invited, from refugee families to those with children who have rare and serious illnesses. It also strongly encourages outdoor activities for children and young adults. The organisation has received many awards for its tourism activities and charitable work, and it has a special way of raising money. Speaking of which, you, too, can help raise money by signing up for sports events, such as the London Marathon, Great North Run, mud runs, ultramarathons and hikes.

Today, there are more than 150 YHA hostels scattered across the whole land, from the coast and countryside to modern cities and ancient fortresses. YHA is known for making a number of small and large investments, with the help of which it renovates its hostels, ensuring they’re suitable for future generations. It has invested more than 40 million in hostels since 2011, which means the organisation aims for progress.

YHA St Briavels Castle offers rooms in a Norman castle that was built in 1205, so you can truly experience history. It once served as hunting grounds and it now offers guided tours where visitors can dress in antique clothes or attend a Medieval dinner. Right next to it stretch royal forests, teeming with history. In the centre of Brighton, a city on the English Channel coast in southern England, there’s a hostel called YHA Brighton. The building was home to a large hotel in 1819. The interior is full of Bohemian items, including a wood-fired oven used to cook pizza. A former mountain cottage in the Lake District National Park has been renovated and converted into YHA Black Sail. It’s the most remote of the hostels as it can be reached only on foot or by bicycle. Photovoltaic and solar panels as well as LED lights have been installed in the past couple of years, and there are wonderful hiking trails nearby that will take you around the national park.

YHA Blaxhall also runs on solar energy and the staff are very proud of their recycling system. It’s located on the coast in Suffolk, a perfect place for watching animals, especially birds. It even has its own garden full of flowers. Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is home to a five-star hostel, which means it’s an ideal place for taking a break and relaxing. It has perfect setting for hosting groups of children. The walls are painted with pictures that represent Wales. Plus, you can book a conference room.

YHA gives adventurers an opportunity to spend a night camping or in cabins. All the necessary things for outdoor leisure are available on the camping grounds or in the nearby hostel. Similar accommodation is available in a commercial town in the North York Moors National Park. YHA Helmsley offers rooms in a hostel or in a camp on the adjacent green field. If you like to spend time outdoors, but don’t feel like setting up a tent, then the following two options will be perfect for you as they include sleeping in various types of cabins. YHA Canterbury is a hostel in a Victorian mansion in a town brimming with culture and history. Apart from staying in the hostel, you can also choose lodging in the adjacent cabins that include a small kitchen. Or you can sleep in real Indian tents in Lake District National Park. YHA Windermere is one such example. The hostel has bunk beds, beanbags and lights that are powered by solar energy. There are even pre-erected normal tents available. In Northumberland, England’s northernmost region, you can stay at YHA Wooler’s traditional shepherd’s huts. But hostels in these two lands have another noteworthy feature. You can rent them. This is a unique opportunity for large groups or for holding events.

England is noted for its many famous writers who produced many works of merit. The English are very proud of their literary legacy and oftentimes offer literary tours following the trails of literary characters. You can therefore head to Diagon Alley in London, where Harry Potter went shopping for his school supplies, and try to get to Hogwarts from the Platform 9/¾. In Oxford, you can go sightseeing in the old town and discover the locations that were used to film the Inspector Morse. If you’re looking for the best view over London, I recommend climbing the roof of the O2 Arena, located, of course, in London. Trying to pull off this amazing feat will make you quite an urban climber. The best way to get to know Wales is by going a tour to the country’s largest castle and Brecon Beacons National Park that’s full of lovely hills. And nothing says English more than afternoon tea. You can partake in this English tradition aboard a boat nicknamed Melody that will take you on a tour down river Thames where you’ll also have some great views of the Windsor Castle. A show awaits you in York, where you’ll learn about the city’s history in 15 minutes. Of course, with an emphasis on horrific events. And if you’re visiting the home of football, it is only fitting to visit a football stadium. And what better stadium to visit than Wembley where England’s national football team plays and where the European Football Championship finals will take place.

If you need help travelling these two countries, you can always use Lonely Planet travel guides. There are two special guides for Wales and England, but plenty other guides that cover smaller areas are available as well, especially those covering London.