JOGLE Day 4

Richard Goodman said:

"JohnB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"[Not Responding]" wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You say that people who drive to YHs annoy you. I was
reading somewhere (C+ ?) that the YHA used to forbid
arriving by car.

My good friend Rob Brock is the YHA's Sustainable Transport
Officer. One of the things he's had to do is stop visiting
YH's using a combination of Brompton & Rail/Bus, because he
was developing a false impression of how easy it is to get
to YH's without a car. Suddenly, if you're not using a bike,
esp. a folding bike, it becomes a lot slower and a lot more
expensive. That's how car-dependant a society we've become -
you can hardly expect the YHA not to respond to that. What
the YHA are doing is starting to look at the issues -
encouraging cycle routes to YH's and negotiating discounts
with PT operators for people who are staying at YH's. It's
not enough but it's a start.

Simon

Richard Goodman said:

"JohnB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"[Not Responding]" wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You say that people who drive to YHs annoy you. I was
reading somewhere (C+ ?) that the YHA used to forbid
arriving by car.

My good friend Rob Brock is the YHA's Sustainable Transport
Officer. One of the things he's had to do is stop visiting
YH's using a combination of Brompton & Rail/Bus, because he
was developing a false impression of how easy it is to get
to YH's without a car. Suddenly, if you're not using a bike,
esp. a folding bike, it becomes a lot slower and a lot more
expensive. That's how car-dependant a society we've become -
you can hardly expect the YHA not to respond to that. What
the YHA are doing is starting to look at the issues -
encouraging cycle routes to YH's and negotiating discounts
with PT operators for people who are staying at YH's. It's
not enough but it's a start.

Simon

Quoted message said:

I'll be in Bellingham YH next Saturday night (29th) BTW
at the end of day 1 on my three day Berwick-upon-Tweed to
Leeds Tour.

Almost tempted to join you. I was thinking of attempting the
Sutrans variation of that route in the reverse direction.

I'lll probably do bugger all for a day or two and go
somewhere later in the week - a colleague has highly
recommended the Trans-Pennine Route having completed it
at Easter.

chris French said:

In message <[email hidden]>, JohnB
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

vernon levy said:

>
> You say that people who drive to YHs annoy you. I was
> reading somewhere (C+ ?) that the YHA used to forbid
> arriving by car.

It's probably quite difficult to get from one hostel to
another within a day in some parts of the country now
that many of them have been closed in the YHA's
rationalisation programme.

They seem to want to cater for those looking for 'cheap'
accommodation in the cities on the 'Do Britain in 7 Days'
Tourist Trail'.

Hmm, most hostels are still either country or small town
ones. I would expect that the big city hostels are
significant money earners for the YHA, if that helps keep
the rest of the network open then all well and good.

When I started using YHs, about 25 years ago, there were
many small hostels within easy reach of me for a weekend
cycle ride. Now they are few and far between. Gone are
Norleywood, Cranborne, Overton, Marnhull, Whitwell (IOW)
Goodings, Inglesham, Henley, Duntisbourne, Charlbury, Lee
Gate and Milford. Southampton and Windsor, larger town
hostels, also closed. Additions are far and few between.
Ridgeway opened several years back as did Totland (IOW),
Lulworth and more recently Portland. Two large town YHs
opened - Bristol (sometimes described as a prison barracks)
and the new replacement Oxford hostel from £20 per night. I
may have missed one or two but that makes quite a deficit
and mainly from the smaller rural and small town ones.

One very welcome initiative has been the leasing out of
the YHA branding name to small private owners and one
opened near me this year at the Cholderton Rare Breeds
Farm, a great place where for just £10.60 you stay on the
farm and have 'free' entry to the attraction too. But
that's about it.

Given some of the decisions on closures made by the YHA in
the last 25 years, I am very sceptical that the intention
is for the larger hostels to support the smaller ones. I
foresee the YHA ending up only running large backpacker
city hostels plus outdoor centres catering for the group
market, while smaller ones are provided by private owners
using the YHA name.

John B

vernon levy said:

Quoted message said:

I'll be in Bellingham YH next Saturday night (29th) BTW
at the end of day 1 on my three day Berwick-upon-Tweed
to Leeds Tour.

Almost tempted to join you. I was thinking of attempting
the Sutrans variation of that route in the reverse
direction.

I'lll probably do bugger all for a day or two and go
somewhere later in the week - a colleague has highly
recommended the Trans-Pennine Route having completed it
at Easter.

I'm catching a train to Berwick-upon-Tweed on Saturday
morning, not too early, £15 one way ticket arriving at about
14:00. [I had planned on going to Edinburgh and cycling to
Melrose SYHA but couldn't get booked into the hostel, nor
Wooler]. I'll ride the 60 miles to Bellingham YH on Saturday
afternoon/evening. Sunday I'll ride 60 miles or so to my
parents in Hartlepool then on Bank Holiday Monday the 95 or
so back home.

Are you thinking of the Trans-Pennine-Trail (TPT) ? I have
done parts of the route around Leeds and the Selby to York
part, I believe you've already done that section, I have
actually documented it but its not finished yet. I had hoped
to do the part that goes up through Woodhead, maybe the
August Bank Holiday weekend.

Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Not Responding said:

You say that people who drive to YHs annoy you. I was
reading somewhere (C+ ?) that the YHA used to forbid
arriving by car.

Yes, when I was younger you were not allowed to arrive by
car. If it was

the

Quoted message said:

start of your trip the form used to be to park you car
somewhere local but away from the hostel and then walk the
last quarter mile.

Tony

I remember when the fuss when they changed, but can't
remember the year. They were for walkers, canoists, cyclists
etc but falling usasge meant increassing costs and future
bankruptacy. Allowing cars meant increased usage.

Many die hards were against it but the choice was motorists
or no Youth Hostels.

Paul.