As an individual member of YHA, and a member of the U3A’s only affiliated youth hostelling group, I was delighted to see the YHA was being celebrated (The YHA gets a bunk up, Travel, 22 November). But it became a wry kind of delight when I realised the featured hostel was Stow-on-the-Wold. The U3A group liked it so much, we’ve stayed there twice, and are planning a third visit soon. But alas, if any readers wish to follow us to this “majestic double-fronted townhouse”, they’d better not leave it too long, as the YHA has decided that Stow is a dispensable part of its portfolio, and the hostel has been sold.
The Georgian mansion that is Stratford hostel, another group favourite, is still in the YHA, but the Regency mansion on the shores of the lake that was Derwentwater hostel has also been sold, as has nearby Elterwater. Yes, this is a “realm of modestly priced self-catering accommodation known only to the few”, but what Rachel Dixon perhaps did not realise is that it is a fast-shrinking realm. So if your readers felt tempted to sample a medieval banquet at St Briavels, yet another group favourite, or to watch a magnificent sunset from Poppit Sands, I advise them to go sooner rather than later, while these splendidly located hostels remain in the YHA.
Sarah Matthews
Stafford
