This hostel is very hard to get to without a car, but is well worth the long trek. It is one of our favorite hostels.
The small hostel is housed in what used to be the office building of a mine. It is located about 2 km (about 1 mile) out of town, and is accessible only by a walk (or drive) uphill on an unlit rough dirt road. The road starts near the bus station in the ridiculously quaint Glenridding, which is accessible from Keswick and Penrith (which has a train stop) through a series of rather unreliable but very friendly local busses. Bring your flashlight if you are arriving after dark, and expect rough terrain.
This trek doesn't prove too difficult for most of the visitors to the hostel, as most are there to hike (trek) anyway. The hostel serves as a gateway to the mountain trails of the Lakes region of England, and caters to the mountain-walking crowd: as you're already halfway up the mountains, getting an early start guarantees a great day of hiking.
The hostel serves reasonably-priced, delicious, and hearty home-made food, including fresh-baked bread and mouth-watering soups, all served family-style. The rooms are small, the beds comfy, the bathrooms adequate but not great, and the dining room cramped but cozy. The staff and management are very friendly.
Loners and the kid-averse may not like this hostel as it's hard to find any privacy, and many families with kids stay here. I loved the one-big-family atmosphere, though, and would recommend this place to anyone in the area.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
June 2006
Location/Contact
5 Average from 1 Rating
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