Radical roots

Chatting to a reporter from the BBC last week while taking part in an interview about the history of youth hostels, I was reminded that youth hostels were radical when they began and how much work had to be done to secure their future in 1930. Youth hostels are such a part of life for... Continue Reading →

Malham – a family affair

The youth hostel at Malham is a lasting testament to one man and the history of his wider family’s long association with youth hostels.  John Dower, a local architect, designed the hostel in 1937. He also designed the youth hostels at Eskdale in Cumbria and at Bellingham in Northumberland. He achieved a wider reputation when... Continue Reading →

A brief history of international hostels

In 1932 people around Europe banded together and started an era of travel for all young people. Here's the brief story of those events. You can read the full story of how youth hostels developed in Richard Schirrmann, the man who invented youth hostels, available from Amazon, paperback or kindle. In the early 1930s different... Continue Reading →

A kitchen in Seattle

Youth hostel style is about freedom and sharing and their approach to food shows it. Landed in Seattle after a long flight from London we got lost. It's easy to do in a new city. Seattle is the city of aircraft and software. Once the headquarters of Boeing, the city is the home of Amazon... Continue Reading →

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