youth hostels, the history, people and ideas behind them
Maeshafn from an early postcard (courtesy John Martin collection). "I think that Beauty, The Strange Necessity - as Rebecca West once called it - is something that matters profoundly to humanity, and that unless the race of man perishes from the earth, it will increasingly value that Grace, will seek it, and will ultimately attain... Continue Reading →
Youth hostels and design get a lot of attention today and I've been writing about why we shouldn't be surprised by finding good design in hostels. Architects have a long history of getting involved in youth hostels and one of the first in Britain was Sir Patrick Abercrombie. He’s best known for planning London after the... Continue Reading →
Today designer hostels create a stir. CN Traveller has picked up on them. Wallpaper, the magazine with the latest news on architecture, design, and lifestyle, has too, along with many other newspapers and magazines. Hilton hotels have launched their concepts for a new brand they call Motto based on the hostel concept. If the idea... Continue Reading →
"Wet suits fitted", the sign said. We had just arrived in Ambleside. The rain blew softly around us as it often does in that town. We might have wanted to keep dry but the sign declared some thing else. River, lake and wild swimming have become a British fashion as we rediscover water is a... Continue Reading →
Idwal Cottage in Snowdonia is a favourite of mine. Its location is perfect, its facilities great and its history unrivalled. It’s located among marvellous hills. They’re big - technically mountains - and the challenge of climbing them rises in your face, with no long treks to get among them. They’re big and ugly and they... Continue Reading →
SIMPLY HOSTELS 