Hostels and Bunkhouses in National Parks : Accommodation in stunning landscapes

Hostels and Bunkhouses in National Parks

The spectacular National Parks in the England, Scotland and Wales boast a wonderful selection of hostels and bunkhouses.

These hostels and bunkhouses offer great value, flexible, self-catering accommodation to the many and varied visitors to the National Parks.  Singles, couples, families, groups of friends or families, clubs etc all enjoy the friendly atmosphere and communal ethos that hostels and bunkhouses offer.

If you go to the map above (enlarge it as necessary) you will see all the hostels and bunkhouses in the National Park you want to visit.  Click on the red marker and again on the hostel name and you will get all the key information about that hostel or bunkhouse; the number of rooms, the facilities, the price etc.  Scroll further down for contact details and the link to the hostel’s own website.

To help your search you can use the ‘Find by’ tool at the top of any hostel’s page. Search by your preferred ‘location’, the hostel’s ‘facilities’, ‘activities’ in the area and/or ‘availability’.  Don’t forget, unlike most other types of self catering accommodation, hostels and bunkhouses  allow guests to stay for as short a period as one night. Of course you are most welcome to stay for much longer!

 What is the difference between a hostel and a bunkhouse?

Each hostel and bunkhouse is unique so it is important to explore our database.  Some are very large and can cater for clubs and big family/friend get-togethers.  Others are much more cosy with just a few beds.  Some have just dormitory style rooms whereas others also have private or family rooms with either bunk or conventional beds.  The difference between a hostel and a bunkhouse is very woolly. Often the name is historic and while the accommodation has evolved over the years, the name has not.  You may also come across a number of camping barns in some of the National Parks.  These are much more basic, (which is reflected in the price) and are often little more than a ‘stone tent’ where you need to bring all your own sleeping and cooking equipment.

The history of National Parks and the history of hostels and bunkhouses.

There are now 15 National Parks in the UK.  The newest, the South Downs, was established in 2010. But the first National Park to be designated was the Peak District in 1951.

The history of the National Parks is fascinating. The impetus to form National Parks started some 20 years earlier with The Mass Trespass on Kinder Scout in 1932.  In the years that followed  organisations such as  the Rambler’s Association, the Youth Hostels’ Association (YHA), the Council for the Preservation for Rural England (CPRE) and the Council for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) rallied together to lobby the government for measures to protect, and allow access to the countryside, for the benefit of the nation.