Anyone fond of the old YHA days will remember Dolgoch Youth Hostel..
Dolgoch Hostel was a simple YHA hostel in the Elenydd Valleys that had a loyal supporter base of Youth Hostellers. It was a shock to all when the YHA put Dolgoch Hostel and it’s sister hostel Tyncornel Hostel up for sale in 2007! Upset at the loss of these remote hostels, the supporters set up their own trust “ELENYDD WILDERNESS HOSTELS TRUST”. They aimed to buy the two hostels. In January 2007 they began operating Tyncornel Hostel as a private youth hostel under a lease. While fundraising to purchase Dolgoch Hostel too. In Autumn 2007, to everyone’s delight, they bought Dolgoch Hostel!
For the following 7 years Dolgoch and Tyncornel hostels remained affiliated to the YHA as private youth hostels. Renovations also took place to improve comfort at the hostels. These renovations were very thoughtful as it was important to maintain the character and eco credentials of the building.
During this period the YHA renamed them as bunkhouses due to their simple, undemanding nature. Then in 2017, the YHA excluded both these private youth hostels from their marketing scheme. Despite many appeals and national publicity, these two hostels were forced to rely on their own marketing and the Independent Hostels Network for all their publicity. The good news is, despite many adversities, both hostels are thriving without support from the YHA.
Dolgoch Youth Hostel has been a traditional simple youth hostel for many years, offering warmth and restoration in the wild Elenydd valleys of South Wales. Now an Independent Hostel Dolgoch Hostel continue to thrive, providing comfort and company to walkers and cyclists in these wilds. It can be booked via its own website and the Independent Hostel network.
Find out more about Dolgoch Hostel