The hostelling 50+ group travelled up to the Lake District and stayed 2 nights at Elterwater Hostel in the Langdale Valley. Here are our reflections: what we thought and what we did.
Elterwater Hostel: The facilities and service
By Jean & Sue
Very very helpful staff who go way beyond the call of duty (ie providing parking ticket for distraught guest, carrying suitcase to room if needed, and helping me to work my new camera!)
Beautiful area with wonderful views.
Free tea/coffee in kitchen with small jug of milk in fridge and wonderful big wrapped flapjack slices in reception for £1.
No television and no background music.
Home cooked meals, two courses for reasonable price.
Breakfast
Pub close by (didn’t use so can’t comment).
Bus stop nearby and good bus service in whole area. I bought £29 weekly bus ticket which was good value.
Elterwater Hostel: Our walks and visits
By David
The weather was very kind to us, in fact some of the group might even have been complaining about the heat! Wednesday saw the group walking from Elterwater via High Close and Loughrigg Terrace to Rydal with some carrying on via Loughrigg Tarn to complete a circuit.
Thursday saw visits to Rydal Mount(Wordsworth’s home), Rydal Hall Gardens and Allen Banks, where the red squirrels came out to greet us.
Friday we journeyed on and it seemed a great opportunity to introduce the group to the lake passes, and this was achieved by taking the Buttermere bus from Keswick, out via Whinlatter and return via Honister pass calling in at Derwentwater on the way. Had we had time we could have extended our trip with a couple of nights at Derwentwater Independent Hostel.