A visit to the Peak District ~YHA Castleton Losehill Hall

Photo courtesy of YHA Castleton Castleton Losehill Hall

As a student, I have spent many holidays travelling to different cities with my friends, since we were on student budget we used to perpetually stay in youth hostels. These were an inexpensive way to get overnight accommodation, meet other travelers and make new acquaintances. As I got older and secured a job, youth hostel became something of a distant memory as the holidays were always in faraway places and stays were in luxury hotels.

Recently I was contacted by YHA to see if I wanted to visit the Peak District and stay at  their YHA  Castleton Losehill Hall. Not having managed this for many years I jumped at the chance to rekindle my student days.

YHA Castleton Losehill Hall is situated in the heart of the Peak District National Park. It is a fully refurbished gothic mansion which is set within 27 acres of parkland and offers offering beautiful views of the Peak District.

YHA Castleton Losehill Hall is only a stone’s throw from Castleton village in the High Peak district of Derbyshire near the Hope Valley. It is only a 15 minute walk  from the youth hostel to the village.

The village has many public houses, independent stores, quaint tea rooms, Peveril Castle and the Blue John Cavern and caves. Blue John is a semi-precious mineral which also known as Derbyshire Spar.It is a form of fluorite with bands of a purple-blue or yellow colour. You can see it during a visit Blue John Cavern and caves.

The location is perfect for hiking in the peak district with walks up to Mam Tor, Win Hill and Lose Hill.

YHA Castleton Losehill Hall  is a really gorgeous place to stay. The building is a newly refurbished Victorian Gothic house. The building has rooms of all different sizes, going from two to three sharing to eight sharing. Most have en suite bathrooms and additional washroom facilities too.  

There are dining rooms, a fully furnished bar, a lovely lounge room with open fire where you can sit and relax and mingle with fellow travelers. On site are meeting rooms and tranquil spaces too, for those who want to relax on their own.  

There are also has separate mews that are available to hire for private parties that sleep up to 28 people and have fully kitted kitchens and dining facilities. There is plenty of parking, drying rooms, cycle storage, luggage storage and free wifi too.

On site there is a restaurant that offers breakfasts, lunches and suppers. YHA has recently introduced their supperclubs, which offers a communal dining experience with other travelers to encourage people to make new friends and creating a more enjoyable dining experience.

Supper clubs are a great way to start new conversations and discuss with fellow traveler's their day's activities and share interests and team up.

A two course meal starts from as little as £9.95, this includes a main course and dessert . They also cater for all dietary requirements such as vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. Since I am a vegetarian this was important for me and I can definitely vouch for the meal which was delicious and very filling and great value for money.

Breakfasts at the YHA Castleton Losehill Hall are plentiful with a varied choice of toast, pastries, cereals, and a fully cooked English breakfast with tea, coffee, juices and smoothies. It’s the perfect way to kick start your day before embarking on the day’s activities.

Whether you are a solo traveler or visiting in a group, YHA offers many activities such as guided walks, cycling and water activities.  It is the perfect place to stay, which is inexpensive too.

During my stay our group did a three hour escorted hike with my fellow bloggers, it was a terrific experience and offered so many wonderful photo opportunities. The hikes are of different difficulty degrees and you can opt how long and how far you want to walk to suit your ability. Whatever you do, you will not be disappointed with the views which are spectacular.

I will definitely be returning to YHA Castleton Losehill Hall for a longer stay as I think, I have only scratched the surface with exploring the area.

**This post is in collaboration with YHA.