Special Interests

If you have a certain passion that you want to indulge during your holiday, look no further than this selection of specialist activities.  History lovers can soak up the culture on organised field trips.  Food and drink connoisseurs can enjoy an evening sampling the best local offerings with fantastic entertainment.  If you enjoy themed events then murder mystery weekends and seasonal festivities are frequently on offer.

Gliding lessons

Bridges Long Mynd

Learn to fly with the Midland Gliding Club, situated on the Long Mynd just a few miles from YHA Bridges.

Gliding courses are available for beginners from March to October, while trial lessons are available at weekends throughout the year.

Lessons should be booked in advance but last minute bookings may be available. Over 14s only.

Call 01588 650206 for more information. For accommodation contact YHA Bridges:

Tel: 01588 650656

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Muder Mystery at St Briavels

St Briavels

Get involved in an intriguing murder plot playing mysterious characters in a murder mystery weekend at YHA St Briavels.

The weekend is run with outside actors with this Norman castle creating the perfect atmosphere.

The package includes two nights bed and breakfast with an evening meal on the Saturday night.

Suitable for adults and children aged 10 and over.

2nts: 13.02.09
Price: Adults £90 (non-members £96), under 18s £80 (non-members £83)
You can purchase YHA membership on arrival at the hostel.

Tel: 0845 371 9042
Email: stbriavels@yha.org.uk

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Okehampton Discovery Breaks - Survival Skills

Okehampton

In 2006 we successfully introduced week-long courses on Exmoor in survival skills as part of YHA's summer camps and now offer this as a weekend course. Learn lots of new skills, fire craft, oven making and cooking, collecting water, shelter building and wild camping. The programme will include a wild camp on Dartmoor.  Great fun for adults and children.  This year we are extending our programme to run separate courses for families and for adults

2nts:
Families: 29.05.09, 24.07.09
Adults: 01.05.09, 14.08.09
Price: Adults £122.00, Under 18s £111.00 

Price includes two nights full board accommodation, all equipment and transport and qualified instruction. The course commences on Friday at 7.30pm with an induction from your instructor and concludes around 4pm on the Sunday with a debrief.

Tel: 0845 371 9651
Email: okehampton@yha.org.uk

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Find your roots - family history weekend for beginners

Stratford Upon Avon

Take your first footsteps in tracing your roots, you’ll learn how to get started and explore sources for family history research. Your tutor will introduce websites with advice on how to find the information you need, and provide suggestions for the presentation of your family history and family tree.

2nts: 11.04.09
Price: £96.50

Package includes two nights full board accommodation, morning coffee, welcome drink, tuition and internet access

Tel: 0845 371 9661
Email: stratford@yha.org.uk

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YHA Kington free pick 'n' mix local activity packs

Kington

To explore the local area around Herefordshire at your own leisure, YHA Kington offers guests a series of five self-led pick ‘n’ mix activity packs.  Choose from:

  • Hearty Herefordshire (local food & drink)
  • Hedonistic Herefordshire (local outdoor activities)
  • Historic Herefordshire (local historic buildings)
  • Holy Herefordshire (local churches, abbeys & cathedral)
  • Horticultural Herefordshire (local gardens)

To receive a free e-copy of any of these, please email YHA Kington

Tel: 0845 371 9053
Email: kington@yha.org.uk

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Discover, Explore and Learn with the National Trust

Salcombe

Why not Discover, Explore And Learn With The National Trust And YHA Salcombe? You can volunteer for a half or full day and explore some beautiful coastal landscape. 

Local National Trust warden Andrew Marsh takes pre-arranged groups into the local area to bracken-bash, pond-dip, learn rural skills and beach-clear.  It’s an excellent way to explore the area and learn new skills at the same time. For more details please email Andrew at andrew.marsh@nationaltrust.org.uk.

Tel: 0845 371 9341
Email: salcombe@yha.org.uk

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To Die For... Murder Mystery weekends

Cambridge

Run without outside actors. You and the other participants play character roles in an intriguing murder plot. This package includes two nights B&B and an evening meal on the Saturday night.

Price: Adults £106.40, under 18 £94.40
Private twin rooms are available for £225

Please contact YHA Cambridge for dates

Tel: 0845 371 9728
Email: cambridge@yha.org.uk

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Surf and Sea Life

Newcastle

A fantastic break for families, friends and groups. Learn to surf or brush up on your technique with surfing lessons at Tynemouth and marvel at the under-water world in the Blue Reef Aquarium while staying at YHA Newcastle.  Package includes 2 nights bed and breakfast accommodation, all surf equipment hire and admission to the aquarium.

2nts: Any dates this season
Price: Adults £59, Under 18s £51

Tel: 0845 371 9335
Email: newcastle@yha.org.uk

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High flying

Broad Haven

This course with Big Blue Kitesurfing, offers an introduction to kite sports leaving you with all the skills you need to practice safely on your own.  It covers the basics of power kiting on the beach before introducing a mountainboard to master using the kite to power movement. 

Then, after a bit of practice, we combine all the skills to master getting up on the board and moving along on the water. There's a lot to learn in two days but the three day course gives you a bit more time to practice!

For further information visit www.bigbluekitesurfing.com
For information on YHA accommodation in the area click here.

3 night/2 day course 
Catered: Adult £325, U18 £315
Self-catering: Adult £280, U18 £270

4 night/3 day course
Catered: Adult £435, U18 £425
Self-catering: Adult £375, U18 £365 

To book please contact Sue Jervis at YHA Broad Haven.

Tel: 0845 371 9008
Email: broadhaven@yha.org.uk

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Trout Fishing

Edmundbyers

In conjunction with Derwent Reservoir Ranger Team
Day permit - 8 Fish from £16.50
Concessionary rate - 8 fish from £14.50
Stress Buster - 4 Fish from £13.50

For further information Tel: 01207 255250
2nts: March - November
Accommodation from £26 per person


Tel: 0845 371 9633
Email: edmundbyers@yha.org.uk

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