Above the Conwy Valley - Hostel Weekend
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Nestled above Rhiw Farm, looking out on the Conwy Valley is our venue for the weekend - a beautiful spot, easily accessed from the North Wales Expressway (the A55) but offering seclusion and privacy that rivals most hostels in the UK. With no light pollution around, it is great for stargazing and being on the edge of the Carneddau Mountain range, there are some wonderful walk options too.
A modern hostel, Rowen has a mix of two bed to 8 bedded rooms with a number of toilet and shower rooms plus a very good drying room - though, hopefully the rain can stay away!
The hostel has the benefit of an open fire, so as this is winter, we should likely be able to retire with the fire on in one or both of the reception rooms across the hostel.
Alternatively, we have the benefit of an external fire pit so bring your wood and lets make a fire and sit out under the stars!
This weekend offers so much - seclusion and access to wonderful walks either mountain or local countryside but be mindful, the hostel is on a hill so no matter where we go, there will be hills!
We have lots of OutdoorLads members who have applied to become hostel leaders, so we will be using this event as an opportunity to assess one of them: John will be taking on most of the leadership tasks during the event, under Danny's watchful eye ;)
See you there :-)
Dogs: Four dogs are permitted at this venue at an additional charge. Please contact the office on support@outdoorlads.com or 0161 420 0001 to book and pay for a dog space, £30 per dog (charged by the venue.)
Photos: Photos are the property of the YHA and used by OutdoorLads with permission. Other images are the property of the event leader and are used with their permission.
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are extremely mild, or who has recently tested positive for Covid-19, is asked not to attend.
What to bring
For the hostel:
Bedding: Provided to typical YHA standard. You may choose to bring an extra pillow.
Wash kit: remember to include a towel, shower gel and shampoo
Flip Flops/ sliders: or something similar to wear around the hostel
Indoor Clothes: Comfortable easy wear around the Hostel and out to the pub (if we are allowed/ if it is still operating)
If you are a sensitive sleeper you may also want to consider bringing earplugs as the rooms are shared rooms.
For the daytime:
Drinks Containers: for at least two litres for water etc, and maybe a flask too.
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc. and a small First Aid kit for personal use is always useful including blister and ordinary plasters
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain but all weather Boots are really the best default option!!
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions - this is peat moorland country! - boggy is a default condition!
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket & trousers: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
*Swimwear: If we decide nearer the date to visit Adventure Parc Snowdonia
Food & drink
Friday Evening: Please bring an item for the buffet either savoury or sweet. Please do not go overboard; I hate throwing stuff away. This should be something enough for ONE PERSON. Home cooked/baked will get extra brownie points, as will any shop bought that shows imagination.
Breakfasts on Sat & Sun: Included in the event cost. This will be cereals, toast and/or fruit salad with yogurt.
Lunches: Please bring food, flask etc for your own lunches; there are no shops in the immediate vicintiy of the hostel. Snacks that you'd normally enjoy throughout the day.
Saturday Evening: Three course meal included in the event cost.
Tea , coffee and juice are provided throughout the weekend. Other drinks: please bring your own.
We will attempt to cater for all dietary requirements; there will certainly be vegetarian/vegan alternatives for the evening dinners. Depending on how many of you are gluten free or have other allergies, we will accommodate them in the evening meals but for breakfasts we might ask you to provide your own milk/bread/cereal substitute, it just depends on the final numbers involved set against a limited budget!
Please ensure your dietary requirements are up to date on your profile, so that we can plan meals accordingly.