St Davids Winter Hostel Weekend
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January can be a gloomy month! Post Christmas blues, cold days, long dark nights and abandoning your New Year Resolutions can make it all seem a bit glum. No wonder the third Monday of January is called Blue Monday. But you can lift your spirits by joining us for a lovely hostel weekend at St. David’s.
Pembrokeshire’s ruggedly beautiful coastline and heather moorland is steeped in Celtic history. Close-by ancient St. David’s is the smallest city in the UK with a population of just 1,700! Parts of its Cathedral date back 1,500 years and David’s symbol, the leek, is now the national symbol of Wales.
The hostel is a converted farmhouse and set in a stunning location, nestled beneath the rocky Carn Llidi and Carnedd-Lleithr and close to the Blue Flag beach at Whitesands Bay – known as a great surfing beach. It truly is a rural retreat, pretty much as far west as you can go in Wales with breathtaking bays, beaches and hills.
Unlike St. David himself I can’t guarantee we’ll refrain from eating meat or drinking beer, but we’re sure to have a wonderful time. So don’t be down, cast off all those thoughts about Blue Monday and come along to join friends and a warm welcome at St. David’s.
The hostel
Freshly renovated and redecorated in 2017, this 31 bed hostel has both private rooms and dorm rooms available in the Farmhouse and the Dairy. The Farmhouse has a new self-catering kitchen and cosy lounge with a wood burner and there is new furniture throughout. There are shared bathroom facilities for all of the rooms. Room breakdown is as follows:
The Dairy
5 x 2 bed rooms, 2 x 4 bed rooms (these rooms contain bunk beds).
The Farmhouse
1 x 5 bed room with a double bed, 1 x 3 bed room with a double bed, 2 x 2 bed rooms with double beds, 1 x 1 bed room
What to bring
As this is a YHA hostel bedding is provided, but please remember to bring a towel, your washing kit and clothes to wear about the hostel. In addition please remember we’ll be walking in January so you’ll need to come prepared for cold and possibly wintery wet weather.
Here’s a quick check list: Hiking boots, Walking socks, Gaiters (if you have them), and Walking trousers (not jeans or joggers please), Waterproof trousers, Warm Layers, Waterproof jacket, Hat, Gloves, Rucksack. Non essentials include any personal Emergency Equipment and Map/compass if you’d just like to know where you are.
Do remember the weather can be unpredictable and change quickly in this region, so do come prepared.
Food & drink
Friday Evening: Arrive, meet others and socialise, welcome meeting and possibly an evening activity. We'll have the usual Outdoor lads buffet. Please bring something that can be shared between two or three people.
Saturday Day: After breakfast (which is included in the event cost), we’ll head out (subject to the weather of course!) into the surrounding countryside for a good walk. Please bring a packed lunch with you and maybe pack a flask for a hot drink if it’s really wintery.
Saturday Evening: We’ll light the wood burner and relax. Dinner is included in the event cost, after which we may have an activity to join in if you wish.
Sunday: After breakfast (included in the event cost) you are either free to go home or join in a possible activity such as a visit to the Cathedral, and maybe end up at a local pub for a Sunday roast.
Tea & Coffee: Will be provided throughout the weekend
Other Drinks: Please bring your own