Youth Hostel Blossoms in National Forest

YHA National Forest officially opens its doors this month, welcoming visitors of all ages to this flagship sustainable building on the Leicestershire and Derbyshire borders.

Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is said to be an excellent example of sustainable development – with environmental improvement providing a stimulus to economic regeneration.

The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover for the Forest has already more than doubled to 17.5 per cent and 7 million trees have been planted.

The ultra-modern, 80 bed Youth Hostel is next to the Conkers visitor attraction and is packed with eco-friendly features including:
• A wood-fuelled boiler, using sustainable wood chips sourced locally in the Forest.
• Water heated by solar panels.
• Roof overhangs creating pleasant shaded veranda spaces, and preventing overheating through the windows.
• Internal shutters that insulate against extremes of heat and cold.
• Vents at the top of the building providing in-built ventilation and removing any need for air-conditioning.
• Underground tanks holding rain captured for ‘greywater use’ ie flushing the loos.
• Spray taps and showers, not baths, to reduce water consumption.

Delicious, locally sourced food is a feature of the hostel, which is built to VisitBritain four-star standards, with 23 two, three and four-bedded en suite rooms. Visitors can also enjoy the coffee bar, games room, and bar serving local ales.

The £1.78million building, primarily funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and Leicester Shire Economic Partnership, opened part time in December and has already been fully booked at weekends and holiday periods.

“This is a very exciting time for YHA, especially as it marks the culmination of five years of planning and hard work,” says YHA Sales and Marketing Director Alan Hopley.

“The result is a fantastic new facility that will cater perfectly for school groups and families who are looking to visit Conkers and the many other attractions in The National Forest.”

Clive Keble, Chief Officer Land & Project Development for the National Forest Company added: “The official opening of the new hostel is a significant occasion for the National Forest Company. This great new facility fulfils our objectives of providing high quality overnight accommodation, welcoming groups to the Forest and showing how the use of timber in construction and wood for heat are both sustainable and practical.”

Additional funding for the hostel and other developments on site has come from Leicestershire County Council, North West Leicestershire District Council, Clear Skies, Waste Recycling Environmental Limited (WREN), YHA, the National Forest Company and charitable donations.

Accommodation rates range from £14.95 per person per night or from £11.50 for under 18s.

Valere Tjolle