YHA Christmas pt1

Christmas spent at a Youth Hostel on the edge of Ilkley Moor West Yrokshire

September the local YHA group secretary announced that Burley Woodhead hostel would be open over Christmas for a party' our group were taking over as Temporary Wardens; the full time warden would be in residence but only to be contacted in case of an emergency

Booking were required by the end of the month, after that it would be announced in the YHA monthly bulletin

The hostel would be open from the Friday preceding Christmas until after New Years day bookings for part of the period would be accepted.

I booked in at work to take the whole period off

 

Friday 22 December I set out by bus to Bradford, then on to Shipley.

Leaving the bus outside Titus Salts textile factory I walked through the streets of stone built houses to Shipley Glen; a busy place in spring and summer now it was deserted, the tramway which carried numerous visitors up to the top of the wooded path was now closed. I had no option but to take to the steep foot path, climbing the five hundred foot, one mile long path to the top.

I rested; taking my thermos flask of milk-less tea from my back poured a cup, resting against the  way-marker post in preference to sitting on the cold wooden seat, sipped the hot tea; watching a pack of beagle hounds being coaxed along the road back to their kennels.

Replacing the cup on the flask and back into my pack. Crossing the narrow road climbed over the stile built into the drystone built using stone picked from the area, a common sight in this area, by travelling builders who moved from site to site enclosing land under the 'enclosure acts' passed by various Parliaments over the preceding three hundred years.

Over the stile you were on the open Ilkley Moor, of the song,  I had no intention of going 'bhat me at' on this cold afternoon and pulled it tighter on my head lest the wind got hold and took it off.

Passing though scrub, Wild Roses. Broom on to a clear land of harsh dark green almost black moorland grass with no clear path.

Taking out map and compass, I set a direction to take, I needed to step out as darkness was fast approaching across the rough terrain.

Reaching the highest point I could see down into the valley; I was about one mile off my intended exit, now close to the Cow and Calf Inn, below the crags from which it was named. In summer the haunt of picnickers who dernt venture from the sight of the road and inn and the intrepid climbers who came to scale the various climbs up the cliff faces.

Now in complete darkness under a starless sky I made my way to the hostel gate, down the rough surfaced tree lined path to the hostel.

An impressive house built in the 1800's by a textile magnate in the style of an Elizabethan mansion with wing at each end an ariel view representing a Capital E;  the lights were on in all the rooms both central downstairs and up stairs

 

Entering the hostel by the front door into the hallway

I was met by a familiar face.

"Are you on foot today no bike?   

"Yes I thought it would be a change and prove to you hikers that cyclists are able to walk"

"Did you come over the moor then?

"Yes just got to the road by the cow and Calf as it got dark"

"We have put you in dorm two, take your stuff up then when you are ready there it a warm drink in the kitchen the girls have taken it over; warm drink and food until later, don't ask me when later is, that is for them to decide. You dont need to sign in now we will wait a wile and do everyone together" 

I removed my boots, took my bag upstairs got cleaned up and went down to the kitchen

 

"Here you are which do you want veggie soup, tea or coffee that is all the warm drinks for now. We have sandwiches only tonight we thought with people arriving in dribs and drabs a warm meal would be wasteful we could keep it warm and edible"

"Thank you for a start I will finish off my flask and clean it out< soup sounds good and whatever you have in sandwiches will be fine, whatever you have the most off"

"Cheese then, is that OK - we are planning a sing along for later"

"Thanks this soup smells tempting dont know which to have first. I am going to dip my sandwich in the soup"

 

Around seven o'clock people began to assemble in the common room, in the left hand front room, at one time the Drawing Room; there were six armchairs, arranged three to two low coffee tables facing the large fire place, ready and set for lighting at some time later, at each side were small piles of chopped logs to use for refuelling. Two dining tables with wooden chairs and in one corner a number of folding chairs against the wall awaiting use. On the wall facing the tall window was a framed oil painting of "The Cow and Calf" cliffs, signed J Scott; presumably left by J Scott following one of the many art and craft workshops

 

Three volunteered as piano players they had brought along a few sheets of music

It was eight o'clock when the started playing, a group gathered round the piano and sang along to the music, other just sat around talking joining in with the songs when the knew the words. There was no order to the songs it was just a random selection from the individual player or by request

At ten o'clock the warden and assistant wardens came in; thinking they had come to close down for the night playing stopped

The warden said "Carry on we are not here to send you off, we would like to join in with you if we may"

 A chorus of "Yes! Came from the hostelers

Two of the girls came in we have made some tea in an urn and hot water in another for those who prefer other drinks if we can have volunteers to carry them in

 

The party went on until after midnight

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is a superb, entrancing, & entertaining story! I like to write of my own hikes & it's fun to compare the things you share that I either can't remember or I never think to share. This is a very balanced story, full of your usual attention to detail about locations & routes, woven with more feeling-type observations & great dialogue. Your dialogue is a great example of show instead of tell (first rule of writing). Great job! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Margie - You always give such explicit reviews
I do like to take you with me on our trips
Show instead of tell { written instructions ? was part of my trade remember ? }

[barleygirl]

What I mean by "show instead of tell" . . . some might drone on & on using description to tell about how things were inside the hostel . . . but when you use dialogue, it's more dynamic than description, especially the way you are showing us all this interesting stuff about life in the hostel, what's there, what's offered, what the people are like . . . you show us the hostel by conveying the interactions going on there, rather than by droning on with expository which can be static & boring . . .

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Margie
I could as you say go on about the dorms, self cooker kitchen & such
Better to leave some bits to the imagination (any way I have lost much of that sort of detail)
Just have the interaction - what I do remember & fill in bits to fit

[Verse]

I have to admit that I started out skeptical, as I am not a huge fan of travelogues. But this is art.

What I enjoyed most was the sweep of this narrative, deceptively laid out as journal entries. The author takes us from broad to narrow, general to specific, neutral to festive and happy, hearsay to felt experience. If this were a song and not a story, I would talk about the thematic trajectory as chord progression, the changes of mood that carry the reader along to the finish.

I felt like I had had a wonderful walking tour, and stayed up late for the party!

Very well told.

V

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Vertse > I am using my pictures where I can in an attempt to make a story (True ones)
read moreThank you Vertse > I am using my pictures where I can in an attempt to make a story (True ones)
Someone once told me we had been nowhere > Well we haven't been on an organised holiday to a beach to just sit in the sun and drink warm whatever
All our hols have been camping or similar

Have made attempts at writing for camping mags > they just want you to flip over places with little detail #Stay with me and enjoy out travels > the interesting bits

[Verse]

Haha! Yes, there was no doubt in my mind that this was a true story. What I mean when I jokingly say deceptive is that fairy dust and history are packaged as diary entries.

[Wild Rose]

Understand No dusty diaries here picture some restored from old (1907 oldest) photos

[Neville]

This is one super recollection, and the subsequent telling of what must surely have been one of the most memorable Christmases ever... and it makes a reet good read too, most enjoyable..... Neville

[Wild Rose]

Yes those were the days > carefree > Christmas with like minded friends > away evert weekend
This is part 1
Excitement to come before Christmas though > Well not really 'exciting' - tinged with some danger

[Neville]

Bring it on....