YHA Helvellyn

Don't love mixed-sex bathrooms. On Saturday night I felt like I was brushing my teeth in the gents loo at the pub. And the shower cubes are very small, bearing in mind you have to be fully dressed to step out. We christened the road up (which takes 8-15 minutes to drive, depending on whether you meet traffic) the Track of Doom, but we got the hang of it in the end. Fantastic walk-out location, lovely staff, fresh and tasty breakfast.

Stayed for 2 nights in female dorm. Great location to walk eastern fells. Road to hostel is about a mile long consisting of uneven surface of basically rocks but now and again with slabs and not many passing places. Staff all lovely. Staying again in a few weeks.

First time using YHA and we were extremely impressed. Staff are courteous, knowledgeable and patient - even when dealing with some customers unrealistic expectations. Visitors need to remember this is a hostel and not a hotel - and priced accordingly! We thought it was a fantastic location, hard to beat. We did some self catering (large clean and well equipped kitchen) and the restaurant meals. Everywhere was super clean, it was quiet and we will recommend it to anyone who will listen!

I had a fantastic stay at YHA Helvellyn! The hostel was spotlessly clean throughout, from the dorm rooms to the shared facilities. It’s clear the staff take a lot of pride in maintaining a welcoming and hygienic environment. The team were also incredibly friendly and helpful — always happy to offer advice on walking routes or just have a cheerful chat. The food was another highlight: tasty, hearty, and perfect after a long day of hiking in the surrounding mountains. I’d definitely recommend this hostel to anyone looking for a comfortable and friendly base in the Lake District!

Stunning location at the foot of the mountains. A bit of a walk from Glenridding so be prepared if you are travelling on foot. Rooms are clean and tidy. Could do with more sockets. Bathrooms all tidy and mostly clean, very rarely a wait when we were staying. Rooms are very warm - evening without the heating on - which is no doubt welcome in winter but a bit too warm when we stayed in April!

My first experience staying at a hostel and just wanted to say that the two night stay was superb. As a solo traveller the Team were friendly and helpful and made me feel at ease |Food was good and wholesome also reasonably priced. |Showers and toilets were clean, the drying room helpful following my charity Ullswater kayak for New Life ( sick and premature babies) |The only negative was the limited electrical sockets in the room near the beds. |The track is just that, uneven and a few potholes. Just need to drive very slow. |I will certainly return. Thank you. Jeanette

Stayed at YHA Helvellyn for four days and absolutely loved it. It got busy over Easter but everyone was relaxed, kind and friendly. The team running the hostel know what they are doing, and they are doing a great job. The Youth Hostel is brilliantly located half way up the hills, and there are plenty of walks starting right at its door step. Tour up the Hevellyn on a sunny day one of best walks in the Lake District. Will come again!

Excellent quality facilities for a fellside hostel. Maybe even too good! Showers were reliably hot with no time limit. Small drying room but with plenty of hanging space. The whole hostel was toasty warm and clean and tidy. Only a couple of snug nooks for relaxing space, but this didnt seem to be a problem wven on a busy evening. WiFi works well in cafe/bar area. ||Staff were all really friendly and welcoming despite being busy and in the process of training others. ||TRACK TO HOSTEL: a few other reviews have questioned the state of the track up to the hostel. As of March 2025 you can manage fine in an average car as long as you take it steady. There are no bumps or drops bigger than a usual street kerb or speedbump.