Volunteering - YHA Ambleside April-May 2016

The majesty of the Lake District. Memory fails me on the exact location, and words don't do it justice.

Beware: Purple prose incoming.

I have made no secret of my love for the Lake District: prince of my heart, apple of my eye. Clouds, you may have noticed, have a strange way of heightening the beauty of some places, and it's very fortunate for the Lake District that they do, because I have 'suffered' through some exceptionally wet holidays there. Fortunate as it is to have its manifold delights remain undampened, even thrown into relief, by the frequent rain, the region's high number of YHA hostels is hardly surprising.

Between April and May 2016, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to volunteer at YHA Ambleside, on the shores of the impressive Windermere, the largest lake in England. Not content with mere geographical supremacy, it looms large in literature too, in terms of the works it has inspired. Wordsworth wrote about it (obviously), and Oscar Wilde used the name for the titular character of his play Lady Windermere's Fan. Immortality in verse: achieved.

Sunset, as viewed from the waterfront by the hostel.

YHA Ambleside truly is on the very edge of Windermere, the waterfront within spitting distance of the front doors (if, like Gaston, you are especially good at expectorating). On many evenings, guests and staff alike are treated to spectacular sunsets across the lake.

My work at Ambleside consisted of four principal duties: housekeeping, pot washing, waiting tables and staffing the bar. The rhythm of life there was much the same as in Ilam or Swanage, although as I have mentioned before, each hostel has its own ways of doing things. YHA Ambleside, for example, is quite large, with a bustling kitchen and frequent school parties that meant catering was more industrial in scope, at least during the early summer of my stay.

A larger scale also entails a larger team. My visit coincided with that of a number of Spanish staff that made the already international hostelling experience feel even more global. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a more supportive group to have my back during working hours, nor for more knowledgeable providers when it came to suggestions on the best local hikes and activities.

The view over Grasmere from atop Loughrigg Fell.

As I recall, for most of my hikes, I set my needle northwards, heading up to Loughrigg Fell on multiple occasions, there to enjoy the view over Grasmere towards Helvellyn (although accompanying points of elevation Fairfield Peak and Seat Sandal rudely obscure most of the mountain itself). The village of Grasmere, like many settlements in the Lakes, has an Arcadian charm to it. You are no doubt familiar with the quaint image of storied stone buildings and bucolic surrounds, and the reality more than lives up to this imagined creation. When it comes to the Lake District however, I confess that I have always been more interested in the works of nature than of man.

The view across Grasmere from the southern shore.

The walks around Grasmere (the lake) and its neighbour Rydal Water are lovely, and very manageable in terms of terrain and elevation too. While it's possible to go around both in a couple of hours, they merit a slower circumnavigation if you have the time, particularly if you want to build in detours. Rydal Cave, a former slate quarry just up the south side of Rydal Water is certainly worth a look. Although there isn't too much to see inside, it's worth traversing the stepping stones and looking back out of the jagged mouth for the atmosphere alone.

Rydal Cave, looking out.

YHA Ambleside verdict: Great!

My time at Ambleside passed quickly, which is famously a mark of enjoyment. The team there were great company as always, and it was the perfect base camp for striking out on long hikes during my time off.

The end of my stay heralded the arrival of my brother, and we trekked over Helvellyn to the YHA on the other side. More about that, and other small hostelling shoutouts, next week.

A shot from a northwards hike.

For more accounts of my experiences volunteering with the YHA, visit this hub.