New British Hostels Near Top Tourist Sites

The Youth Hostel Assn. of England and Wales is opening two new budget facilities in Britain this year--one in Robin Hood country on the edge of Sherwood Forest and the other in Liverpool.

The Sherwood Forest Youth Hostel, scheduled to open May 8, will be just a short walk from the visitor center of the 450-acre Sherwood Forest Country Park at Edwinstowe, which is 20 miles north of Nottingham.

Accommodations for up to 45 travelers will be available in rooms shared by two to five people for $16.25 per person per night. There will be a self-catering kitchen and a lounge with a view of the park. Trails will lead to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre from the hostel. Call 011-44-1-629-825850.

The Liverpool Youth Hostel, due to open in late summer, will be on Chaloner Street in Liverpool’s center, close to Albert Dock. Warehouses at the dock, built in the mid-1800s, have been renovated to house museums, restaurants, offices, shops and a branch of London’s Tate Gallery. You can sign up for tours of Beatles sites here.

The Liverpool hostel will be able to accommodate up to 100 travelers in rooms shared by up to five people. There will be 24-hour access, a cafeteria, lounge, TV room, laundry facilities and a kitchen. The nightly rate of $26.30 will include breakfast.

Further information and bookings can be made through the YHA London Reservations office: telephone 011-44-171-248-6547, fax 011-44-171-236-7681.

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This year the British backpacker bus service, Slow Coach, will be operating Jump On, Jump Off (JOJO) transportation for independent travelers and seven-day guided tours for those who want to move at a faster pace.

The $165 JOJO tour operates from April through September. Pass-holders can get off and on as they choose, traveling in a circular route from London to Bath, Windsor, York, Stratford and Edinburgh. The route includes stops at Lake District National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters. Accommodations are booked and guaranteed on the seven-day tours, but they are not included in the fare. The average rate for a country hostel is $14.70; in London, prices rise as high as $35.50.

Both Slow Coach trips depart from the Slow Coach sales office at Earls Court Hostelling International Hostel, 38 Bolton Gardens, Earls Court, London, SW5. You can contact Slow Coach at tel. 011-44-1249-891959, fax 011-44-1249-892009.

Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer. She can be reached at https://www.izon.com.