Southeast England is the most populated part of Britain and you are never far from habitation. Yet most of the region is well-wooded and undulating, and it includes much pleasant scenery, interesting towns and villages and some coastal areas. There are several hostels which are much nicer than most of the London ones!
Several of these places are ideal for a short break from London, and some are very convenient if you would like to stay in a peaceful area and travel into London for the day.
Choose one of these areas:
Jordans hostel, in a village with historical associations with the Quaker movement, is open throughout the year. It is 1 km from a station with day return tickets to London:
Address: Welders Lane, Jordans, Beaconsfield
Tel: 0870-770-5886
Email: jordans + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Small hostel, self-catering, £11 (2005). Equipped kitchen, lounge/dining, cycle store, grounds, camping, bbq.
Harlow is a good town base for exploring the area, with frequent trains to London and Stansted airport. Its hostel is well-located near trains and buses, with parking close by, and both a pub and a town park next door:
Address: 13 School Lane
Tel: 01279-421702
Email: mail + AT + h-i-h.co.uk
Facilities: £10 (2005), self-catering, easy-going staff. Sociable common room with stereo, jukebox, books, games, internet, no TV; well-equipped kitchen; smoke-free; garden with tables and bbq..
UK Trail opinions: A sociable hostel with easy atmosphere, pub and car parking adjacent, pleasant walks in town park, close to buses and trains..
Address: Windmill Lane
Tel: 0870-770-6118
Email: leevalley + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: £16 (2005), meals, lg lounge w TV, deck, grounds w picnic tables, self-contained lodges with limited kitchen /lounge/dining and TV.
UK Trail opinions: Very well equipped but kitchen equipment poor, very good breakfast, pleasant grounds, walks in country park, excellent access to trains for London, partly sociable but not if people stay in their separate TV rooms.
Address: Devil's Punchbowl, Off Portsmouth Rd
Tel: 01428-604285
Email: reservations + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Self-catering, no car access, no showers.
Address: off Ranmore Road, Dorking
Tel: 01306-877964
Email: tanners + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Self-catering, no car access.
Address: Radnor Lane, Dorking
Tel: 01306-730777
Email: holmbury + AT + yha.org.uk
A favourite place to visit is Leeds Castle, near Maidstone. This is very expensive at £13, though you might be able to get a discount through age or a membership (but not YHA). There's 3 hours worth of great interest including the castle itself, extensive grounds with gardens, lakes and bird collections, and a super maze.
Address: Capstone Road, Gillingham
Tel: 0870-770-5964
Email: medway + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Purpose-designed hostel in an old oast house, next to country park, 3 km from city. Kitchen, dining area with small tables, several lounge areas, meals..
UK Trail opinions: A comfortable hostel with several common areas, but kitchen is oppressive as it has no windows and weak extractor fan..
Address: 40 Nunnery Fields
Tel: 01227-786121
Email: info + AT + kipps-hostel.com
Facilities: Owner-run, self-catering, £14 (2005). Medium-size kitchen, dining room, TV lounge with videos and internet, garden, cycle store, bike hire, shop, laundry, camping in own or supplied tent, smoke-free indoors..
UK Trail opinions: A pleasant hostel with a casual sociable atmosphere, well regarded by guests, with easy-going helpful staff. Clean but rather cramped..
Address: 54 New Dover Road
Tel: 0870-770-5744
Email: canterbury + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Attractive large building, £16 incl breakfast (2005). Often has large groups. Beside busy main road. Equipped moderate kitchen with small dining area, dining room shared with groups, lounge with large TV, pool and books, garden..
UK Trail opinions: A good hostel, but large groups and traffic noise could be annoyances. Manager says there is now silence rule after 2300h. Meals only for large groups..
Address: Doddington, Sittingbourne
Tel: 01795-886200
Email: info + AT + palacefarm.com
Facilities: Owner-run, £16 (2005) incl moderate breakfast. Equipped kitchen, dining room/lounge with TV and wood stove, patio tables & barbecue, drying room, spacious dorms, smoke-free indoors. Country walks, bike hire..
UK Trail opinions: You pay a little more than at most hostels but you get very comfortable, spacious and quiet accommodation in the heart of the country, with very welcoming staff and little extras such as laminated guides for local walks. The owner runs the farm and is an enthusiast for his native Kent..
Address: 3-4 Royal Esplanade, Westbrook Bay
Tel: 0870-770-5956
Email: margate + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Self-catering, closed 1000-1700h. On sea front. Popular with groups and families. 2 common rooms both with TVs, equipped kitchen shared with staff use, large dining room, garden with seating, laundry, wireless internet..
UK Trail opinions: Seems sociable with pleasant staff..
Address: Frog Firle, Alfriston, Polegate
Tel: 0870-770-5666
Email: alfriston + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: £11 (2005), closed daytime, popular for families. Meals, kitchen, common rooms, internet, cycle store, garden.
Address: Bank Cottages
Tel: 01273-301357
Email: reservations + AT + yha.org.uk
Address: 75-76 Middle Street
Tel: 01273-777717
Email: stay + AT + brightonbackpackers.com
Facilities: Kitchens, TV, internet, friendly atmosphere, with annexe.
Address: 33 Oriental Place
Tel: 01273-733740
Facilities: KItchen, TV room, friendly.
One of the next resorts west of Brighton is Littlehampton. This has a newly developed wharf complex in which is a new YHA hostel:
Just inland from Littlehampton is Arundel, well-placed for walks on the South Downs. The YHA hostel there is popular with families. It is a good place to stay if you are touring by car, and backpackers can reach Arundel by bus or train then walk 2 km along a riverside path:
Address: Warnigcamp
Tel: 0870-770-5676
Email: arundel + AT + yha.org.uk
Facilities: Popular with families. Pleasant reception/bar w TV, TV lounge, meals, large dining room, kitchen with eating area, drying room, internet, cycle store, camping.
UK Trail opinions: Pleasant hostel in country area, but 1.5km from station.
You have a 5 km walk across country to get to this bothy:
Address: Gumber Farm, Slindon
Tel: 01243-814484
Facilities: No car access, low-cost, sleeping platform, limited kitchen.
Address: Tottington Barn, Shoreham-by-Sea
Tel: 01903-813419
The only hostel well inland is a small self-catering hostel tucked away in wooded countryside. Local buses within 1 km, rail within 4 km, National Express bus at Uckfield 7 km away:
BLACKBOYS YHA has been closed by YHA, but may be reopened as a YHA- affiliated hostel.