Location, location, location. YHA Black Sail has it. Remote and accessible only on foot, it’s a rural retreat that lovers of the great outdoors can normally only dream about. Located in a traffic-free valley that is being returned to a ‘wild’ state, it’s as tranquil as a stay in the Lakes gets. Those on walking, hiking and climbing holidays will value the superb access to nearby peaks including Great Gable, Pillar, Red Pike and Steeple. Breakfast, packed lunches and home-cooked evening meals are available every day to keep you going.
The Hostel
YHA Black Sail has 16 beds. The common room is the hub of activity and functions as a lounge, dining room and drying room. This iconic hostel is only accessible by foot or bike, but remains very popular with adventurers! Take a rest on our wooden bench outside and admire the view after a long day's hike. We have a cosy wood-burning stove inside, perfect for telling stories around or drying clothes.
We're a really special hostel and make up for mod cons with a wild atmosphere all of our own. The nearest road is 2 1/2 miles away by mountain path. There are no credit card facilities on site so please bring cash or a cheque. There are no electric sockets and mobile phone coverage is limited. The bedrooms, shower and toilets are all accessed from outside, so please bring a torch. Reception opens at 5pm however the common room is left open during the day for guests to use.
Unfortunately, YHA Black Sail does not take campers - all wild camping must be well away from our hostel.
Hire the Whole Place
This hostel is occasionally made available for hire on an exclusive basis. This means that you can have the place to yourself and choose how many of your friends, family, club mates, etc., join you. We allocate availability for exclusive use in blocks, typically up to 90 days in the future. If you are looking for space to stay with us on a normal shared basis, and can’t see any availability three months or more into the future, then this hostel may be being held for Exclusive Hire.
Parking
The hostel is only accessible by foot or bike. The nearest road is 2 1/2 miles away by mountain path. Vehicle access to Black Sail is permitted for staff only and they're permitted to drive between YHA Black Sail and YHA Ennerdale. Customers for YHA Black Sail may leave their cars in the Bowness Knott car park, but their vehicles are not authorised beyond.
Pets
Pets are not permitted at YHA Black Sail. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Access Statment
At YHA Black Sail we strive to cater for everybody. The hostel has no road access and can only be reached on foot. None of the facilities currently meets modern standards of accessibility.
We have:
For more information please download the full access statement here (89KB)
