YHA Bridges

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY5 0SP

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Private room View options & details

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To see prices and availability, enter dates and guests.

What our private rooms offer

Bed linen
Central heating
Cot available
Disabled access rooms available
En-suite rooms available
Hangers
Heating
Hot water
Lock on doors
Smoke alarm
WiFi in rooms

What you need to know about our private rooms

Check-in: From 17:00 - 22:00
Check-out: Before 10:00
Bedding: Bedding is supplied in all our private rooms.
Towels: Towels are not supplied as standard.

Hire

Whole hostel View options & details

Sleeps up to 28 people
5 bedrooms
4 bathrooms

A former village school, YHA Bridges offers a traditional hostelling experience with original features including a grand fireplace. The ideal spot for those looking for the perfect countryside walking holiday with family and friends.

Where you'll sleep

Across the entire building there is a total of five bedrooms.

Ground floor

Two en-suite rooms that sleep up to 4 people each. They include 2 sets of bunk beds.

First floor

Two rooms that sleep up to 6 people each. They include 3 sets of bunk beds.

One en-suite room that sleeps up to 8 people. It includes 4 sets of bunk beds.

A cot is available.

Shared spaces

Kitchen and dining

The small kitchen is located on the ground floor and includes a range of conveniences listed below.

Kitchen appliances: grill, kettle, microwave, mini fridge, oven, refrigerator, stove, toaster.

Kitchenware: dishes and cutlery for 28 people, kitchen utensils, pots, pans.

Cooking basics: salt and pepper, tomato sauce, brown sauce.

Cleaning basics: anti-bacterial spray, bin bags, paper towels, soap, tea towels, washing up liquid.

Located on the ground floor, the dining room seats up to 28 people. There are 5 tables with bench seating.

A highchair is available.

Lounge

The separate lounge is located on the ground floor and seats up to six people. There are 4 armchairs, a comfy sofa and a selection of board games. You can cosy up by the open fire in the winter months.

Bathrooms

Across the entire building there is a total of four bathrooms.

En-suite bathrooms: 2

Toilets: 6

Showers: 6

Outdoors

Outside is a large garden. The garden is not enclosed.

Guests have full access to the garden.

Outdoor amenities: BBQ area, benches, cycle store, grass/lawn, outdoor play area, picnic tables.

What our whole hostel offer

Ambulant accessible
BBQ area
Bed linen
Carbon monoxide alarm
Central heating
Cleaning basics
Cooking basics
Cot available
Disabled access rooms available
Dishes and cutlery
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit
Fridge
Garden/grounds
Grill
Hangers
Heating
Highchair
Hot water
Kettle
Kitchen
Kitchen utensils
Lock on doors
Microwave
Mini fridge
Outdoor play area
Outdoor seating
Oven
Shower(s)
Smoke alarm
Stove
Toaster
Wheelchair accessible
WiFi in rooms
WiFi in shared rooms

What you need to know about our whole hostel

Check-in: From 16:00 - 22:00
Check-out: Before 10:00
Heating: There is central heating throughout the property.
Towels: Towels are not supplied as standard.
Bedding: Bedding is supplied in all our rooms.
Dogs: Pets are not permitted at YHA Bridges. Assistance dogs are welcome - please notify us at the time of booking.
Checking in: You will receive an email prior to your arrival with the property address and check-in instructions.
Guest access: Guests have use of the whole property.
WiFi: Free WiFi is available in social spaces.

Your booking summary for YHA Bridges

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Overview

The tranquil retreat of YHA Bridges has been described as one of the last remaining rural idylls. You can enjoy a traditional hostelling experience at this former village school, set within the wonderful landscape of the Shropshire Hills AONB.

YHA Bridges has, since May 1931, made a lovely base for walkers and cyclists. Our hostel includes a cosy lounge with an open fire. Enjoy a choice of our home-cooked three course evening meals with ingredients from our fruit and vegetable garden.

Why guests love YHA Bridges

Garden/grounds
Meeting room(s)
Free parking on premises

Delicious home-cooked meals available
Ideal location for easy going outdoor activities
Grounds to enjoy

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Accommodation at YHA Bridges

Private rooms

Like your own space? Private rooms offer the hostelling experience with more privacy.

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Private en-suite rooms

Enjoy your own space with a private en-suite room, including bathroom facilities.

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Hire the whole place

With YHA Exclusive Hire, you can take the entire building for you and your group.

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Reviews

Food and drink at YHA Bridges

Meals at YHA Bridges

After a day exploring in the hills, you'll have built up a healthy appetite. You can enjoy a meal at the hostel and follow it up with a pint at The Bridges country pub next door!

Utilising our vegetable patch, hearty meals are available in the evenings. Personalised menus can be made for pre-booked groups for vegetarians and those with special dietary requirements. We also serve a delicious breakfast and offer packed lunch options.

Please note, we are not able to offer breakfast, lunch packs or evening meals to guests at the moment. We are able to offer breakfast for groups of 10 or more people, but this must be pre-booked.

Things to do around YHA Bridges

Mountain Biking at YHA Bridges

Enjoy popular routes in Eastridge Woods and on the Long Mynd hills - the ultimate ride surrounded by beautiful scenery.

Cycling in Bridges

Voted top five by the Observer and top ten by the Guardian for walkers to stay in England 2014. Shropshire and the Long Mynd are home to some of the best tracks and routes for people who are keen on...

Walking and Rambling in Bridges

The popular Shropshire Way passes the hostel grounds and you'll meet plenty of other walkers heading out for a day in the beautiful countryside. Or for a relatively easy going trail, take to the...

Acton Scott Working Farm Museum

A fascinating insight into rural life at the turn of the 19th century. There are daily demonstrations of period skills showing how life might have been. Visit the farm website

Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd

Some of the best walking in the Marches and an important place for wildlife, geology, landscape and archaeology. Part of Shropshire’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Popular with walkers and...

Stokesay Castle

Stokesay Castle was constructed at the end of the 13th century by Laurence of Ludlow, who at the time was one of the richest men in England. It remains a treasure by-passed by time, one of the best...

Eastridge Woods

This hill-top woodland has stunning views across the surrounding countryside and some great, raw mountain bike trails.

Hostel facilities

Ambulant accessible
BBQ area
Breakfast
Cycle store
Dining room
Evening meals
Free parking on premises
Full mobile coverage
Games
Garden/grounds
Group meals
Highchair
Large garden/grounds
Minibus parking on premises
Outdoor play area
Outdoor seating
Packed lunch
Self-catering kitchen
Shared drying room
Shared lounge
Sole use available
Wheelchair accessible
WiFi

Hostel need to know

Reception opening hours: From 07:00 - 10:00 and 17:00 - 22:00.

Food and drink: Please note, we are not able to offer breakfast, lunch packs or evening meals to guests at the moment. We are able to offer breakfast for groups of 10 or more people, but this must be pre-booked.

Self-catering: Guests have access to a self-catering kitchen.

Parking: There is free parking at the hostel.

WiFi: Free WiFi is available in social spaces.

Dogs: Pets are not permitted at YHA Bridges. Assistance dogs are welcome - please notify us at the time of booking.

YHA Bridges - Access Statement

(PDF download - 52.68 KB)

YHA Bridges

Ratlinghope, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY5 0SP

Map references

OS Map:: 137
OS Grid Ref:: SO395965
Lat/Lng:: 52.562452, -2.894622
what3words: mountains.garages.respond

Contact information

Phone:: +44 345 260 2569
Email:: [email protected]

Get directions

History

The hostel takes its name from the three bridges which span the East Onny River and Darnford Brook. It was built as a village school in 1866, commissioned by Lady Scott, Lady of the Manor of Wetnor and Ratlinghope. She built the school for the children of her employees, seeking to encourage her workers to stay with her, rather than join the drift to the factories of Industrial England.

The stone for the building came mainly from a local quarry near Norbury, though some of the windowsills are of Cotswold stone. The bell-tower is still standing, but it has lost its pointed top and the original bell, soon to be re-built. The back of the building was originally the school teacher’s house, the school rooms, divided by glass partitions, being at the front.

The building did not survive long as a school - there were not enough children in the area - and for a while it was left largely unused. In 1931 it became a Youth Hostel, making it one of the oldest in the country. It appeared in the first English handbook. Until 1968 the toilets were ‘holes in the ground’ and washing was done in the stream. An old Hostel duty was to hand-pump water from the stream into the Hostel. In the summer of 1991 the Bridges came into the ownership of Michael Boulton. It has since been run in a traditional manner, intentionally sustaining those elements that have made it so popular whilst bringing the facilities more closely in tune with modern experiences.

Meet the team

Manager recommends: Just relax and enjoy walking in the peace and quiet of this beautiful area, before returning to the comfort of your tranquil rural retreat.