Twycross Zoo
Twycross Zoo is located in beautiful countryside in the heart of England. It's won award for it's conservation and is fun for all the family.
YHA National Forest
Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE12 6BDOverview
Situated just next door to the popular Conkers visitor centre, YHA National Forest is ideal for cheap family breaks, activity breaks and school trips. The eco-friendly building has been designed to reduce the effect of your stay on the environment, making it a great option for those keen to stay in environmentally friendly accommodation.
Aside from Conkers, other nearby attractions include Drayton Manor Theme Park and Twycross Zoo and there are plenty of great routes in the area for walking holidays and cycling holidays.
Why guests love YHA National Forest
Accommodation at YHA National Forest
The hostel
YHA National Forest is an eco-friendly building harvesting rainwater for our toilets, the sun’s rays for our hot water and sustainably sourced local timber for our biomass heating system. The property houses 23 en-suite rooms in a mixture of 3, 4 and 5 bed configurations across two floors. We have three accessible rooms and a conference room.
Learn the story of the National Forest on our murals and enjoy a bite in our restaurant. Our 4-star hostel includes a well-equipped bike shed, ample parking and loads of space to play and sit outside.
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. You can check availability on our YHA Exclusive Hire website.
Food and drink at YHA National Forest
Things to do around YHA National Forest
National Brewery Centre
The National Brewery Centre delves into the history of the legendary Bass family and the role they had in the development of brewing.
Walking and Rambling in National Forest
The 5.7km Ashby Trail runs from the old station at Measham to Spring Cottage.
Cycling in National Forest
Take a tour of the National Forest by bike! We've got a well-equipped bike shed with a full selection of equipment, complete with bike washing facilities for a sparkling ride.
Moira Furnace Museum and Country Park
An impressive iron-making blast furnace. Why not try a boat trip along Ashby Canal, a woodland walk or guided museum tour.
Conkers
A unique mix of indoor and outdoor experiences to keep the family entertained. Don't miss the Enchanted Forest Play area. Enjoy the great outdoors with all the family at Conkers.
Rosliston Forestry Centre
The mix of woodland and meadow, ponds and play areas offer the perfect playground for visitors of all ages, all year round. See details on the Centre's website
Timber Festival 2020
3 days of music, art and performance! Gather round all nature lovers, day dreamers. Step into an magical weekend festival of celebration and reflection in the National Forest.
Women Rock Tour
From daring to wear trousers in the mountains to knocking on 9a, the story of British female climbers is one of rebels and disrupters, trailblazers and game-changers.
Facilities
General
- Ambulant accessible
- Classroom
- Cot available
- Cycle store
- Free wi-fi
- Garden / grounds
- Wheelchair accessible
Essentials
- Drying room
- Laundry
- Lounge
Entertainment
- Games room
- TV
Accommodation options
- Private rooms available
- En suite rooms available
Food & drink
- BBQ area
- Cafe
- Dining room
- Group catering available
- Licensed bar
- Meals available
- Self-catering kitchen
Transportation & parking
- Parking
Other YHA products
- Meeting Rooms & Corporate Hire
- Trade bookings
- YHA Exclusive Hire
- YHA School Trips
Need to know
Check in: 17.00 - 22.00
Check out: Before 10.00
Open every day?: Yes. Booking is available up to three months in advance. YHA National Forest is open for group bookings during the week all year round and is available for YHA Exclusive Hire over Christmas and New Year. Please note, the hostel is open to Groups only during the week in January, whilst open to families, individuals and smaller groups at weekends.
Towels and toiletries: Towels and toiletries are not provided but are available to hire or buy from reception. Bedding is supplied.
Parking: There is free parking on site.
Pets: Pets are not permitted at YHA National Forest. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Wi-Fi: Free wi-fi is available in social spaces.
Breakfast: Breakfast is served from 7.30am until 9am.
YHA National Forest - Access Statement
(PDF download - 143.78 KB)
YHA Exclusive Hire
Make YHA National Forest your home for a few days by booking the whole place for yourself! Visit our YHA Exclusive Hire website for more information. Available for group bookings.
YHA School Trips
Nearby education centers and outdoor activity options make YHA National Forest an ideal venue for school groups. The hostel can hold up to 74 people, has group catering facilities and classrooms available, making it ideally equipped for school parties.
Visit the YHA School Trips website for more information.
Meeting rooms
At YHA National Forest we have one meeting room available for hire.
Capacity: Up to 36 delegates depending on seating configuration.
Available Equipment: Projector, flip chart, whiteboard, two extension cables, pens and paper, speaker system, loop induction for hearing aids
Parking: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Accessibility: The meeting room is located on the ground floor and has step-free access. The closest accessible WC is located just off reception. We also have designated blue badge parking spaces available in the car park. For more information please see our access statement.
Air conditioning: There is no air conditioning in this meeting room. There is central heating.
Volunteering
Volunteering with YHA is a fantastic way to have fun, learn new skills, boost your CV and travel to different places. We have a variety of different opportunities to choose from and volunteering roles to suit everyone.
The tasks are varied and in return you will meet some great people, who both work and stay in our hostels, as well as enjoying your time off discovering the local area and attractions.
You can find out more and apply to volunteer at this hostel on the volunteering website.
History
YHA National forest is located in the heart of the National Forest, just one mile from CONKERS discovery centre, and is surrounded by young and developing woodland, cycleways and Great Britain's newest canal. The National Forest is the most ambitious national environmental project of the last 25 years. The plan is to create one constant area of woodland spanning the gap between the ancient forests of Charnwood in the east to Needwood in the west. The region as a whole covers over 200 square miles.
Meet the team
Manager Richard Robinson is born and raised in the National Forest with a wealth of local knowledge to impart onto any keen walker, cyclist or group looking for adventure locally. Joining YHA in 2014 at YHA National Forest, Richard comes from a hotel background working at The FA St Georges Park, also located in the National Forest near Burton Upon Trent. Richard has a love of all things outdoors whether it be mountain biking at the National Forest cycling centre Hicks Lodge, shooting at the nearby Fieldsports outdoor centre or just exploring this beautiful area of countryside with his dog Arnold.
Manager recommends: Don't miss a trip to Conkers Discovery Centre, a must when visiting the National Forest on a cheap family break or school trip. With a whole array of fun filled activities, there just aren’t enough hours in a day! Fantastic gigs are held at Conkers Waterside and are well worth getting tickets for!
