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The big dining room has picture windows with gorgeous views of the River Caerfanell in its winding valley under the bulk of Twyn Du (Black Down). The sitting room has a wood-burning stove that’s throwing out lots of heat and as our group of 19, spread around several comfy sofas, start on pre-dinner drinks, the noise level rises to a convivial hum.
We are on a self-catering break in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) national park, but this is not one of those large holiday lets you find on specialist websites that cost thousands. A two-night winter break here can cost as little as £21 a head, because we are taking advantage of the Youth Hostels Association’s policy of hiring out entire hostels during low-demand months.
Our mixed group – friends, relations, offspring, friends of offspring – range in age from early 20s to early 70s, some from Wales, others from London and the south-east. A party of 33 people who completely filled all 10 en suite rooms would get the best value. Our lower number means no one has to share with someone they aren’t related to or good friends with, but still keeps things affordable.
Danywenallt hostel, near the village of Talybont-on-Usk, is a good-looking place, a stone-built converted farmhouse, its whitewashed frontage contrasting with the dark slate roof, green hillsides and sheep-dotted fields. Some bedrooms are in former outbuildings across a cloister-like central garden, with covered walkways handy for moving about when the weather turns wetly Welsh. And everything is kept cosy in mid-February by central heating as well as the wood burner.
This is not our first go at youth hostel exclusive hires. In February 2020, just weeks before lockdown meant that for months we all got together only on a weekly Zoom quiz, we stayed at the smaller Pwll Deri hostel, with amazing sea views of the dramatic Pembrokeshire coast. It sleeps 24 from £750 for two nights, so the break costs from £31 a head. The weather wasn’t kind that year: the arrival of Storm Ciara meant walking the coastal path to Strumble Head was swiftly abandoned due to high winds, and even a safer inland hike brought rain and stinging hailstones. But it just made holing up with mates and lots of food and drink more fun.
These are hostels, though. Where fancy places might have curated artworks on the walls, we have fire regulations and exhortations to leave the kitchen tidy. Instead of roll-top baths and posh smellies, we have basic but functional shower rooms. The beds – a few doubles, lots of bunks – are made up but we take our own towels.
It’s in the self-catering kitchen at Danywenallt that the differences between this and a normal holiday let come to the fore, though they cause more amusement than annoyance. There’s nothing to make coffee in. “How can they not have cafetieres? Do they expect us to drink instant?”
OK, it’s very much a first-world problem, and is solved by a call to a couple in the party who live in Wales and have not set off yet, but it could have caused headaches – real and figurative. The enamel teapot seems not to have seen use since the hostel closed for the season in September and needs months of dust washing off it. There’s also no cheese grater, but hey, we can strew shavings of parmesan over our food if we must.
Teaspoons, though. We all know about the black hole that teaspoons, odd socks and pens disappear into, but a grand total of two teaspoons for 19 (or up to 33) people is so paltry as to be hilarious. Everyone soon learns it’s deeply antisocial to walk away from the kitchen with a spoon still in your drink.
While no one wants this to feel like a school trip, some planning is necessary with nearly 20 people. We luckily have on hand an ace organiser – she’s called Jan – who cheerfully and without a hint of bossiness has sorted out room allocation before most people arrive. Thanks also to her, everyone knew what food to bring – mains, desserts, breakfast and packed lunch supplies, afternoon cake – and what we might do each day.
Each evening big pans of homemade chilli or curry are heated up and heaps of salad washed, chopped and piled into bowls. Later, homemade cheesecakes and trifles come out and are wolfed down greedily. And because no one wants to appear anything but open-handed, there is loads of everything, wine included, to go around.
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Those who haven’t cooked that particular evening willingly launch into clearing away, and with two sinks and lots of tea towels, it’s done surprisingly quickly (and some say the best craic of the holiday is in the kitchen over the washing up).
By day, the delights of the national park are just outside. In heavy rain the first afternoon, fewer than half of us, waterproof trousers swishing, head off on a walk around Talybont reservoir, while others stay in the dry. In sunshine next day, choices are between a demanding nine-miler with steep climbs and great views and a gentler walk taking in the remains of the Brinore Tramroad (built in 1814 to move limestone down the valley) and the picturesque Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.
In the chill February air, thrushes, chaffinches, robins, great tits and blackbirds are celebrating the slightly longer days with loud, spectacular song. We also hear nuthatches and coal tits – thanks, Merlin app – and a birder among us photographs a pair of buzzards over Twyn Du.
On the last day we drive half an hour along the A40 to hike Pen-y-Fâl, or Sugar Loaf, said to be the “purple-headed mountain” from All Things Bright and Beautiful, with the Usk the “river running by”. Though I doubt moralistic Victorian hymn writer Cecil Frances Alexander had as much fun as we do over lunch in the excellent Crown at Pantygelli afterwards.
Evenings at the hostel mean raucous board games and live music from the handful of musicians among us, on ukulele, banjo, guitar and “cajon” box drum. They’ve never all played together before, and call themselves the Shambles, but give an enjoyable programme ranging from Dylan and John Denver to Little Big Town.
And there has to be a quiz. Because some of us love them and those who hate them just have to suck it up. Final question: which hostel shall we do all this again in next winter?
Accommodation was provided by YHA, which charges from £250 a night for exclusive hire. It is offering 20% off exclusive hire stays at selected hostels this winter from 1 December to 2 March (excluding new year) using promo code HOTDEAL-242