The Beacon Message Board

Si Woodward and I would love you to come join us on a weekend tour this summer to YHA Wye Valley on 25th & 26th June.

We've got a dorm room booked as well as some camping spots (we'll be camping - and we can sort out some gear loans if you'd like to as well).

Please let us know below if you're interested in joining.

If you'd rather have a private room there are some smaller ones you can book through the website too.

Routes
Route out - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39450878 stopping at The Hop Pocket
Route home - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39438435 stopping at Croome

Groups and times
08:00 From Black Horse
Helen Colson
Dave Cole
Simon Woodward
Colin Hall

10:00 From Black Horse
Simon Walker
Simon Turner
Alan Weaver
Andy Wrightson
Naomi
Michelle
Chris

Dinner
We have booked a table for dinner at 6pm at the Inn on the Wye, it's a couple of miles from the hostel.
https://www.innonthewye.co.uk/restaurant

As we're quite a big group I need pre orders for starters and mains from you ASAP. Please met me know what you'd like and any relevant allergies or dietary requirements.
Menu: https://www.innonthewye.co.uk/s/Evening-Menu.pdf


Accommodation/who's coming!
Check in is from 5pm.
YOU NEED TO BRING PHOTO ID WITH YOU
https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-wye-valley

Breakfast menu - no need to pre order

Camping:
1. Helen Colson
2. Si Woodward
3. Dave Cole

Dorm:
1. Si Walker - paid
2. Si Turner
3. Alan Weaver - paid
4. Colin Hall - paid
5. Andy - paid
6. Chris - paid
7.
8.

Sorting own accomodation:
1. Naomi
2. Michelle

Thanks, I’m in for a dorm space please.

As long as im not doing anything then I'd be up for this

Add me in a dorm please, thanks

Put me down for the Dorm please

Awesome! Excited to have you join us.

This sounds very tempting, Helen. However, Saturday 26th is the Track Championships, which I always like to attend and help at. So I'll have to think through the options carefully.

Is it a one-night stay (Saturday), riding out the one day and back the next? How many does the dorm sleep?

Btw, looks like a fair walk to the nearest pub! Are you sure Si Woodward was involved in planning this?

Put me down as a probable. Dormitory option.

Sorry to clash with the track championships - there weren't any other weekends Si and I could both do unfortunately.

Yes, its one night. Riding out Saturday, staying at the YHA and then riding back Sunday. The dorm we have booked at the moment sleeps 8, there are others available to sleep 2, 4 or 6 as well.

We can always ride to the pub!

Hi Helen,
I'd be well up for this. I'll book the private room option.
Thanks,
Naomi

Awesome!

Do you mean you'll book your own private room separately or you'd like a space in the dorm room we've booked?

Yeah I'll book it separately. I've checked the website and there are still some smaller private rooms available so I'll get it booked this week Looking forwards to it!

Hi Helen
Can you book me a space in the Dorm
Cheers
Dave

Will do! Glad you're joining us Dave

While Helen is away touring through Scandinavia and the 2 other Simons areriding across the Alps and Apennines, I thought I'd give everyone an update on our touring weekend away.

There's no need to bring your fancy carbon summer bike. It's a touring weekend and the pace will be dictated by those that are carrying their camping gear.

If you have any questions or you want information on the best type of tent / cooker or sleeping mat please just ask.

The routes are

Route out - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39450878 stopping at The Hop Pocket

Route home - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39438435 stopping at Croome

Camping:
1. Helen Colson
2. Si Woodward
3. Dave Cole (Possible)

Bivvying
1. Andy Wrightson

Dorm:
1. Si Walker
2. Si Turner (if we can't persuade him to camp)
3. Alan Weaver
4. Colin Hall

Sorting own accomodation:
1. Naomi

Probable:
1. Andy Terry

Thanks Si!

Dave Cole said he might camp - weather dependant.

Bunk room has 8 spaces so plenty of room for others to join too!

Im still really hopeful that I can make it, but my ongoing back problems "may" prove otherwise. But I am so looking forward to it, it would have to be very bad for me not to make it!!

Alan, I'm sure you'll be fine. The pace will be slow and as your aware, I've also been suffering with sciatica and haven't ridden my bike at all this year.

Andy has decided to bivvy, so I've got a spare lightweight touring tent if anyone fancies giving it a go?

We have booked a table for dinner at 7pm here, it's a couple of miles from the hostel.

https://www.innonthewye.co.uk/restaurant

As we're quite a big group I need pre orders for starters and mains from you ASAP. Please met me know what you'd like and any relevant allergies or dietary requirements.

Menu: https://www.innonthewye.co.uk/s/Evening-Menu.pdf

[Edited to adjust dinner time]

Helen,

Can I order

Pate
&
Fish & chips

Cheers

Same for me please

Fission chips for me too please

Thanks Helen

Could I have Bruschetta & Fish and chips please.

Sorry, forgot to add the Pate, starter, thanks.

Pate & Wye Burger for me please H.

Thanks all!

Pushed dinner back to 7pm as we can't check in at the hostel until 5pm.

And another thing...

The hostel requires everyone to have photo ID when they check in. Please bring some (a driving license is fine).

I was chatting with Si W earlier as we can’t get into the YH till 5pm might it be worth the 2nd group leaving at 10am as opposed to 9 ? Any thoughts ?

Simmo wrote: ↑

16 Jun 2022 17:07

I was chatting with Si W earlier as we can’t get into the YH till 5pm might it be worth the 2nd group leaving at 10am as opposed to 9 ? Any thoughts ?

That sounds sensible, so to confirm

08:00 From Black Horse
Helen Colson (Camping)
Dave Cole (Camping)
Simon Woodward (Camping)


10:00 From Black Horse
Simon Walker (Dorm)
Simon Turner (Dorm)
Colin Hall (Dorm)
Alan Weaver (Dorm)
Andy Wrightson (Camping)
Naomi (Own Accommodation)

There's still spaces in both the camping field and dormitory if anyone else wants to come along.

Morning Helen
I am not sure if this is too late but Chris and I would be interested in joining your touring weekend - I wasn't aware of it until Phil mentioned it in his Monday morning update (we've been away cycling in the Yorkshire Dales - got home last night). We can't carry camping kit (at the moment!) so would need to have a bed in a dormitory - is there room? I think you mentioned you had booked a dorm for 8 (does the hostel allow mixed dorms? - it's a long time since I stayed in a YH) - let me know your thoughts and cost and I'll get back to you asap.
my mobile is 07757 616917 if you prefer to message / call.
Thanks

Hello!

You're very welcome to join us, there is still space in the dorm and we can put whoever we want in it so as long as you're happy in a mixed dorm I don't have the exact cost to hand but with 6 in the dorm I think it'd be ~£20/person.

Could you let me know the following please:
1. Which ride you'd like to join (08:00 D-ish pace or 10:00 B-ish pace)
2. What you would like for dinner (I'll ask the pub to increase our booking)

All the key info is in the top post, but the bit to highlight is that you will need some photo ID in order to check in at the YHA.

Hi
Thanks
We'll go with 10am ride - if it's too quick, we'll just drop off and do our own pace.
For dinner - Chris would like the chicken burger and I would like the mushroom tagliatelle please.
And no problem about photo ID.
See you on Saturday - safe ride

I'm going to go with the dorm as well

All sorted, thanks!

Hi Helen

I'm going to come at 8am from the Black horse, not done much this month so will join the camper on journey if that's OK.

Of course! See you there

For information:

The distance to the pub for the evening meal is 2.2 miles each way (unless you fancy a swim!) which will take about 45 minutes to walk.
If you are thinking of cycling there, it may be prudent to take a cable lock and if it's dusk / dark, I guess lights or torch will be required.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39944456

There is NO WiFi at the hostel.
For those in the 8 bed bunk room I'm not sure how many plug sockets there are for charging up phones and devices so you may wish to take a power bank to charge your equipment.
If you want a cuppa on arrival I suggest taking a 'couple' of spoonfuls of coffee or tea bags (there is a kitchen)

Further info on the hostel is here.
https://hub.yha.org.uk/sites/default/fi ... ment_1.pdf

I have packed a four plug bank

I have packed my swim stuff

I have packed a wheel chair

Helen/Woody
Thanks so much for arranging this fab weekend v enjoyable
Hopefully the 1st of many.
H let us know what we owe you & how to pay

I can only echo what Si had already said, absolutely top weekend, thank you for organizing.

Still not sure about the "shortcut' from the pub back to the YHA though???

Great company with plenty of laughs along the way, thanks to everyone that made the weekend a success.

Roll on the next one l say!

Glad you enjoyed it! Definitely will get some more sorted for the future. If you've got any thoughts on things you'd like to be different or what worked particularly well please let me know.

For those who shared in the bunk room (I think there were 6 of you in the end?) you owe me £18.17

Paypal to helencolson496@gmail.com or message me for bank details if you'd prefer to transfer that way.

Helen, thanks again for organising the tour; all very enjoyable. Ive paid via Paypal.

A great couple of days with even better company laughs along the way so who could ask for more, thanks for organise I'd glady do it again even though someone snored the dorm out thanks again for organising

Paid via PayPal

Here are some photos of the Wye Valley Touring weekend (most courtesy of Dave Cole). If anyone who took photos wishes to add then either PM or email me.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtuCGY3SozJwnFnRBLM ... i?e=UOHxqD

Glad to see it all went well. Sorry I couldn't be there.