Meet the team:

Nick

Nick has served as manager at the hostel for the YHA since the early 90’s having previously worked 6 years at the YHA Hostel in Kendal.

Nick is a keen walker, cyclist, open water swimmer, triathlete, photographer and rock & winter climber, none of which he is actually any good at!

He has a young adult daughter who is about to embark on a PhD in Liverpool. He is also heavily involved with the local mountain rescue team, and has now been involved for more than 25 years.

Having lived in the area for such a long time, he knows the hills and surrounding area very well, and is happy to share his knowledge with guests and visitors.

Charlie

Charlie may not have been at the hostel as long as Nick, but it certainly doesn’t take 20 years to fall in love with this place, as many of our visitors will testify. Charlie is in her sixth year at Elterwater and loves her life in this beautiful valley.

When not welcoming guests, cleaning washrooms, or rustling up a full English or a bit of flapjack for the hostel, she enjoys walking and mountain biking the fells with her partner Paul, kayaking the lakes or leading conservation breaks for the National Trust. Her two sons visit on the train. Ian enjoys conquering the ‘mountains’ with his mum. Dave is happy to enjoy the friendly relaxed atmosphere of the hostel while he reads or finishes off a bit of work for Uni before exploring some of the more cultural attractions such as Dove Cottage, home to the poet Wordsworth.

Charlie is looking forward to another season at this special little hostel to seeing old friends and welcoming new ones to the place.

Andy

Andy, although being the newest member of the team, has been working in the Lake District for six years. He has spent three of those years in the Langdale Valley where he has attempted to walk, run and ride all the trails he can find. The ability to end these adventures at a welcoming Lakeland watering hole makes him an admirable source of advice.

Pete

Pete joins the team on a regular basis helping during holidays and busy weeks. A keen walker,cyclist and traveller to far flung places never happier when taking photographs. He has lived in the lakes for over 30 years and has a wealth of walking experience which he enjoys sharing with guests old and new to Elterwater Hostel. He has recently completed photographing Hadrian’s Wall for a new History guide to the World Hertiage site.

Christine

Christine is one of the family owners and the only one involved on a day-to-day basis.

She is responsible for the making sure the back office runs smoothly.  Focusing on accounting and finance, the booking system and website as well as driving the growth and improvement of the business. Every now and again she is tempted to interfere with the actual running of the Hostel but usually beats a hasty retreat to leave things in the much more capable hands of Nick, Charlie and the team.

Christine fell in love with Elterwater on her first visit (to the then YHA) in 1976 and comes back as often as time allows but you are more likely to come across her at the end of the telephone which she answers remotely when Nick and the team are not around.

Passionate about improving the Hostel and providing the best base from which to explore the Langdale Valley Christine reads each and every review to help establish priorities and formulate strategies. If you have any comments or suggestion she would love to hear from you at Christine@www.elterwaterhostel.co.uk.