12-19 July 2025
I enjoyed an amazing week as volunteer warden at Ty’n Cornel, the most remote hostel in Wales.
It was very rewarding to meet guests during their travels and to feel that I had played at least a small part in enabling them to enjoy their time in this beautiful part of mid Wales.
Many of the guests were keen to tell me about their current and previous adventures. They each had their own unique tales to recount and it was a privilege to hear these.
There had been so much to learn during the training weekend in March and I was sure that I had already forgotten a lot of what I had been told. However, I arrived a day early for a handover and quick refresher of knowledge with the experienced warden who had been resident the previous week. I also had printouts of the comprehensive wardens’ handbook as well as detailed lists of the tasks that should be completed and the frequency of completion. I was immensely reassured by the long list of people I could contact in the event of queries or emergencies. I even received supportive phone calls during the week from the hostel managers.
There was even plenty of time for me to enjoy wandering around some of the local paths. Once I had completed the chores I was free to leave the hostel until 5pm. However, it was actually also very pleasant to spend time sitting on the seats in the patio area reading and chatting to the very occasional walkers and cyclists passing by.
I am definitely intending to continue to volunteer in this worthwhile role. T’yn Cornel, together with nearby Dolgoch Hostel, are both former YHA hostels which are owned by the Elenydd Wilderness Trust (a registered charity) following the decision by the YHA to close them. They are maintained by some extremely hard working, committed and enthusiastic volunteers and the wardens are also all volunteers. They are in stunning locations and wonderful places to stay to enjoy the surrounding unspoilt countryside.
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