LITTLE appears to have emerged in the press about loss of youth hostels in the Yorkshire Dales, resulting from the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) insistence on raising cash to fund improvements at some hostels.

Already a useful hostel in the quiet pretty Wharfedale village of Linton has been disposed of without so much as a whimper from the National Park Authority or Yorkshire Tourist Board. The quest for a replacement in Grassington does not seem the best idea.

Again in recent months, YHA has closed the lower Wensleydale hostel at Ellingstring, where Harrogate Council failed to resist the change of use for Lilac Cottage to private dwelling.

The prospects of saving Aysgarth Falls hostel have also been dashed by YHA failure to obtain funding for an improvement scheme.

Thus, in one year, three Yorkshire Dales hostels will be lost and there will be an adverse effect on the rural economy which YHA had earlier promised it would work to assist. No wonder the people of Wensleydale are concerned.

Recent royal visits promoted home tourism, and perhaps Her Majesty, as Patron of the YHA, should prevail on its management to more energetically maintain and improve the Yorkshire hostel network.

R Healey,

Cyclists' Touring Club North Yorkshire,

Howard Drive, York.

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, June 18, 2003