Carlisle Diocesan Youth Centre

Apr 27th, 2023

Great! Basic but so cool! We all thought it was perfect. Large common room and a smaller space with a picture window. Massive dining area. We loved it! Nice walks straight from the hostel, scarfell pike 30 mins drive away, Keswick really close, Castlerigg Stone circle... It's just wonderful!
Sep 26th, 2019

Clean, splendid location, good value for money - no top class facilities, but it worked well for our large group. Recommended. Some points that haven't been mentioned: There are TVs in the living rooms of both the Chapel House and the School House, and a selection of DVDs and games in the latter. Both living rooms are nice, but the Viewing Gallery in the School House is lovely. The Chapel House also has a wooden bench-and-table outside the back door that provides a scenic and suitably lonely-feeling spot for reading your Bible (or just sitting and thinking!). A negative - one of the Chapel House rooms had a radiator not working, so it was quite cold. Extra blankets were provided, there are ample charging points for phones etc, and lots of moveable chairs. The table tennis table and snooker table are noticeably worse for wear, but our group still enjoyed using them. There's also a lovely little church and graveyard that are open throughout the week. Keswick is only 4 miles away, and easily reached either by walking along the road or by hiking. The warden here is new since the earlier negative reviews were posted, and we found Lisa patient, flexible, and communicative about all the major and minor details we asked her about. Overall, our experience here was very positive, and we can't wait to be back!
Mar 25th, 2019

Stayed here with a group of friends in early January one year. The facilities in the main building are good, there's books, games and DVDs to use if you forgot to take any of your own! The location is stunning and there's many beautiful walks you can embark on from the doorstep. Would be a great place to take a youth group! Biggest downside was that only one of the cold taps in the kitchen worked!
Mar 16th, 2019

This two building centre is a beautiful site, and is the ideal location for an adventurous group holiday in the UK. Surrounded by gorgeous and accessable fells in every direction, the centre provides ample opportunity for outdoor escapism. Nearby Keswick and the Castlerigg Stone Circle are just some of the many gems close by, all within easy reach by car or footpath. This makes the centre perfect for groups of mixed ability hikers, as walks can be easily supplemented by short drives. Access to the centre comes via a steep, narrow, winding road. This would take most large cars (we used a packed nine seater), although a minibus might have some difficulty - check with the warden. The warden is helpful, friendly and relaxed. She will answer any questions you give her. Just be sure to ask any questions that are relevent, as the site website is rather scant on necessary information. For example, we ended up with some people bringing duvet covers without the insides which are not supplied by the centre. The centre itself has a decent stock of the necessary non-disposeable items you would expect - kitchen utensils aplenty, blankets, Bibles, dvds etc. However, we could've done with a couple extra water jugs for our large group. The plumbing also leaves something to be desired, but considering that the centre is situated at the top of a steep hill, allowances must be made for this. We were also able to get a large Tesco food delivery delivered on time and without hassle; having commended the driver on getting his van up the hill, I was quickly informed that the centre was a motorway compared to some places he delivered to! In addition, the large kitchen is easy to use and well equipped. Large meals are no problem, provided that you turn the hobs on early enough for them to heat up before you start cooking. The bedrooms are basic but clean and comfortable, as are all rooms except the common room in the school house. This is a fantastic room that took our whole group by surprise; with a thicker carpet I would happily have it as my own spacious living room! Overall the centre is easy to use and warm - we went in January and had no issue with the temperature. It is also very cosy, provided it us full of people. I should add that the main building (school house, sleeping 25) is unquestionably the better building. Our group used the chapel house for accomodation only. In conclusion I would recommend the centre to any large, young or adventurous group, especially one looking to spend time in what is arguably the most beautiful corner of England.
Dec 27th, 2018