James Thurlow certainly has a mission. In support of JDRF – a charity which funds research in Type 1 diabetes, James is running the Coast to Coast long distance footpath, east to west as fast as he can.
See how fast here: http://www.howfast.org
A recent guest booked into the hostel for a one night stay in the wintry conditions of last weekend. He asked for an early checkout, as with all guests we usually try to find out a little about what brings them to Grasmere and what they are hoping to achieve during their stay.
James’s story was an unusual one. James is planning to run the Coast to Coast, Wainright’s popular long distance path. As we are one the main outdoor visitor’s accommodation providers in Grasmere and located right by the Coast to Coast route we get a lot of walkers beating a trail to our door.
This year it is the 40th anniversary of the publication of Wainright’s Coast to Coast guide, so we are expecting more and more unusual activity this year. See The Wainright Society.
James himself has type 1 diabetes and is a regular outdoor sports event participant and runs his own business Open Adventure promoting Adventure Racing in the North of England and the rest of the UK.
You can help support his project to support research in Type 1 diabetes by donating to JDRF via the Just Giving page
His run from Grasmere to St Bees on Monday is recorded here
We wish him the very best of luck and we hope to see him again as he passes by in June.
This is the week that the boiler finally arrived. What an exciting day with all hands on deck. Our initial worries about getting it installed were put to rest.
The new boiler is a Guntamatic Wood Pellet biomass fueled boiler using sustainable wood produce from Cumbria. We’re now looking forwards to firing it up for the first time and the heating coming on stream in time for reopening the Bunkhouse.
The arrival of the new boiler is a major event.
It’s ready to be unwrapped. Is it Christmas?
Blimey that looks a bit scary. The access is a little narrow, but this Telehandler driver seems to know what he is doing.
Like I said it’s a tight squeeze.
It’s finally there. Phew!
Next is the 2000 litre hot water storage tank.
Just pop it down there will you please?
Setting up the boiler and water storage tanks. This may take a few days.
Our hot water will be delivered to the main building via some highly insulated underground pipework through this trench.
This is what the pipework looks like.
Our new entrance to the Bunkhouse. Preparing the ground.
Ready to pour concrete to make the base for the entrance porch.
Some more concrete delivered.
The new foundations are laid.
This is the first layout of the 3 new shower stalls in our unisex shower room.
Further progress with the shower room.
Our new underfloor heating for the shower room. Yay!
Over the last few weeks our build project has really taken shape. Our boiler plant rooms has been constructed and all of the internal structural work is now complete. We are now waiting for internal fit out and delivery of our new Biomass Heating System.
The old Annexe becomes the new Grasmere Bunkhouse
This is an impression of the new building, by our architect William Sutherland.
Now that the concrete base we can start the build.
The first few blocks go up quite quickly.
These are the concrete roof beams. Apparently they are meant to be bent.
Once in place we have a roof.
With the roof in place we can begin stone facing the outer walls with traditional Lakeland stone.
A painstaking approach is required.
Bye bye to the old windows.
Will they fit we all ask? Of course they will!
Our disabled access takes shape.
Ready for our weekend guests to arrive.
We need to cast a concrete wall at the back of the new plant room.
Finishing the casting job off.
Meanwhile some internal jobs are still on the go – wiring, heating system and plumbing.
A new toilet will go here.
Finally the rooms are plastered.
Plastering in progress,
Our new key fobs arrive.
All organised for the new season.
Our next film night presented in conjunction with The Wordsworth Trust.
Bright Star (2009) – Drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats’ untimely death at age 25.
To book a ticket (and supper) please click on the following link: Wordsworth Trust – Winter Film Screenings with Thorney How
A 2009 film based on the last three years of the life of Poet John Keats and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne.
Director: Jane Campion
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider
For more info see Bright Star (2009)IMDb
Thorney How has expanded upon its usual Saturday night screenings and created a brand new custom film programme. Together with The Wordsworth Trust, we have selected the very best of films to celebrate the 18th Century English Romantic Poets. The programme will be shown over the course of a couple of months and will be accompanied by light discussion about the literary figures by a member of the team at The Wordworth Trust.
We invite you to watch (film only ticket price £5.00) whilst sat by our wood burning stove and what could be better than a serving of hot supper stew and chunky slice of bread for an extra £6.50 or perhaps a drink from the bar….
Films will be starting from 5pm, the event finishing at around 8.30pm.
To book a ticket (and supper) please click on the following link: Wordsworth Trust – Winter Film Screenings with Thorney How
Plese follow the link below to try out our first Newsletter. Feedback is always welcome.
Newsletter February 2013
You are very welcome to subscribe to our newsletter. We will aim to publish a newsletter with news items, offers, events and film screenings plus things to do in the area around once per month.
Click the link below. This will take you to our registration page. You will be prompted to confirm your subscription via e-mail. You can unsubscribe again at any time.
Subscribe Now
14 February 2013 / Jobs / Staff
We’re recruiting for the 2013 season.
Full Time General Assistant needed March – October 2013
We have a busy year ahead and we’re confident that you will enjoy working with our close family team.
Seasonal General Assistant required for busy independent hostel.
Location: Thorney How Grasmere
Hours per week: 40
Salary: £6.19 per hour
Accommodation: live out.
Starting: March
A busy rural hostel in south Lakeland with 50 beds, a full catering offer, events, parties, weddings as well as individual travellers and groups. We need an enthusiastic energetic team player with the ability to perform general hostel duties including some catering and bar work.
Situated off the beaten track directly on the Coast to Coast pathway and under Helm Crag in Grasmere. Thorney How is a listed building sitting in 2.25 acres of grounds, so you may even find yourself working in the garden. Must like cats and hens and have a good sense of humour.
To apply: please send a letter of application stating relevant experience, your plans for being based locally and at least two references to carolyn @ thorneyhow.co.uk
Those that meet the above criteria will be asked to attend an interview.
3 February 2013 / Events / Film
Our next film night presented in conjunction with The Wordsworth Trust.
Byron (2003) – This made for TV film recreates the life and times of early 19th century scribe Lord Byron and his infamous antics!
To book a ticket (and supper) please click on the following link: Wordsworth Trust – Winter Film Screenings with Thorney How
Lord Byron, Genius or Maverick or both – ‘Byron was the ideal of the Romantic poet, gaining notoriety for his scandalous private life and being described by one contemporary as ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/byron_lord.shtml
Director: Julian Farino
Starring: Stephen Campbell Moore, Oliver Milburn and Michael Elwyn
For more info see Byron (2003)IMDb
Thorney How has expanded upon its usual Saturday night screenings and created a brand new custom film programme. Together with The Wordsworth Trust, we have selected the very best of films to celebrate the 18th Century English Romantic Poets. The programme will be shown over the course of a couple of months and will be accompanied by light discussion about the literary figures by a member of the team at The Wordworth Trust.
We invite you to watch (film only ticket price £5.00) whilst sat by our wood burning stove and what could be better than a serving of hot supper stew and chunky slice of bread for an extra £6.50 or perhaps a drink from the bar….
Films will be starting from 5pm, the event finishing at around 8.30pm.
To book a ticket (and supper) please click on the following link: Wordsworth Trust – Winter Film Screenings with Thorney How
Another two weeks since the last building development blog post and we’ve made significant progress. Our foundations are laid for the boiler room and the new internal rooms have their framework established.
The old Annexe becomes the new Grasmere Bunkhouse
The new corridor is being formed, door openings to rooms and shower block.
Showing the full length of the corridor. Four new 4 person bunk rooms.
2 extra toilets. OK you need to use your imagination a bit.
This will be the new shower block entrance with 3 showers and a further toilet.
A new ceiling for the shower room has had to built, extra storage space above.
The old door (green) is about to go. The new opening will now give access to from the western side of the Bunkhouse.
Blocks ready for the new plant room build.
First concrete delivery.
Our technical solution to pouring the concrete down a 3m drop.
It’s all flowing smoothly, and the rig is still standing despite the weight.
Getting a good even distribution. Our biomass boiler plant room will be standing here soon.
Almost done and no snow today.
A bit of spare cement will do niceley to help along the new disabled access to the front door and reception.
It’s been two weeks since the last building development blog post and despite the weather complications things are moving along pretty fine with the new Bunkhouse refurbishment.
This is the week that things got scary. And exciting. All the unwanted internal structures were dismantled and the place became a building site proper.
First job – to remove internal walls, doors, fittings.
The old shower room is being knocked out to make way for a larger shower block.
The old toilet is being removed and the lean to cleared to allow a new entrance to be made.
It was good to see the place being fully cleared and to start to visualise the new spaces.
The builders have now fully taken over.
The existing Annexe as seen from below approaching via Lancrigg’s private road.
We’ve got plenty of kindling for next year. We just need to saw it up and store it somewhere!
We very nearly missed the old entrance coming off the building.
The new corridor is being formed – here the openings have just been created.
Another view showing where the new entrance will be from the inside.
Finally after all the cold weather, rain, snow etc. we got the foundations for the boiler plant room cleared.
Hmmm, this pile of soil came from somewhere?
First sign of the new rooms. The partitions between rooms being formed.
New room structures from the corridor – there will be four rooms, each with four beds,
The new shower block area gets fully opened out.
And another skip. Is this number 3, or 4, or 5?
The big hole starts to be refilled. New foundation preparations being laid. We just want some slightly warmer weather next. Pesky snow.
We’re very excited to announce we’ve just been formally approved as venue for Wedding Ceremonies & Civil Partnerships – Yay!
We’ve just received the great news from Cumbria County Council, Registration and Coroner Services that Thorney How Independent Hostel has been approved as a:
“Venue for Marriages in Pursuance of Section 26(1)(bb) of The Marriage Act 1949 and as a Venue for Civil Partnership in Pursuance of Section 6(3A)(a) of The Civil Partnership Act 2004”
Phew!
We’re one of a very few alternative accommodation providers and destinations in Cumbria that can also hold a wedding ceremony on site. So if you’re looking for something a little different and maybe on a smaller budget we’re here to help.
Our very first wedding is scheduled for April 2013 and we have a number of key weekend dates still available during 2013. We’ll be putting a new wedding package together very soon, just give us a call anytime for an informal chat. Ask for Taylor or Carolyn.