From the Surrey Hills to the Hebrides, hostels offer affordable lodgings in some of the UK’s most beautiful landscapes. Here are our readers’ top picks

Four decades after my previous visit to Eskdale YHA (a scary night-time descent from Scafell), a nostalgic multi-day trek saw me back in one of Lakeland’s quieter hostels. The building’s exterior is unchanged, but, within, I found improved comfort levels and a cheery welcome from Rachel’s dedicated team. After a tasty pie and a decent pint, enjoyed among relaxed company of all generations, I stepped outside to gaze at the surrounding fells bathed in moonlight and wrapped in silence. There’s a bird hide in the grounds and red squirrels visit to feed. And, yes, I walked up Scafell from the hostel’s door. It’s £15 per night per adult in a shared dorm.
Paul Gamble