Summary (by AI): Despite my initial apprehension, I was pleasantly surprised to find the historic YHA in Ironbridge to be a fantastic, great-value stay that I would highly recommend, even though the warm weather made sleeping difficult.
Blog: I recently stumbled across the idea of using the YHA (Youth Hostel Association) for the "Y" category of my ABC tour. To be honest, I was a little bit apprehensive about it. I couldn't really remember ever staying in a youth hostel before, so I didn't quite know what to expect.
As it turns out, I think I lucked out on this one. I may have inadvertently stayed at one of the best YHAs in the country for my very first visit.
This was the YHA in Ironbridge—specifically the one in Coalport. The town itself is beautiful, and the hostel is situated in a building with an incredible pedigree: it's actually the original factory for the famous Coalport China Works. Founded by John Rose in 1795, this site produced some of the finest porcelain in the world for over a century before production moved to Stoke-on-Trent in 1926. Staying there feels like you're sleeping inside a piece of Industrial Revolution history.
The hostel is about a mile away from the Iron Bridge itself, and it was fantastic. The value was brilliant; I think I paid around 40 to 50 quid for the night for a twin bunk room. Even though I was solo, having the space was a nice bonus.
The only slight issue was the weather. It was a very, very warm day and the building didn't have any air conditioning. My room had been soaking up the sun all day, which made it a bit difficult to get to kip at night.
That being said, I can’t recommend this YHA enough. The staff were really welcoming, the breakfast was fantastic, and it was just exactly what you need: good value accommodation in the heart of one of the most amazing parts of the countryside.
The Map: