Wooler is a former Land Army Girls’ hostel, built during WWII, and the wartime spirit still survives. In those days, it was “dig for victory”. Today we’re still into “Keep Calm and Carry On” so visitors will find peace after walks in the country has replaced working the land.
The land girls who stayed here are not forgotten. Their names, pictures and stories live on through interpretation boards within the building.
In 1943, Wooler Hostel was purpose-built to accommodate the Land Army Girls. According to the Women’s Land Army magazine, Wooler was one of nineteen hostels opened that year, about half of which were purpose-built.
It was managed by the Young Men’s Christian Association until 1946, when county officers took over.
It became a YHA hostel in 1954 when the current building was pressed into service. Much work was done to the building before it opened as a hostel but it was still unmistakably a barrack design. The first wardens were the Cloughs who were well know for the welcome they gave to disadvantaged groups of Children from Newcastle – often giving them a first introduction to country life.
In 2006 the Glendale Gateway Trust raised funds to buy the hostel from the YHA after it was threatened with closure. The Trust operated the hostel until 2018 when they decided to pass on the business.
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