High Close New Year
Langdale Youth Hostel, Cumbria
Tue 29th December 2026 to Tue 5th January 2027
This is an invitation to be part of a group of around 30 people who identify as men who love men, gathering together this Winter at a long-time favourite venue in the Lake District, High Close (Langdale Youth Hostel).
Although the days are shorter and the weather may be cooler, we still look forward to walks in the fells, along with gentler low-level routes for those who prefer them. Participants often offer a wide range of informal workshops and activities, helping create a varied and enjoyable programme together.
For those who enjoy cold-water swimming, there may also be opportunities to take a dip in nearby Loughrigg Tarn, with consideration given to seasonal water temperatures and individual experience levels.
This gathering is an opportunity to relax, socialise, and spend your time however suits you best — whether that means joining activities, reading by the fire, exploring the grounds, or simply enjoying some quiet time. As in previous years, attendees will work together to prepare and share delicious vegetarian meals.
We will have exclusive use of the venue throughout our stay. The extensive grounds and arboretum provide beautiful places to enjoy in fine weather, while the covered veranda offers outdoor space whatever the conditions.
The period between Christmas and New Year can be a time for celebration, reflection, and rest. We hope you will enjoy sharing this time together and creating the unique mix of activities that makes ECC New Year events special. What the week includes will be shaped by those attending, so everyone is warmly invited to bring ideas, interests, and a willingness to share. Participation is always optional, and there is usually something for everyone.
Individual Needs
When booking, please let us know about any health, accessibility, or dietary requirements that may affect your participation or the experience of others. Meals provided will be vegetarian in keeping with the ECC ethos. We will do our best to accommodate additional dietary needs where possible, although we cannot guarantee that all requirements can be met.
Wellbeing
If you feel unwell before the event, please consider whether attending is the best choice for both yourself and others, as we will be spending time in shared indoor spaces.
Helping Out
This is a community-run week and everyone is asked to contribute a little to help things run smoothly. Participants will take turns helping with meal preparation and serving, washing up, and keeping shared spaces tidy. There are no venue staff supporting us during the week, so shared responsibility helps create a welcoming and comfortable environment for everyone.
Looking After the Fire
There is a wood-burning stove that needs tending each day. For safety and practical reasons, a small group of volunteers will be invited to help look after it. Anyone who is interested and able to assist is welcome to take part.
Soirée: We plan to round off the week with an informal soirée where all are invited to share a poem, song or something else. It is fine to be an audience member also.
Participation: As all activities are offered by volunteers, amongst those attending, then what actually happens is dependent on this gracious willingness to share. There will be opportunities for everyone who wants to, to take part.
Workshops and responsibilities: We are an intentional community, friends together. When a workshop is proposed, the facilitator will take reasonable care to create a safe environment. We are all responsible for our own safety, and to engage in ways that don’t put others at risk, and it is on that basis that we take part. Please remember that a long walk up a challenging fell or a swim in cold water or a stretching exercise in a relaxation workshop may have intrinsic risks. Please only do what you are comfortable with.
Base groups/Heart circle: We will have Base Groups and possibly a Heart Circle if there is enough interest for an hour each day before evening meal. This provides an opportunity to get to know 5 or 6 of the other participants really well and we will have an opportunity to share how we are feeling.
Group Photo: We will give everyone an opportunity to appear in a group photograph to be taken during the event. It would be appreciated if someone, with the necessary skills, would offer to be responsible for this.
Grasmere
Essential Information
Venue
Langdale Youth Hostel, High Close, Loughrigg, Ambleside LA22 9HJ. www.yha.org.uk
Dates
Tuesday 29 December 2026 – Tuesday 5 January 2027
Accessibility
YHA Langdale is an older building and accessibility may be challenging for some participants. There is no lift or stair lift to access the first floor. One bedroom is available on the ground floor with an accessible bathroom. For further details refer to YHA's access statement.
We are working with YHA Langdale to explore possible improvements, as we are aware that some guests have experienced difficulties using the accessible bathroom facilities.
All workshops, meals, and shared social spaces will take place on the ground floor, which is accessible. If you have any questions or concerns about access to the building or grounds, please contact Mark before booking. We will do our best to work with you to address any concerns and help you decide whether the venue is suitable for your stay.
There are a limited number of wheelchair-accessible taxis in the area, so if you require one, please arrange this in advance for both arrival and departure.
Although we are a friendly and supportive group, we are not able to provide individual care or personal assistance.
Participants
There will be space for up to 30 participants.
A proportion of places will be reserved for people attending their first ECC event until Monday 12th October 2026. To secure a booking, remaining balances must be paid by 29th November 2026. After this date, any unpaid or released places may be offered to people on the waiting list.
Accommodation
Dormitories contain between 4 and 14 beds. Rooms have bunk beds, although our intention is to use lower bunks only where possible. Single rooms are not available.
There are plenty of individual shower facilities. Bedding is provided, but please bring your own towels and toiletries.
Food
Breakfast, lunch, and the evening meal will be prepared collectively by participants on a rota basis.
We will provide tea, instant coffee, fresh coffee, and a selection of basic snacks such as biscuits. Dairy and plant-based milk options will also be available. If you have particular favourite drinks or additional snacks you would like, please bring these with you.
Personal food items can be stored in the fridge. Please label any personal food clearly with your name so it is not confused with communal supplies.
Arrival
Please arrive after 4pm and, if possible, by 6pm on Tuesday 29th December. The organisers will not have access to the building much earlier than this. If you arrive early, we kindly ask that you wait outside before entering until preparations are complete and the venue is ready to welcome everyone.
Departure
We will need to leave the hostel by 10am on Tuesday 5th January 2027.
WhatsApp Group
A WhatsApp group for travel coordination and general event communication will be created shortly after the first places are confirmed.
Diets and special needs
Please remember that meals provided during the week will be vegetarian.
It is important that you tell us in advance about any dietary requirements you may have. If discussed before a place is offered, we may be able to accommodate additional needs, although this cannot be guaranteed. Once the week has started, we are unlikely to be able to cater for dietary requirements that were not shared with us beforehand.
Please also let us know about any health conditions, allergies, medication needs, or other circumstances that may affect your participation or have an impact on others during the week. Sharing this information in advance helps us support a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Travel
Travel to and from the venue is the responsibility of participants. To help make journeys easier, people can use the WhatsApp group to coordinate lift sharing, taxi sharing from Windermere, or connect with others travelling similar routes.
The nearest train station is approximately 9 miles away at Windermere, which is also served by National Express coaches.
The nearest bus stops to the hostel are approximately 2 miles away in Grasmere and 1 mile away in Elterwater Village. Buses to both locations run from Windermere Railway Station.
There are several taxi services operating from Windermere, and sharing journeys with others can help reduce costs. The WhatsApp group will provide an opportunity to arrange this.
Organisers
The organisers for this event are:
Mark Brown
Bookings, WhatsApp group, and accommodation
Andy Paterson
Catering, dietary preferences, and community rota coordination (including cooking, serving meals, washing up, and helping keep shared spaces clean and welcoming)
Stephen Messinger
Support for first-time ECC participants and general enquiries not covered above
Mark:
I’m fairly new to ECC having attended my first event in Kench Hill three years ago and haven’t looked back since. I love the fellowship that ECC brings. This will be my third new year gathering and I am looking forward to building a community over the festive period in a beautiful and remote getaway from the world.
Andy:
High Close has become a special place for me since I attended my first event there in 2023. I have so many wonderful memories of my visits; special conversations, new friendships and experiences, and laughing until my sides hurt. ECC events can be such a moving and transformative moment that it’s always a privilege to be able to organise another event.
I’m looking forward to working with Mark and Stephen and hope that the we can make our New Year event a memorable and fulfilling one.
Stephen:
Joining ECC has led to some of the most beautiful and meaningful experiences I’ve shared with other men who love men.
I still remember arriving at Laurieston Hall in 2016 for my first ECC event. It had been a very long drive from Southampton and, by the time I arrived, all I could think about was finding the loo and making a cup of tea. Around 60 others had already arrived and settled in.
How I managed to ignore my over-stretched bladder, I’ll never know, because before I could make it to the toilet I was greeted by wonderfully warm and welcoming men who stopped to introduce themselves and ask who I was.
What surprised me wasn’t being surrounded by so many people. Before that, my nearest comparable experiences had been residential psychotherapy training conferences — places full of new faces, workshops, conversations, shared meals, and time together.
What touched me so deeply at ECC was something different — the warmth, authenticity, and sense of community.
I enjoy being part of an event organising team and have happily drawn on the event-planning experience I gained before retiring in 2016. There is something special about helping create the space where our community gathers, and then becoming part of that community as it comes to life through the people who fill it, share it, and make it their own.
How to book
Bookings open on 5 Sep 2026 at 09:00, and you'll be able to book here then
You don't have to be an existing ECC member to book. Payments for ECC events are on a sliding scale according to your income, and you're invited to pay as much or as little as you can afford. You'll be asked to state how much you're going to pay for your place, and how much you'll pay as a deposit when you book. The breakeven cost for this event is £590.00 and the rates for different income levels are shown below.
Bursaries
We maintain a generous bursary fund to help men on very low incomes to ensure no-one is excluded for lack of funds.
If you don't feel you can afford the concessionary rate, we may be able to help.
Simply choose the option to apply for a bursary when you book.
Sliding scale of charges
| Concessionary rate (for people living at benefit levels) | £295.00 |
| Low income (up to £25k) | £590.00 |
| Average income (£25k to £40k) | £705.00 |
| High income (£40k or more) | £795.00 |
| Breakeven cost | £590.00 |