SUMMARY:This brief study examined the feasibility of regular weekend youth hostelling as a major leisure pursuit for the mentally handicapped. 13 pupils from an ESN(S) school in Stafford took part in the fifty‐mileGolden Jubilee Trekaccomplishing both certificates and free membership of the Youth Hostels Association (YHA). This strenuous venture provided a useful introduction to hostelling and offered sufficient insight to justify further investigation. There is little doubt that thorough planning, to mastery level, is required for total independence but the signs are that, if all the available agencies are utilised, hostelling could possibly fill an important gap in a weekend of many empty hour