This is a promotional film produced by British Transport Films in association with the Youth Hostel Association, to show the joys of the outdoors and the benefits of staying in youth hostels around the country. It includes some of the fun activities that can be done whilst holidaying at youth hostels, such as walking, cycling, pony trekking, sailing, diving and rock climbing. A young man and a young woman are shown walking through the undergrowth. Title card - ‘Off the Beaten Track,...

This is a promotional film produced by British Transport Films in association with the Youth Hostel Association, to show the joys of the outdoors and the benefits of staying in youth hostels around the country. It includes some of the fun activities that can be done whilst holidaying at youth hostels, such as walking, cycling, pony trekking, sailing, diving and rock climbing. A young man and a young woman are shown walking through the undergrowth. Title card - ‘Off the Beaten Track, British Transport Films’. The man and woman climb to the top of a hill, and the man points out to the distance. Picturesque views of the countryside are shown, including the Long Man of Wilmington, sailing boats on a lake, and some abbey ruins. A stream is flowing over large rocks, and Yorkshire countryside/mountain views are also shown. A view of the countryside from the perspective of a train cab is shown. Three boys dressed in outdoor clothing look out of the passenger window of the moving train, at the views passing by. A group of people are gathered on the deck of the bow of a moving boat, looking out over the water. A green bus which reads ‘Taunton’ pulls up into a countryside village, and a group of young people with rucksacks get off. They walk down a track. Breakfast food, such as bacon, sausages and eggs, is shown sizzling in a pan. Young serve up the breakfast and sit down at a dinner table to eat. Young people are shown working outside the youth hostel, including chopping wood, cleaning shoes, peeling potatoes and emptying the bins. Inside the youth hostel, a man is shown sweeping whilst others say goodbye to him. A man looks at a map, and then leaves the youth hostel in Scotland with his backpack on. A group of people on horses are shown going out for an organised trek in the countryside in Wales. Another group of people are shown leaving Alfriston Frog Firle youth hostel in Sussex, some of them on bicycles. A boy is shown fishing in the lake outside of another youth hostel. Two boys with bicycles are shown leaving the hostel over a bridge. A group of people on bikes are shown arriving at Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. They leave their bikes and go for a walk around the site. Young people are shown in a montage of water-based activities, such as sailing and canoeing. The boats are left on a shore in the Scottish countryside, as a large group of people enjoy a picnic and food cooked outdoors over a small fire. Groups of people are shown enjoying time at the beach in Cornwall, including surfing and playing in the sea. Other groups of people are shown lounging on a beach at Whitepark Bay in Ireland. Waves are crashing from the sea and water is running over the rocks in a river. A young man and woman walk down a forest track towards a picturesque landscape. Two men are shown rock climbing. A group of people are shown leaving a youth hostel with swimming attire and towels, towards a lake. A few of them are shown diving off a boat and enjoying the water with scuba equipment. A large group of people are shown at a social event outside of a youth hostel, where many of the hostellers are folk dancing with each other. Two women on horses arrive at a cottage in Northern Ireland, where some older ladies are sitting doing some embroidery outside. They then continue their journey. On foot, the two women pass a horse and cart as they walk up to the youth hostel. A group of young people are shown heading the Melrose youth hostel. A steam train can be seen in the distance. They head into the entrance. A smaller group of people are seen walking into the entrance to St Briavels Castle, on the edge of the Forest of Dean. A young man and woman are shown walking around a fountain. A boy is shown feeding rabbits in the garden of a youth hostel, whilst another boy arrives and enters. He gives a few shillings to the warden, and she welcomes a few more guests. Three young men are shown cleaning their feet and faces in a bathroom. Two of them shake hands as they meet for the first time. Large groups of people are shown eating in the dining areas of hostels. They are then shown dancing and socialising in the common rooms. A man reads from a list on a notice board, then joins his friends to discuss points on a map; a girl plays darts in the background. A man plays a piano whilst a group of people surround him in a common room. A group of large people are shown sat outside around a large bonfire. Four women are getting into the bunks in one of the bedrooms at a hostel. A man is shown in bed reading a book, He puts the book down, lays down and turns off the light. An exterior view of the hostel shows all the lights being switched off one by one. The man is then fast asleep in the bed. Views of the countryside at night are shown. Credits - Director - Syd Sharples Narrative - Paul le Saux Editing - Gloria Sachs Photography - Ron Bicker, Jack West, Phil Law Production Assistants - Denis Ballard, Roy Meredith, Lewis Mcleod Music - Elisabeth Lutyens Sinfonia of London, The Glennie Singers Conductor - Marcus Dods Associate Producers - John Legard, Ian Ferguson Executive Producer - Edgar Anstey A BTF Production, made in association with the Youth Hostels Associations of Great Britain, recorded at Anvil Films