Sir Chris cuts the ribbon with YHA (England and Wales) chief executive Caroline White and chairman Chris Darmon

Mountaineering elder statesman Sir Chris Bonington officially opened one of his local youth hostels.

The YHA Ambleside hostel has undergone a £1.42m facelift and Sir Chris cut the ribbon to reopen the building on Sunday.

YHA said the Everest summiteer is huge fan of its hostels and regularly uses the remote YHA Black Sail in Ennerdale.

Sir Chris said: “YHA gave me my introduction to adventure in my early teens first staying at hostels cycling and then climbing in Wales and Scotland.

“I have many great memories of those early days and it was a real pleasure to be asked to re-open the Ambleside youth hostel after its refurbishment which will give the youngsters and families of today excellent affordable accommodation so that they can enjoy the beauty of the Lake District.”

Chris Darmon, chairman of YHA (England and Wales) said: “The team and I were honoured that Sir Chris found time to reopen the youth hostel after our refurbishment.

“He has first-hand experience of how youth hostels have changed over the years. They’re very different now to how they were even as recently as 10 years ago.

Ambleside manager Peter Brendling joins Sir Chris and Caroline White as they look at a giant Tubular Fells map in the refurbished hostel

“YHA Ambleside’s interior may have changed but like Sir Chris, the hostel team exude a spirit of adventure, passing on their love of the Lake District and what it has to offer to a new generation of staying guests.”

As part of the refurbishment at YHA Ambleside, more washrooms and a number of premium en suite bedrooms with a lake view have been created.

As well as total redecoration and furniture throughout, there is also a new reception area and more public facilities, including an education and conference space with audio visual equipment.

Visitors to the official opening took part in outdoor adventures and games, including a family raft race.