With the easing of lockdown restrictions, many of the UK’s gardens and places of interest are beginning to open up to the public again. With this in mind, now is a good time to start planning day trips or looking at UK destinations for a holiday.
To help you get started, Mountain Trike has compiled a list of 10 wheelchair-accessible places to visit across the UK, all of which have all-terrain Mountain Trike wheelchairs to borrow for FREE so that you can access all areas of the attractions with ease.
1. Wakehurst Royal Botanical Gardens Kew – Haywards Heath, Sussex
Wakehurst (pictured at the top) wants everyone to have an enjoyable time when they visit its stunning botanical gardens and have been working hard to improve access.
There are lots of gravel and hard-surface paths around the gardens and there is a level or ramped access to the visitor centre.
In May 2021, Wakehurst added two MT Push all-terrain wheelchairs to its existing fleet of standard wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
With grass areas, woodlands and slopes, the all-terrain wheelchairs will enable access to these uneven areas too. Plan your day by visiting the website: Wakehurst Kew Royal Botanical Gardens.
2. Ability – Shetland, Scotland
Shetland is a thriving and dynamic island in the heart of the north sea. Ability Shetland supports disabled people to realise their full potential in all areas of life.
It has four all-terrain wheelchairs on the island – two MT Push wheelchairs and two Mountain Trike lever-drive wheelchairs. Having this kind of equipment removes barriers and ensures everyone can be included in activities.
These chairs enable anyone with physical disabilities and mobility issues to access the more difficult terrain of the isles, such as beach and coastal walks, and are available to locals and visitors.
For more information about borrowing the chairs and to check availability, visit the Ability Shetland website.
3. Bodnant Garden National Trust – Conway, Wales
With more than 80 acres of outdoor space, there is so much to explore, including formal gardens, shrub-filled glades, woodlands, meadows, a dramatic dell and water gardens. There really is something for everyone in this magical garden.
Access to the garden is on fairly level ground with wheelchair-accessible paths within the garden. There are some steep slopes, but accessible routes are highlighted on the visitor map.
A number of manual wheelchairs are available as well as one MT Push all-terrain wheelchair, all of which are available from the visitor centre. Visit the Bodnant Garden website to find out more.
4. Brogdale Collections – Faversham, Kent
If you fancy a bit of fruit picking (or eating) then this charity in Kent provides public access to the National Fruit Collection. The farm, most of which is fully accessible to all, is open all year round from April to October.
As well as walking or riding around the orchards at your pace, it also has daily orchard tours and weekend festivals.
There are two MT Push all-terrain wheelchairs available for public use to access the activities and enjoy the diverse offering at Brogdale Collections.
5. Ferry Meadows Nene Park – Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Whether you are looking for adventure, outdoor activities, a place to walk the dog or simply to appreciate nature, Nene Park has it all!
Following a very generous donation, specifically given for the purpose of improving the visitor experience of those with access needs, Nene Park purchased two Mountain Trike all-terrain wheelchairs.
A trip to this haven for wildlife and recreational activities is a must if you are in the area. Visit the Nene Park website to find out more.
6. Westonbirt Arboretum – Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Home to 2,500 different species from the far corners of the globe and five national tree collections, Westonbirt Arboretum is the perfect place for you to escape, relax or have an adventure!
It’s the ideal place to take kids too, with a Gruffalo Spotters trail, natural play trail and lots of family activities.
Westonbirt provides mobility scooters and also has an MT Push for visitors to use. Plan your day and find out about seasonal events on the Forestry England website.
7. Brownsea Island National Trust – Poole, Dorset
Brownsea Island is the perfect day trip adventure – the island wildlife sanctuary is easy to get to but it feels like another world from the moment you get ashore.
A wheelchair-friendly ferry can take you to and from the island and it is easy to get around as it has a fleet of four MT Push wheelchairs available to use on-site.
The trails and paths help you explore the island and with the new natural play area and fantastic picnic spots, there’s an adventure waiting for the whole family.
Visit the Brownsea Island website for more information and to review its access statement.
8. Kenilworth Castle English Heritage – Coventry, Warwickshire
From a medieval fortress to Elizabethan palace, Kenilworth Castle has been at the centre of England’s affairs for much of its 900-year history.
Today, you can marvel at the mighty Norman keep and imagine the majesty of the Great Hall playing host to medieval monarchs.
Walk in the footsteps of the great Tudor queen as you explore the immaculate garden and picture the opulence and splendour of Elizabethan Kenilworth.
English Heritage has two MT Push all-terrain wheelchairs, which they move across its various sites. At the time of publishing, one of the two MT Push wheelchairs is located at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire.
Plan your day and check its access information on the Kenilworth Castle English Heritage website.
9. Fell Foot National Trust – Lake District, Cumbria
Situated at the very southern tip of Lake Windermere, Fell Foot is a great, family-friendly location to play, explore and relax.
Sweeping lawns offer plenty of space for games, picnics and gentle walks, while easy lake access makes the park perfect for paddling, swimming and boating.
An MT Push and all-terrain wheelchair are available for visitors to use. Plan your day and download the very detailed access statement on the Fell Foot National Trust website.
10. Castle Semple Country Park – Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Scotland
The Caste Semple visitor centre and country park are the gateway to the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park with wonderful water for outdoor activities plus walks, wildlife and woodlands.
A variety of accessible equipment is available for students visiting the centre to use as well as a fleet of Mountain Trike all-terrain wheelchairs.
Find out more about the park’s facilities and its accessible outdoor activities and ‘come and try’ days in the Castle Semple Country Park website.
Visiting one of these locations this summer
Normal admission fees apply, but all Mountain Trikes are FREE to use. We would recommend you call or email ahead of your visit to check availability of the trikes to avoid disappointment, particularly at busy times of the year.
If you are looking for more accessible places to visit, have a look at our ‘Try a Mountain Trike’ page where we list all the venues that offer all-terrain wheelchairs for visitors to use. There are currently more than 10 National Trust sites, all of which have superb outdoor spaces to visit and are certainly worth visiting.
If you are an organisation looking to improve visitor access to help everyone enjoy your facilities, get in touch with us to discuss how our all-terrain wheelchair range could help with this – call 01270 842616 or email info@mountaintrike.co.uk.
By Mountain Trike
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