Accessible Britain

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particularly good place to spot wildlife – just over half a mile from the starting point. Bring your binoculars, and keep a look out for wigeon, teal, oystercatchers and kingfishers. The bridge marks the end of the accessible section of the path, and wheelchair users will have to turn and retrace their route. Allow half an hour or so in each direction – stopping here and there to appreciate the sense of tranquillity and open space. Back at the car park, by the boathouse, a ramp leads onto the sand and a sheltered viewing area offers views of both the estuary and the sea. The car park has four Blue Badge spaces and a toilet block with a RADAR key-accessible toilet (note that the lights inside are movement-sensitive – if it goes dark, move!). From here, it’s about fifty yards to the start of the path, which has a well-maintained, dry compressed stone surface (though occasional potholes can become puddles in wet weather). There are benches set back from the path at regular intervals; one of them has a padded edge, with space for a wheelchair alongside it. FOOD & DRINK aa Right next to the car park, the Morawelon Café Bar & Restaurant (01239 820565) offers delicious local baked crab, Pembrokeshire lamb and much more in a fully accessible dining room with a disabled toilet. 157 Celtic Quest Coasteering, Pembrokeshire Address: Abereiddy Bay, Berea, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6DT Web: www.celticquestcoasteering. com Tel: 01348 881530 Hours: Daily: Mar–Oct 9am–9pm; Nov–Feb 11am–5pm Dates: Closed 1–18 Dec Entry: The fee for everyone is £44 (minimum age is 8 years). Discounts available for larger groups. WALES An adventurous alternative to swimming for adrenaline junkies, coasteering turns the sea into a playground. Jump off cliffs, slip into the water, slither along slides and currents that nature has created, explore caves, go rock hopping and get lost in the infamous “washing machine” – if you dare! Coasteering is a unique activity that takes swimming to the next level and uses the sea as a gym – it’s not often that you find rock slides that will plunge you into the water below, or can jump from a diving board made of natural rock. Try the “washing machine” and the “surfing platform” – both will make you feel the true strength of the sea’s current. What’s more Cleopatra Browne and her charming team at Celtic Quest ensure that you can be both daring and safe. The essence of this activity is adventure. Being able to swim is not essential, but a willingness to “have a go” is, as it’s a physically tough activity. On arrival at Abereiddy Beach, there is plenty of space to park, but no specific accessible spaces. Parking is just a few steps from the beach, so you can get your wetsuit on and plunge straight in. The surface of the car park is hard and, although pebbly in places, much better for wheelchair users than sand. Those with impaired mobility will need assistance to get into the water, but Cleo and her team of strong helpers will be on hand, and have you in giggles in an instant. The terrain around the water is often uneven, with a few ledges to rest on if needed. There are no steps, no queues and no leaflets to carry around – just the water straight in front of you. 178
Celtic Quest Coasteering When swimming out to sea, you can hold onto a float connected to one of the trip leaders, so you save your energy for the exciting bits and get a guided tour. Being able to walk is not essential as the group leaders will lift and support you, should diving off a twenty foot cliff be your thing. Not everyone will be able to do this, but Cleo and her team push themselves to the limits in order to make it possible for as many people as they can. The sea is a huge sensory playground, with sights, smells and sounds that can’t be found elsewhere. Due to the physical and sometimes risky nature of coasteering, the deaf or hard of hearing are recommended to bring along a hearing companion. If you’re visually impaired, be prepared to take a hands-on approach to coasteering and those taking you through it. There are no accessible toilets on site – the nearest one is a short drive away at The Shed bistro at Porthgain. FOOD & DRINK aaThere’s a refreshment van on site, while the homely and reasonably priced Cambrian Inn in Solva, a fifteen-minute drive away, serves a mean burger – perfect after a water workout. 158 Brecon Canal Walk, Powys Address: Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, Canal Wharf, Brecon LD3 7EW Web: www.breconbeacons. org/monmouthshire-brecon-canal Tel: 01874 622485 Hours: daily dawn–dusk Entry: free WALES Built between 1796 and 1812, the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal linked landlocked Brecon with Newport and the Severn Estuary. No longer a route for transporting stone and processed lime, it is now affectionately known as the Mon & Brec, and is one of the most picturesque canals in the UK. The complete towpath covers just over thirty miles between Brecon and Cwmbran and all along the way there are stunning views of mountains, river valleys, farmland and woodland, making this the perfect place for a peaceful stroll. A two-mile accessible 179
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THE ROUGH GUIDE to Accessible Brita
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Enjoy even more fun, family days ou
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Contents Click on any chapter to go
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About this book Designed to be good
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HERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS IWM Duxford (E.
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Brockholes Nature Reserve (Northwes
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London 001 The Roundhouse 002 Wembl
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It’s the colour of the pitch - su
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On the site of the London 2012 Olym
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LONDON ZSL London Zoo FOOD & DRINK
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The tour starts in the MCC Museum w
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LONDON Royal Opera House FOOD & DRI
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LONDON London Transport Museum ther
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Ideas aa Art and sculpture Tate St
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016 Westminster Abbey Address: 20 D
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hop-on/hop-off at any stop along th
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the Painted Hall and chapel. There
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023 Horniman Museum and Gardens Add
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024 Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire
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Parents of any disabled child will
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If you’d rather go sightseeing, h
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FOOD & DRINK aa The sizeable Studio
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In 1842, when the young Charles Dar
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grotto and birds of prey centre 10a
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populated by grazing sheep and the
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available on request, subject to av
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Beach: Address: The Estate Office,
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Emirates Spinnaker Tower THE SOUTHE
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043 Brunel’s SS Great Britain, Br
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and the tidal pools, as well as aro
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centre whose residents range from d
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Temple of Flora and Palladian Bridg
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051 Haldon Forest Park, Devon Addre
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you can pre-book bikes with trailer
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Weymouth and Portland National Sail
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Octavia the octopus always draws a
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Trengwainton Garden THE SOUTHWEST p
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Lincoln Cathedral 059 Lincoln Cathe
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Ideas aa Animal sanctuaries Bolderw
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Holkham Hall Reserve: in summer you
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FOOD & DRINK aa The T&D café bar o
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a wheelchair, while benches provide
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Southwold Pier side and in all the
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Wicken Fen is one of Britain’s ol
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depending on what you most fancy se
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field Cavendish AM LE field Pentlow
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floor has a large step up to it, bu
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M6 M1 Barrow-in-Furness The West Mi
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A619 080 Peak District Scenic Drive
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a boat across it or admire it from
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084 RAF Museum Cosford, Shropshire
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Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museu
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FOOD & DRINK aa The on-site café i
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Severn Valley Railway Northwood), a
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091 Royal Shakespeare Company, Warw
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Hereford Cathedral FOOD & DRINK aa
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WWT Slimbridge mile. To take the wh
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M18 The Northwest MID LOTHIAN Berwi
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South of Grasmere you’ll pass the
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it’s a fairly steep hundred-yard
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103 Brockholes Nature Reserve, Lanc
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Southport Pier 105 Airkix Indoor Sk
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the whole site (even the sewer syst
Page 127 and 128: installations in a converted docksi
Page 129 and 130: Anderton Boat Lift Blue Badge holde
Page 131 and 132: M18 The Northeast and Yorkshire 113
Page 133 and 134: smooth, solid surfaces, although it
Page 135 and 136: Designed by Sir Norman Foster, the
Page 137 and 138: fully accessible bus, with a wheelc
Page 139 and 140: efreshments, call in at the friendl
Page 141 and 142: Betty’s Tea Rooms, Harrogate If y
Page 143 and 144: Roundhay Park of here sits The Mans
Page 145 and 146: (book in advance). The museum has a
Page 147 and 148: Yorkshire Wildlife Park 128 Magna S
Page 149 and 150: Families are particularly well serv
Page 151 and 152: 130 Callanish Standing Stones, West
Page 153 and 154: Fort George (twenty degrees) onto t
Page 155 and 156: which you can reserve in advance. A
Page 157 and 158: Sitting in the heart of the Cairngo
Page 159 and 160: St Andrews itself isn’t easily ac
Page 161 and 162: (with a disabled toilet) about a hu
Page 163 and 164: all but the most limited hand funct
Page 165 and 166: 143 Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh Addres
Page 167 and 168: provide a stunning backdrop to the
Page 169 and 170: yards away from the house are the t
Page 171 and 172: M6 Wales ISLE OF MAN Barrow-in-Furn
Page 173 and 174: Electric Mountain landscape of Snow
Page 175 and 176: 153-154 Llangollen Wharf and Pontcy
Page 177: Benar, turn off the A496 just befor
Page 181 and 182: 159 Garwnant Forest Visitor Centre,
Page 183 and 184: some of the concrete surfaces insid
Page 185 and 186: 163 Wales Millennium Centre, Cardif
Page 187 and 188: Northern Ireland Oronsay Colonsay J
Page 189 and 190: mobility. If you want to visit the
Page 191 and 192: (June-Aug Sat & Sun & bank hols), a
Page 193 and 194: the lives of more than 1500 passeng
Page 195 and 196: Grand Opera House, Belfast with dis
Page 197 and 198: Ulster Museum Discovery Zones - nat
Page 199 and 200: Ideas aa Heritage Fountains Abbey (
Page 201 and 202: Useful contacts This chapter featur
Page 203 and 204: advice on available facilities for
Page 205 and 206: than state what is possible. Predic
Page 207: Credits Reviewers: Claire-Louise Ba
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