Category Archives: Accessible Routes

Accessible Routes, Days Out, Holidays, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Lake District

Mobility scooters offer the perfect way to get around if you’re wanting to explore the great outdoors. And the destination we’re focusing on this time certainly has fresh air in abundance: the Lake District is famous around the world, and the great news is that much of it is accessible. So, here Quingo Scooters finds out what this incredible National Park has to offer.

The Lake District

Never mind just the UK: we’re going to be bold with this one and say that the Lake District must be truly one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It really does have it all, from breathtaking mountains and forests to yes, lakes (although strangely, only one, Bassenthwaite Lake, is officially a lake by name). There is also a rich vein of artistic connections to explore in the Lakes as well, with many painters and writers over the years, from Turner to Wordsworth, being inspired by this incredible place.

Bassenthwaite Lake

The great thing about the Lake District is that there really is a day out to suit every taste. If you love to explore the wilds of the fells and the valleys then there are plenty of accessible routes for you to try. But the towns are also well worth a visit, despite getting incredibly busy in the summer tourist season. Whether you’re looking to pick up a bargain in one of the countless outdoor shops in Keswick, or if you want to enjoy the Beatrix Potter Experience in Windermere, there are lots of options.

Accessibility

The Lake District National Park is an area of great natural beauty and of course, as with any of the UK’s wild places, access to it on a mobility scooter or wheelchair can depend heavily on the weather. That said, the National Park authority website is a good place to start your journey: their dedicated Miles Without Stiles page gives a great overview of the 48 routes in the Lake District that have been identified as being particularly accessible for all. One of our favourites is a fairly lengthy route alongside the stunning Coniston Water. The views are out of this world and one of the best things about it is that is very adaptable if the Cumbrian weather turns against you suddenly (as it often does!). It’s easy to cut the 4.3 mile route short and turn it into just a couple of miles if you need to by getting on one of the Coniston Launches from the jetty at Torver. There is also a car park, accessible toilets and café on Lake Road near to the Coniston Boating Centre.

Another great Miles Without Stiles route is along the shore of Derwentwater, surely one of the most beautiful of all the lakes in the park (and one that has even had a role in Star Wars, of all things!). It takes you along the western shore of the lake, with great views of Skiddaw and the other local mountains that surround Keswick. You can park at Hawse End where the walk starts, but there is also the option to take public transport by using the Buttermere Rambler (service number 77 / 77A). We’d recommend checking with the team there on 01228 597222 to make sure it will be a low floor bus that is operating on the day you want to travel.

Derwentwater

As we mentioned earlier, the Lake District isn’t just about the great outdoors. The Beatrix Potter Experience in Windermere is a real family favourite, and is fully accessible. There is an accessible entrance on Crag Brow, and although it is an old building they’ve done a great job of ensuring everyone can enjoy it. There is also lift access to the Tea Room. It is open every day, from 10 until 6.30pm, with last entry at 5.30pm. If you’re blind and partially sighted then there is also the opportunity to go on a ‘touch tour’ (with authentic aromas) of the exhibition. Just give the team a call on 015394 88444 a couple of weeks before you go to book it in.

Getting there

The Lake District is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK and it is well served by the M6 motorway that runs north and south along its eastern edge. Junction 36 and then A590 will take you to the southern Lakes, while Junction 40 and the A66 or A592 will take you to the north. You can also take the train, either to Carlisle, Oxenholme or Penrith from London and Glasgow, and there are direct trains from Manchester to Windermere too. Buses also link many of the towns within the park itself, but again we’d recommend checking to make sure they are accessible, on 01228 597222.

Lake District Valley

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo Scooters

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

 

 

 

Accessible Routes, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: Beddgelert Forest, Snowdonia

It looks like this long, hot summer isn’t over yet, with high temperatures forecast for just about everywhere for August. In the UK, we have so many accessible, beautiful, life affirming walks and routes to explore on your mobility scooter, it would be a shame not to try as many as you can before the sun goes in.

This time we’re heading to the jewel of the Welsh countryside, Snowdonia’s Beddgelert Forest. It’s 700 acres of forest, encompassing a treasure trove of different routes to try. As it’s a multi-use trail so you’ll see lots of different kinds of people along the way.

Stunning views

As you make your way around the accessible route, you’ll enjoy stunning views of Snowdon (if the visibility is right!) and can stop and enjoy a picnic next to the peaceful Llyn Llywelyn lake.

Listen out as well for the Old Welsh Highland railway trains that still go through the forest as they travel from Caernarfon to Porthmadog. You can find out all the information about the Snowdonia National Park Lon Gwyrfai trail that runs through the forest from Beddgelert to Rhyd Du on their website. In the meantime, here are a few key details.

Beddgelert Forest Snowdonia

Accessible trail

The route starts from the Forestry Commission car park. Very soon it crosses the Highland Railway line on the level crossing and follows a track around the forest edge. A you descend south, the track leads to the lake and an ideal resting spot. You can’t access the picnic bench by scooter, but there is plenty of space to enjoy your surroundings and the views are stunning every season. The circular 2.75 mile (4.4km) route ends up back at the car park.

Llyn Llywelyn Snowdonia

How to get there

Beddgelert Forest is in north Wales and is easy to reach by car or public transport. It is eight miles north of Porthmadog on the A4085, and there is free parking at the start of the route. The nearest train station is Porthmadog, and you can get details of public transport here.

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website  and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo Scooters

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC). AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

 

Accessible Routes, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads

Here at Quingo Scooters, we’re all about bringing you the very best accessible routes around the country. In the UK we’re lucky enough to have an incredible number of areas of great natural beauty, and many of them are increasingly accessible to those of us using a mobility scooter. So, in this latest of our series of articles in which we pick some of best accessible routes to discover on your mobility scooter, we’re heading to the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.

The Broads

The Broads are in many ways defined by the sea. East Anglia is a huge area and one that it can take a long time to travel across (particularly by boat), but you never feel far from the sea when you’re in the Broads. Fishing of all sorts has been a mainstay of the economy here for millennia. And over the years, the Anglo Saxons, the Vikings and the Romans have made their homes here. So, it is somewhere with a rich history to discover, but it also has a vibrant and fascinating present.

Many people are drawn to the Broads by the rich wildlife. Whether it is the wading birds or the otters you might be lucky enough to spot on the banks of the River Bure in Norfolk. Or the grey seals of Horsey, or the millions of butterflies and dragonflies you’ll see as you pass through, this is an incredible natural landscape.

But there are also wonderful towns and villages to visit in the area too. We fell in love with Beccles and its many tiny independent shops: it’s the perfect place to while away a few hours. The Hungate Lane car park is central and has 66 spaces and has dedicated Blue Badge parking too.

Accessibility

A great place to start your journey in the Broads is on the national park’s dedicated Access for All page. You’ll find plenty of information there on the work that the organisation is doing to make the Broads as accessible as possible, whether through adapted boats or creating boardwalks that suitable for wheelchair users.

We also recommend you take the chance to go to one of their Visitor Centres, at Hoveton, How Hill and Whitlingham. They’re all accessible, and each one runs boat trips from the centre to give you the chance to explore the local waterways. It’s a great starting point, but if you fancy heading out into the wilds a little more, we also recommend Barton Broad. It has a boardwalk that’s accessible to wheelchair users and mobility scooters that takes you through some beautiful woodland. There are also plenty of dedicated Blue Badge holder spaces in the car park by the entrance at Neatishead. Best of all, the mile and a half route is completely free to access.

You can take accessible cruises on a boat from Horsey to Upper Thurne through the nature reserve there, and we’ve found that the boats are great for passengers with limited mobility. We recommend booking the day before, you can email [email protected], text or leave him a message on 07791 526440 to secure your spot. There is pay-and-display car parking at Horsey Gap and at Horsey Mill (there are plenty of spaces but no dedicated Blue Badge ones, as far as we know).

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Accessible Routes, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: Glenmore Forest

One of the most wonderful things about having a mobility scooter is the freedom it gives you to explore. And here, we’ve picked a truly beautiful part of the world to spend time in. In this latest Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes series, we find out more about the stunning Glenmore Forest in the Scottish Cairngorms.

Glenmore Forest

This is a truly spectacular part of the British Isles. The Cairngorm Mountains themselves are wild and breathtakingly beautiful. The national park made the National Geographic’s top 20 places to visit in the world. And we certainly suggest you set aside plenty of time to explore this incredible wilderness. We’ve picked just one part of it, Glenmore Forest, due to its accessibility and the variety of the landscape there.

It has a little bit of everything, from the forest itself to the mountains and of course the picturesque Loch Morlich. It’s somewhere where you can have an adventure in the woods in the morning, and then relax on the beach in the afternoon.

Glenmore Visitor Centre is the best place for you to start your journey. You’ll find plenty of helpful local information there to help you plan your stay, as well as a thoroughly excellent Cobbs Café if you’re in need of refreshment. It’s open from 9.30am to 5pm every day (serving hot food until 4.30pm), and it’s all fully accessible. There’s a car park there too, although it doesn’t have dedicated Blue Badge spaces unfortunately.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes_ Glenmore Forest - Loch Morlich

Accessibility

Once you’re fed, watered and ready to go, there are a few great options for heading out onto the trails on your scooter. We particularly love the trail to the Green Loch, which is a flat, well-marked and even path all the way. Just follow the blue markers through the pines and enjoy the stunning views of the surrounding hills, until you reach the loch itself.

We also recommend taking the trail down to Loch Morlich. This beautiful route through the pine forests is easily accessible on your mobility scooter. Once you’re there you’ll be able to enjoy what is billed as the ‘highest beach in Britain’. The sand is golden, the views are breathtaking and on a sunny day it is just a wonderful place to be.

The trail itself is circular, and around 2.4 kilometres long. Start from the Glenmore Forest Visitor Centre and follow the yellow markers. Just remember that the toilet at the beach is closed during the winter months. For more accessibility information on the Beach Trail, have a look here. The Glenmore Forest Park’s dedicated page here is also a great place to find out more.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes Trees and River Nethy at the Glenmore Forest Park

Getting there

For an area that feels so wild and remote, the Cairngorms are remarkably easy to get to. You can reach Glenmore Forest Park easily from Aviemore, which is only six miles away. If you’re coming by car then follow signs for Rothiemurchus, Glenmore and the Cairngorm Mountain Railway.

Carry on through Rothiemurchus Estate and then on to Glenmore village itself – you’ll see the visitor centre your left, right in the heart of the village. The whole area is also easily accessible from Glasgow, Edinburgh or Inverness, which each have their own international airports and regular train links into the Cairngorms National Park.

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo Scooter or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC). AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.

Accessible Routes, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Ridgeway

With most of the country currently in the grip of some glorious summer weather, many of us are looking to get out and about to make the most of it while it lasts. Fortunately, the UK has a huge number of accessible routes that are great to explore on your mobility scooter. In this, the latest in our series of accessible routes, Quingo Scooters heads south, to the historic Ridgeway path.

The Ridgeway

There can be few accessible routes that we’ve covered here that are as ancient as The Ridgeway. It’s been around, in one form or another, since prehistoric times. The route has been used over the millennia by everyone from soldiers to herders, and it passes through some glorious countryside. It’s a varied landscape too, with the 87-mile route taking in rolling downland and beautiful woods along the way.

Many people start their Ridgeway journey in the historic village of Avebury, and it is a beautiful site to explore. It’s home to the largest stone circle in Britain as well as the incredible West Kennet long barrow and the largest prehistoric mound in Europe at Silbury Hill. There is dedicated Blue Badge parking 200 yards from the stone circle, and quite a bit of the circle itself is also accessible. All of the museums and galleries, as well as Avebury Manor and gardens are accessible and have ramped entrances. You can also find accessible toilets behind the Barn Gallery. The National Trust site here also has plenty of information to help you plan your visit.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Ridgeway
Editorial credit: jax10289 / Shutterstock.com

We’re also big fans of the section of The Ridgeway between Ogbourne St George and Sparsholt Firs. While this whole 16-mile route might be a bit much, it is one of the most fascinating sections of the entire Ridgeway path, with plenty of prehistoric sites to see along the way. It’s remote too, so you’ll be travelling along quiet tracks, parts of which have been surfaced with limestone.

The entire western half of The Ridgeway is potentially accessible, weather permitting, and you’ll be able to soak up some of the incredible history of this area as you travel along it. Everything from long barrows to Iron Age forts and white horses in the chalk hillsides.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Ridgeway

Accessibility at The Ridgeway

One of the best things about The Ridgeway route is just how accessible so much of it is. A lot of the route follows paths that are unobstructed by stiles, so travellers on mobility scooters will be able to access the whole western half of the route as well as a big chunk of The Ridgeway between Britwell Hill and Wainhill. A word of caution though, it can be a little rough going from time to time as it isn’t paved, so exercise caution if the weather hasn’t been great in the days leading up to your expedition.

If those sections do look like they might be inaccessible, then there is also a great section between Fox Hill to Ashbury that has a generally more solid surface. There is also parking available at both ends of this section of the route, although unfortunately without designated Blue Badge spaces. A great place to start your journey along The Ridgeway is the National Trails website, here.

And if you’re planning on spending a bit more time in the area then we certainly recommend taking a look at this great leaflet that has been produced by the Chilterns Conservation Board and Chiltern Society, called ‘Miles Without Stiles in The Chilterns’, It’s a source of loads of useful information on accessible routes on and around The Ridgeway.

Getting there

Due to its proximity to London and the rest of the south east of England, The Ridgeway is easily accessible by road and rail. If you’re relying on public transport then we recommend planning your journey at the Traveline website. Alternatively if you’re heading to the area by car, then the M4 is your best bet. There are also regular trains from London Paddington to Swindon and Reading and from London Marylebone to High Wycombe. And it’s also worth saying that The Ridgeway itself is exceptionally well signposted, so you shouldn’t get lost en route!

Share your accessible route with Quingo!

If you’ve been to visit any great accessible routes on your Quingo or would like us to write about a particular place you have visited, we’d be delighted to hear from you! You can email your stories, recommendations and pictures by filling out the contact form on our website and we’ll feature them on our blog.

About Quingo

The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.

Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.

All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC).  AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.