There are so many wonderful places to explore right here in the UK, and at Quingo Scooters we want to do everything we can to share them with you. So, in our latest series of the best accessible routes in the country that you can enjoy on your mobility scooter, we visit Dunwich in Suffolk.
The Dunwich Coast
If you love history, beautiful nature and even the odd ghost story, you’ll love Dunwich. It’s remote, far out on the Suffolk coast, and a fantastic place to enjoy some peace and quiet.
Today, it’s hard to believe but this quiet village was once a city as important as London, the capital of the kingdom of the Eastern Angles, the seat of Anglo-Saxon bishops and a busy port. Slowly, over the centuries the city has been consumed by the sea. The largest part of the destruction took place in one day, in 1286, when the city lost many of its buildings, including churches and monasteries. Which is where the ghost stories come in. The stories go that on a dark and windy night you can still hear the ghostly bells tolling under the waves.
Whether that’s true or not, Dunwich certainly has a special atmosphere. We recommend visiting any time between July and September, when Dunwich Heath is a riot of spectacular colour. And if you’re a nature lover, there are also hides between Dunwich and Minsmere Nature Reserve that are a perfect place to spot birds and other wildlife. Once you’ve enjoyed a day in the fresh air, we also highly recommend a meal at the village’s lovely Ship Inn.
Accessibility
There are three ways around the Heath at Dunwich, which all have flat paths. Take your pick from the 2.5-mile Gorse route, the 1.2-mile Heather route and the 1.1-mile Birch route. Again, go in spring or summer when the gorse and heather is out, you might even get to see red deer!
If you want to park at the Dunwich Beach and Heath car park, there are four Blue Badge parking bays behind the Coastguard Cottages. There is also ramped access and an accessible toilet at the Coastal Centre.
Down the road, Minsmere Nature Reserve also has eight Blue Badge spaces. While the paths and hides at the reserve vary in terms of accessibility, a number have been adapted for access. To find out more, check out their accessibility page here.
Of course, this is a remote spot, but it’s still surprisingly easy to get there. By road, it’s well signposted from the A12. There are buses from Darsham and Saxmundham (although you’ll need to call them to book, on 01728 833526).
The nearest railway station is Darsham, which is just a short taxi drive away.
Share your accessible route with Quingo Scooters!
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.