As the days warm up and the weather improves, there is nothing better than getting out and about in the great British countryside. The UK’s forests and woodlands are wonderful at this time of the year, and the great news is that some of the best of them are also largely accessible to those of us using mobility scooters. So, with that in mind, here is Quingo Scooters guide to some of the best accessible woodland trails in the UK.
Haldon Forest Park, Devon
You really are spoiled for choice at Haldon Forest Park. It is handily situated close to Exeter, and is just a beautiful place to spend time with friends and family. There are a couple of designated trails (The Discovery Trail and the Mamhead Sensory Trail) that are perfect for those of us using mobility scooters, and you can even hire special off road scooters if you need to. Just give the team a call on 0300 067 5826 to discuss your requirements.
Low Barns, County Durham
A mixture of wetland nature reserve and beautifully peaceful woodland, Low Barns is a great place to explore on your scooter. It has excellent access throughout, with a wide network of level paths and a car park close by. There are three lakes here which are home to a huge amount of bird life and the woodlands also have hides which are perfect for spotting some of the local inhabitants: as well as the birds there are also roe deer and even otters to see if you’re lucky.
Montalto Estate, Northern Ireland
Over to Northern Ireland now to the stunning Montalto Estate near to Ballynahinch.
There are three trails here with varying levels of accessibility, and the Woodland Trail in particular is one of our favourites. It isn’t accessible all of the way around, but there is an incredible variety of wildlife to take in: everything from tree creepers and kingfishers through to greater spotter woodpeckers and (if you’re very lucky) even pine martens. The cafe is also completely accessible, and does an excellent afternoon tea.
Galloway Forest Park, Scotland
This huge forest has three visitor centres at Kirroughtree, Glentrool and Clatteringshaws and has everything from breathtaking views of the local lochs to some stunning woodland to explore. For those of us who use a mobility scooter, the Wild Watch Trail at Kirroughtree is a great place to start. It has a flat, firm surface and the trail takes you to a hide where you can watch the birds. Galloway Forest Park is also a very special place to visit at night: it is Scotland’s first designated Dark Sky Park, which means it is a wonderful spot look at the stars without any light pollution.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Finally, something a bit different. As well as the natural beauty of the woods and parkland here, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is also packed with plenty of great art to discover. It is gorgeous in springtime, and well worth visiting with your mobility scooter. Although there are some parts of the woods and parkland that can be tricky to navigate, it is largely accessible, and there is also priority parking for Blue Badge holders. The woodland here is full of wildlife this time of year and the parkland is laid out in such a way that you will always find something new to discover.
For more general information on getting out and about with your mobility scooter in Britain’s wonderful woodlands, we’d also recommend that you head to The Ramblers accessibility page here. The Ramblers also have links with another group who use mobility scooters and wheelchairs and you can find out more about their events and activities here.
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 30847
