Tag Archives: days out

Accessible Routes, Days Out

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways Blackpool

Britain’s favourite seaside resort is world famous for its iconic Tower, its rich entertainment history and of course, ballroom dancing. Plus, it’s a really accessible city. Let’s take a quick getaway to Blackpool…

Sandcastle Water Park

It might seem like madness to begin this review of one of Britain’s best-known beach resorts with a review of an indoor waterpark, but bear with us. We’re choosing to feature the fabulous Sandcastle Water Park for a couple of reasons. Not least that the weather in Blackpool can’t always be relied on to provide perfect swimming conditions for all the family! But the main reason is the fabulous job the team there does in making this place as accessible and inclusive as possible. There are plenty of pool chairs available if you need help getting in to the water, and the accessible changing rooms are great. There are also lots of ‘Access For All Ambassadors’ who are never far away and ready to lend a hand should you need it. Very impressive indeed.

Stanley Park

We love Stanley Park. It is completely accessible, with tarmac paths throughout, and it is just one of those parks that seaside towns like Blackpool do so well. Within its 390-odd acres, there really is something for everyone. If you’re a nature lover, you will enjoy the Italian Gardens and the rose gardens. If you are heading along there with the kids, then they will have a great time exploring the Blackpool Model Village which is fully accessible with paved paths throughout. There’s crazy golf (of course) and much, much more. If all that activity sounds a bit much, then pay a visit to the beautiful Art Deco Café, which serves great food (including a gorgeous afternoon tea), and offers some lovely views of the park itself.

Blackpool Zoo

While you are in the area of Stanley Park then we also seriously recommend a trip to Blackpool Zoo. Once again, the team ensures that as much of the place is as accessible as possible. All of the enclosures are multilevel, so whether you want to get up close and personal with a lion or look a western lowland gorilla in the eye, this is the place. It is busy, as you’ll expect, but once again the designers made a real effort to create an environment that everyone can enjoy without it feeling too overwhelming. Very highly recommended, and a great way to wile away a few hours.

Blackpool Zoo Bus - Quingo Scooters
Editorial credit: Electric Egg / Shutterstock.com

The Blackpool Tower

No trip to Blackpool is complete without a trip up the iconic Tower. It is a spectacular structure that dominates the beachfront, and it is worth making the effort to get to the top. The good news is that it is surprisingly straightforward to do this, even for those of us with limited mobility. There are lovely big lifts that will take you all the way up (and allow you to take in the 4D cinema experience on the way). However, it is once you are up at the viewing platform that the fun really starts, as you will be able to head out onto the glass floor to get a truly knee-wobbling perspective on the town below you. Not one for the faint of heart! While you are there, you should also pay a visit to the beautiful Tower Ballroom. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to take your mobility scooter in there but they do have free wheelchairs which you can use.

Editorial credit: Billy Stock / Shutterstock.com

Comedy Carpet

Of course, most people will head straight for the Blackpool Tower, and rightly so. But before you go up, we  highly recommend you spare a few minutes to explore the Comedy Carpet in front of the Tower itself. Over two square kilometres in size, this work of art is made up of over 160,000 granite letters which together celebrate the many hundreds of comedians and writers who have performed here in Blackpool. It is a fantastic tribute to the funny men and women who are such an important part of the culture of the place.

Probably the best fish and chips in the world

This is the part where we usually review all of the best restaurants in whichever town or city we’re featuring. But when you’re in Blackpool, there really is only one thing you are going to want: fish and chips. So, this time, we’re giving a big mention to Taylor’s Fish and Chips cafe and takeaway, which is very popular with visitors and locals, it’s accessible, and has truly amazing fish and chips.

Accessible Parking

It is worth mentioning that there are a number of car parks in Blackpool with designated Blue Badge parking. You will find parking at the Houndshill Centre and there is also Central Car-parks which is open air, and close by the main sights like the Tower. You can also park on the street in the town for a short time.

Getting to Blackpool

Blackpool is easy to get to by car: just take Junction 32 off the M6, and then follow the M55 in to the city. It’s also well connected by train. Just catch a train to Blackpool from Preston, or take one of the direct services to Blackpool North from Manchester International Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Liverpool Lime Street or York.

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, Days Out

Quingo Scooters Accessible Historic Sites: England

Here at Quingo Scooters, we really are passionate about helping people to explore England’s many historic sites. If you’re a history buff, then the country has a seemingly endless supply of fascinating places to visit. From ancient henges to stately homes and royal gardens, there is something for everyone. Happily, much of it is also accessible, meaning that our country’s rich heritage can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. Here are our Top 5 Historic Sites in England.

  1. Rievaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire

Rievaulx Abbey is one of those places that is so beautiful, and in such a spectacular setting, that it is almost hard to believe it is real. But it is, and the great news for those of us who use a mobility scooter is that much of the site is fully accessible. It’s not hard to see why the first Cistercian monks came here to establish the abbey in 1130. It really is a place full of peace and tranquillity. Of course, the Abbey has been at the centre of some remarkable stories over the last 888 years or so, and you can hear more about this at the Abbey’s excellent museum. It’s all accessible to you on your scooter, and you can also take a lift up to the upper floor. You’ll also find an excellent cafe there that serves hot and cold meals all day (just remember it closes half an hour before the Abbey does).

But the real joy of Rievaulx for us is just exploring the magnificent ruins. It’s an incredible experience in the heart of this peaceful valley. The Abbey has its own car park with two bays for Blue Badge holders. There are also two extra spaces within the site gates when it gets busy.

Rievaulx Abbey - Quingo Scooters

  1. Brodsworth House, South Yorkshire

Staying in Yorkshire for a moment, we also have to mention Brodsworth House. It is a wonderful example of a Victorian country home set in gorgeous gardens that are easy to explore on your mobility scooter. Once you’ve enjoyed the garden (there are level, tarmac paths throughout) you can explore the house itself. You can take your mobility scooter around the whole of the ground floor, but you can also head up to the first floor (using the original lift!) to see some of the bedrooms. The hall is incredibly well-preserved. One of those historic houses that has been left pretty much as it was, and it is all the more interesting for it. The car park has five dedicated Blue Badge spaces.

  1. Stonehenge, Wiltshire

We really had to include what is probably the UK’s most iconic historical site in this roundup. While Stonehenge’s original purpose has been lost over the millennia, visiting it is still an incredibly powerful experience. Of course, this Neolithic treasure is also incredibly popular, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, but it is for good reason. Much of the site, including the path alongside the stones themselves, is fully accessible by mobility scooter and the exhibition and visitor centre is also accessible via a ramp. Apart from seeing the spectacular stones themselves, we also really recommend setting aside some time to explore the centre, which is packed with many of the fascinating artefacts that have been found on the site. Stonehenge has its own car park with 22 parking bays for Blue Badge holders.

 

  1. Osborne House, East Cowes

Anyone who enjoyed the recent TV adaptation of Queen Victoria’s life will absolutely love Osborne House. It was one of her favourite holiday homes and both Victoria and Albert spent a lot of time here. We don’t blame them: it is a beautiful home set in spectacular gardens. Much of the house itself is accessible with your scooter and you can take a lift up to the first floor apartments where the Royal couple used to stay. The gardens themselves also are fully accessible via firm and level paths and are well worth taking time to explore. The royal getaway has its own car park with 12 spaces for Blue Badge holders.

  1. The Roman ruins of Chester

We’ve talked before here about the remarkable job that Chester has done of creating a town that is accessible to all. There are the historic 13th century elevated paths in the town centre known locally as ‘The Rows’ which are fully accessible, but of course there are also the city’s fantastic Roman ruins. These include the Roman gardens, which display many historic artefacts from the city’s history, but also the historic walls. The walls are a fascinating hotchpotch of Roman, Saxon and medieval history, and the entire two-mile stretch is fully accessible. We really fell in love with Chester when we visited, as it is one of those cities that packs a huge amount in to a relatively small space, with much of it accessible to those of us using a scooter. The Gorse Stacks, Frodsham Street and Cuppin Street car parks are all close to the walls and have dedicated Blue Badge spaces.

Roman Ruins at Chester - Quingo Scooters

Accessing the UK’s historic sites.

By their very nature, many of the UK’s historic sites face complex issues around accessibility. Uneven surfaces, narrow entrances and worn steps all contribute to a making it hard to deliver a consistent level of accessibility for all. But most have done a great job, and we recommend that if you are interested in visiting a particular site it is always well worth giving the local team there a call to discuss your own individual needs.

Beyond that, a great starting point is the English Heritage site, the body who manage many of the UK’s most precious historical sites. The National Trust’s Access for Everyone page is also a helpful resource.

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, Days Out

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Glasgow

Glasgow is a city with a fascinating history and an equally vibrant present. Quingo Scooters is heading to Scotland’s second city for the next part of our Accessible Getaways series.

Exploring Glasgow

Glasgow, almost more than any city we can think of, is a city of contrasts. It has a tough reputation of course, but it is also a place of great artistic and creative beauty. It is a working city, but also one that is famous around the world for its museums, its music and its galleries. There is plenty to keep you busy for a few days. Here are some of our top picks.

Glasgow Skyline - Quingo Scooters

Soak up the atmosphere in Merchant City

Glasgow is great for shopping, full stop. It has well over 1,500 shops, covering all the usual high street chains but also plenty of fascinating independent retailers too. And one of the best centres of the independent scene is Merchant City. It is an area that includes Merchant Square, which used to be Glasgow’s old fruit market in the 1800s. Today, it is packed with independent shops and bars and is just a great place to spend some time (and money). It’s all totally accessible too.

To find out more, check out their site here, as well as DisabledGo’s full review of their facilities. There is a Q-Parks car park at Candleriggs, just off Tron Street, that has five dedicated Blue Badge holder spaces.

Enjoy a spot of culture at Kelvingrove

First opened back in 1901, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in the city’s West End is unmissable. Quite apart from anything else, it is just a stunning piece of architecture, set in the picturesque surroundings of Kelvingrove Park itself.

Once you’re inside, there is a huge range of different displays to enjoy, with everything from a gallery stuffed full of paintings from 17th century Dutch and Flemish Old Masters through to an exhibition on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style. The great news is that most of the galleries and museum are open to all, with most of the exhibits at an accessible height for those of us using mobility scooters. Just remember to use the Argyle Street entrance, which has a lift, when you arrive. It has its own dedicated car park with free parking for Blue Badge holders.

Kelvingrove Park - Quingo Scooters
Editorial credit: DrimaFilm / Shutterstock.com

The People’s Palace and Winter Gardens

Every city needs a quiet place for people to relax and recuperate and The People’s Palace and Winter Gardens is Glasgow’s. You’ll find the People’s Palace in the heart of Glasgow Green, and as you may have guessed it is a celebration of the ordinary (and extraordinary) people of this great city.

It is full of exhibits that explore Glaswegians’ lives over the century. It’s a wonderful place to get a sense of the city. The Winter Gardens are a beautiful space packed with exotic plants in a stunning setting and we’d also recommend you refresh yourself at the Winter Gardens Café, which is fully accessible and open daily until 5pm. Both the Winter Gardens and the People’s Palace are full accessible, with lifts to all floors. You will find free on street parking at Glasgow Green, with six spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders.

Get a fresh perspective with Glasgow’s City Centre Mural Trail

We found that this was a fantastic way to explore the city and to see it from a different angle. How often have you visited somewhere and forgotten to look up? There is so much to see when you really look around you, and this fascinating trail that takes in many of the striking public murals around the city is a great way to see another side of Glasgow.

There is everything from a taxi being carried by balloons and a giant man in a kilt to spot. They are not all easy to find, but as public artworks most of them are fully accessible and visible from the street. All you need to do is look up. Head to the trail on Google Maps to start your adventure.

Glasgow Street Art - Quingo Scooters
“St Mungo, Street Art, Glasgow” by @markheybo is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Accessibility

There are a huge range of things to see and do in Glasgow, and many of the venues and attractions have done a good job of making sure they are accessible. The DisabledGo site for Glasgow is a great place to start and has a list of helpful links, and the city council website also has information including a list of accessible toilets in the city.

Getting to Glasgow

Unsurprisingly for the largest city in Scotland, Glasgow is very straightforward to get to. There three international airports within 40 miles, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick and even Edinburgh Airport, which is only a short bus ride away (they run every half hour). It’s also well connected to the rest of the UK rail network, via services into Glasgow Central Station, for example, the city is just over four hours from London.

If you’re planning to drive to Glasgow, then it also couldn’t be easier either. If you are coming from Edinburgh, then head along the M8 or take the M74 if you are coming from the south. The M80 links the city with Stirling and M77 brings visitors in from the West Coast of Scotland.

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.

Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Cardiff

Right across the UK there’s a huge range of different places that are accessible and easy to explore on your scooter. At Quingo Scooters we’re doing our bit to help you choose where to have your next adventure by bringing you our favourite getaways across the country. This time around we’re heading to the Welsh capital, Cardiff.

Visiting Cardiff

One of the things that strikes you most when you first arrive in Cardiff is the diverse range of things to see and do. It is an historic city of course, with settlers first coming here around 2,000 years ago, but it is also a modern, cutting edge city that is home to some stunning contemporary architecture. Here’s our pick of just a few of the things you need to see.

The Senedd

If you like fascinating buildings, then you are going to love the Senedd. It is the home of the Welsh Assembly, and as the seat of government in Wales it is a building that is hugely significant to this city. We recommend you get a guided tour once you’re there and the team are helpful and friendly. The building itself, as you’d expect, is well-designed with accessibility in mind. There are lifts, ramps and automated doors throughout and it is even possible to hire wheelchairs there if required. You can also park opposite the building in designated Blue Badge spaces. Clearly, this is a working parliament building with its own particular access and security requirements, so we recommend finding out more here on their dedicated access page.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Cardiff - The Senedd
Editorial credit: steved_np3 / Shutterstock.com

The Firing Line Museum

From a very modern centre of power to an ancient one: the Firing Line Museum is located inside the walls of Cardiff Castle and is well worth a visit. It’s dedicated to Welsh soldiers, many of whom have played a significant role in some of the most important battles of the last 300 years. The whole building is fully accessible via a lift and level floors, and there are also accessible toilets available. Unfortunately there is no dedicated Blue Badge parking at the museum itself, but it is located close to the city centre and you can easily reach it from the car park at Westgate Street where there are four accessible bays.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Cardiff - Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Bay

No visit to Cardiff is complete without a visit to its waterfront. Cardiff Bay was once known as Tiger Bay and has certainly had a colourful past. But today it is one of the largest stretches of redeveloped waterfront in the UK and is well worth a visit. It is packed with bars and restaurants and there are plenty of sights to take in, from the spectacular Wales Millennium Centre which hosts regular shows to the waterfront itself. The Bay is straightforward to get to via public transport: just take the connecting train from Queen’s Street to Cardiff Bay (there are lifts on the platform for wheelchair users), or you can park at the nearby Mermaid Quay car park, which has 380 spaces and 16 designated Blue Badge bays.

Where to stay

If you fall in love with the Cardiff Bay area (and a lot of people do) then you’ll want to stay at the Future Inn Cardiff Hotel. We were really impressed with the accessibility of the hotel, with its free parking right outside the hotel and its accessible rooms with wet floor showers. Read a full review here.

Eating out

For a meal with a view, then you can’t do much better than the Look Out Cafe. As the name suggests, this is just a cafe, so the menu is fairly limited, but it’s well worth a visit, if only for the view itself. Again, you can park at the nearby Mermaid Quay car park. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, then head to the Society Standard. It’s a quirky bar and kitchen, that’s fully accessible and has plenty of local beers and a hearty menu to choose from.

Getting there

Cardiff, as you’d expect from Wales’ largest city, is easily accessible from right across the UK. It has its own international airport, and there are regular trains that will take you into the city centre every hour. Find out more here. If you’re driving then the M4 will bring you to the city from the east, while the M6, M5 and M50/M4 connect it to the north. If you’re coming from the southwest, then take the M4 and M5. It’s only a couple of hours by train from London Paddington, and there are services to Cardiff Central from right across the rail network. Visit Arriva Trains to find out more

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.