Tag Archives: days out

Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Padstow

Of course, here at Quingo Scooters we know that everyone only watches the BBC series Poldark for the stunning scenery. Aidan Turner might steal a few of the headlines, but for us Cornwall itself really is the star of the show. So here, as part of our Accessible Getaways series, we find out more about what this gorgeous part of the world has to offer.

Exploring Padstow

We’ve picked Padstow and the surrounding area because it really does have a bit of everything. We see it almost as a kind of Cornwall in miniature: beautiful beaches, a quaint fishing town and of course some amazing destinations for food lovers. There’s an impressive seven beaches within easy reach, and the coastline has everything from golden sands to those wild and windy cliff tops made so famous by Mr Turner. It’s a great base for exploring the Cornish countryside, but if you’re in love with the sea then you’ll also find it’s the perfect place to surf (but more of that later). Here are a few of our top things to do.

  1. Take in the beautiful coastline

Parts of the South West Coast Path are suitable for those of us using mobility scooters and we certainly recommend the first part from Padstow Harbour to Tregirls Beach and Polzeath to St Enodoc. There are more details on the South West Coast Path’s website here. There is also a great route out of Padstow to the Day Mark tower and the Coastwatch lookout station. These are set on an impressive headland and the grass and stone covered path takes you across some beautiful farmland with stunning views of the sea and the Camel Estuary. It’s around a mile and half long, and you can park in the Hawkers Cove Car Park near Padstow. There are no dedicated Blue Badge spaces however.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Padstow - Polzeath Beach

  1. Go surfing

Padstow’s beaches are a prime location for surfers, and if you’ve never tried it before, now could be your chance. There are two gorgeous Blue Flag beaches nearby, and we recommend you give the team at Wavehunters a call to find out more about their surfing lessons for people who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Book a lesson with them online here or give them a call on 01841 532339. They’re located on the North Quay in Padstow and there are four Blue Badge parking spaces at the Broad Street pay and display.

  1. Ride the Camel Trail

There can be few better ways to explore this incredible area than by heading out on the Camel Trail. It’s around 18 miles long, and follows a disused railway line through some gorgeous countryside. It’s popular with cyclists but it’s also perfect for those of us on mobility scooters too. The surface is smooth and it is pretty much level all the way. You’ll get to see the stunning Camel Valley, and you may even want to spend a moment or two at the Camel Valley Vineyard on your way. Keep your eyes on the sky too as there’s a good chance you might see one of the local Peregrine Falcons or even an Osprey in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can find out more about the Camel Trail here.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: Padstow - Camel Trail
Editorial credit: Gary Perkin / Shutterstock.com

To find out more about the facilities available in Padstow and the local area, look here.

Where to stay

If you fancy a bit of art deco glamour, then there really is no better place to stay than the St Moritz hotel. It’s a little way out of Padstow, but it is a gorgeous place that has really taken into account the needs of visitors with mobility requirements. This classic hotel has two fully accessible rooms, as well as access to the main restaurant via a lift. There is also an indoor pool with a dedicated changing room for disabled guests, and a wet wheelchair and hoist system for getting into the pool itself. The great news is that all of the treatments at the hotel’s Cowshed Spa are also fully accessible. Just give the team a call on 01208 869800 to discuss what you need.

If you want to be a bit closer to the hustle and bustle of Padstow itself, then we recommend the lovely Prospect House in the town. You’ll find it behind Rick Stein’s St Petroc’s Bistro, and they have two quiet, accessible rooms, as well as dedicated parking for guests.

Eating out

If there is one thing that Padstow is rightly celebrated for, it’s the quality of its sea food. And any selection of Padstow restaurants has to start with Rick Stein’s place, The Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant (and Rick himself) are Padstow institutions and well worth a visit. There’s wheelchair access and you can park in any of the nearby pay and display car parks in Padstow, at the harbour, South Quay, Link Road or Lawns. Each has its own Blue Badge parking, but Badge Holders are also usually allowed to park on double yellow lines in the town for a limited period (but check your badge restrictions first).

If you’re interested in something a little less formal (and crowded), then we don’t think you can do any better than heading to the Prawn On the Lawn for some gorgeous seafood. It’s a great place with a real emphasis on fun, fresh food. It also has its own fishmonger, so if you fancy taking some of the local produce away and cooking it yourself then we recommend you certainly check it out.

Getting there

Getting to Padstow is relatively straightforward by car. If you’re coming from Penzance, then head north on the A30. If you’re coming from the north, take the M5 towards Exeter and then head in the direction of Bodmin, and from London take the M4 to Bristol, then south on the M5 to Exeter and then follow the A30, the A38 and finally the A389. There are trains from right across the UK’s network running to the nearest station at Bodmin Parkway every day of the week. It’s also possible to fly, either to Newquay Airport (only 12 miles from Padstow) or to Exeter Airport which is around 1hr 50mins drive away.

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, Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: Whinlatter Forest Park

The British countryside offers a wonderful range of options for those of you looking to explore new places on your mobility scooter. In the latest in our series of articles on accessible routes, Quingo Scooters heads to one of the most fascinating parts of the English Lake District – Whinlatter Forest.

Whinlatter Forest Park

Whinlatter Forest Park is billed as ‘England’s only true Mountain Forest’ and is a fantastic place to explore, whatever your accessibility needs. The Lake District itself is a stunningly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whinlatter is an important part of this landscape and it has been carefully managed by the Forestry Commission over many years so that it’s a place that balances the needs of a huge diversity of wildlife with the many visitors who enjoy it every year. So, as you travel around the forest, keep an eye out for Roe deer, badgers and foxes.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: Whinlatter Forest Park | Quingo Scooters Badger

And don’t forget to look up too: there’s a good chance you’ll see Osprey from the special viewing point at Whinlatter.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: Whinlatter Forest Park | Quingo Scooters Osprey

However, we’ve found that one of the most relaxing ways to spend a few hours at Whinlatter is simply to pass the time in Siskins Café. There are an incredible variety of birds that use the bird feeders outside the windows, including siskin (and if you’re lucky you might even see a red squirrel trying its luck on the feeders!).

There is a one-mile marked trail at Revelin Moss, which is suitable for wheelchairs and buggies, and has great views of Grisedale Pike. There are other short walks, which are easy access and staff at the centre will be pleased to help advise you which will be the most suitable.

If you fancy something different, Rough Riderz is a 4-wheeled mountain bike club. It offers people the opportunity to experience the thrills of downhill mountain biking on specially designed 4-wheeled mountain bikes. You can find out more information, including taster days, on the Rough Riderz website.

Accessibility at Whinlatter Forest Park

Considering this is such a wild and rugged landscape, Whinlatter Forest Park is surprisingly accessible, not least because of a new scheme that offers the use of off-road mobility scooters known as ‘trampers’. These are offered by Lake District Mobility and their website is a great place to start your adventure around Whinlatter. You can sign up to be an annual member of their scheme, which costs £10, or get a two-week taster membership for £2.50. Give them a call on 01768 778469 to book and discuss your needs.

Whinlatter Forest Park itself has number of a designated Blue Badge spaces near the main building. The parking spaces are up a slope (it’s not too steep) but there is also the option to be dropped off outside the rear of the main building too, where you will also find an accessible toilet as well.

For more general accessibility information about Whinlatter, take a look at their dedicated page here.

Getting there

Because of its relatively remote location, the easiest way to get to Whinlatter is by car. From the M6 just take the A66 towards Cockermouth and then turn west at Braithwaite on the B5292 towards Lorton. The Visitor Centre is signposted from there. During the summer you can also take the bus from Keswick to Whinlatter and we recommend taking the Honister Rambler (bus number 77 or 77A) that goes via the spectacular Honister Pass. The Visitor Information Centre and the Forest Shop are both open every single day over the summer, from 10am-4pm, while the Siskins Cafe is open from 10am to 5pm every day.

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.

Attractions, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: A Day Out In Exeter

Exeter is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, but aside from the many charms of the Devon countryside, there is plenty to get up to in this delightful city. Here, Quingo Scooters, as part of our Accessible Getaways series, finds out more about what this fantastic city has to offer.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: A Day Out In Exeter
Editorial credit: Christian Lathom-Sharp / Shutterstock.com

Exploring Exeter

One of the things we look for most when we’re choosing the getaways we cover here is diversity, and Exeter certainly has a broad range of things to do for most visitors. The great news is that much of it is accessible too, impressively so for a town that has so many historic sites. So, whether you’re into gazing in awe at the city’s imposing thousand-year old cathedral, doing a spot of browsing in the popular Princesshay shopping centre or getting your culture fix in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, you’ll find it here.

  1. The Cathedral

As Exeter’s most famous and most imposing landmark, we start with the cathedral. It is an absolutely stunning building and is one of the oldest cathedrals in the UK, having been originally founded by Edward the Confessor way back in 1050 AD. Like many cathedrals, this incredible building is maintained in large part by its admission fee of £7.50 for adults and £5 for seniors. We think that’s a small price to pay to be able to enjoy this great building, much of which is easily accessible with a mobility scooter. Although the cathedral itself doesn’t have a public car park, the city centre has plenty of parking options. Blue Badge holders can park in any of the spaces at the nearby Smythen Street Car Park for free.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaways: A Day Out In Exeter
Editorial credit: travellight / Shutterstock.com
  1. Retail therapy at Princesshay

No getaway is complete without a little bit of shopping and Exeter makes it very easy for everyone to be able to enjoy the many high street stores and independent shops here. The new Princesshay shopping centre has been designed very much with this as a priority and is easily accessible for all. So, spend a few hours here and get your retail fix! Princesshay is central, and it is straightforward to get there, with ample parking spaces nearby. The car park just off Paris Street has 18 wide bays and 14 bays for Blue Badge Holders. Take a look here for more information.

  1. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum

It is refreshing to visit a museum or gallery that has so clearly put a great deal of thought into how to make the experience as accessible as possible for all visitors. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum is just such a place, with most of its many fantastic exhibitions and world class collections free of obstacles and easily accessible. It’s a welcoming place and the staff there are all very helpful, but there’s also plenty of information on their website about the various accessibility features of the museum to help you plan your visit in advance. Start your visit to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum here.

One of the best things to remember about Exeter is that it also has an excellent Shopmobility scheme. This means that it is possible to hire mobility scooters and wheelchairs for your visit. Just head to their page at to find out more.

Where to stay

We’ve picked out a couple of lovely hotels that we’d recommend. The first, the Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel, is centrally located and has reduced mobility rooms, wheelchair access, reduced mobility facilities and an accessible bathroom.

We also recommend the fascinating Headweir Mill House. It was originally an Exeter townhouse and, although the hotel today is spread over four floors (with no lift), there are three bedrooms on the ground floor. It’s in a beautiful spot, right in the centre of Exeter on the banks of the river Exe. We recommend giving them a call on 01392 210869 to discuss your individual needs before you book.

Eating out

If you’re looking for a bite to eat in Exeter, then Bill’s is always a great option. Only the ground floor is fully accessible, but it’s a great place to enjoy everything from breakfast to a full-on evening meal (we recommend the Pan Fried Chicken with Truffle and Wild Mushrooms!). Another alternative is On The Waterfront, where you’ll find tasty locally sourced food, proper ales and a quayside terrace that’s the perfect place to soak up the sun. Find out more here. You can park nearby, at the Cathedral & Quay car park on Lower Coombe Street, which has accessible parking on level 4 that is suitable for wheelchair users, as well as free Blue Badge parking in any space above the entrance level.

Getting there

Getting to Exeter by car is straightforward. The M5 offers the easiest routes from Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham, while the A30/A303/M3 is a more scenic journey if you’re coming from London. You can also fly to Exeter Airport from several locations, including Manchester, London City Airport, Paris and Amsterdam. It’s only five miles from the city centre too. Finally, you can also catch a train to Exeter St David’s. There are regular services there offered by Great Western Railway, Cross Country and South Western Railway.

The Travel Devon website is a good place to find more public transport information.

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 New Forest

Right across the UK there a wealth of wonderful places that can easily be explored on your mobility scooter. Here at Quingo Scooters we’re bringing you the very latest in our series of the best accessible routes in the country, and this time around we’re finding out what the New Forest has to offer visitors.

 Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The New Forest

The New Forest

There’s a lot to love about the New Forest. Miles and miles of stunning, unspoiled countryside, much of it easily accessible, with charming towns and villages and even free-ranging ponies. It’s been a family favourite for many people for generations, and much of this is down to the sheer variety of things you can do in the area.

If your idea of a great day out is to get away from it all and enjoy the peace and quiet of miles of woodland and hidden trails, then you’ll love the 566 acres of woods (once William the Conqueror’s hunting ground), heathland and coastline here. Or, if you fancy spending time browsing packed antique stalls or enjoying a bit of retail therapy in a boutique clothes shop, then a New Forest town like Lymington or historic Buckler’s Hard is just the place for you.

Accessibility

The New Forest is huge. But happily much of it is also accessible for those of us on mobility scooters. The New Forest National Park Authority’s dedicated accessibility page is a great place to start your journey. If you want to head out into the wilds, there are a few sights we’d certainly recommend. The Knightwood Oak is rumoured to be the oldest oak in the New Forest, and it is easily accessible from the car park nearby. There’s one designated Blue Badge space available. If a slightly longer adventure around a pretty harbour town sounds tempting, then we also recommend the accessible route at Keyhaven. It’s a beautiful spot with an accessible path, and you can find out more here.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The New Forest

And finally, if you’re after a bit of history and culture then the fabulous St Barbe Museum in Lymington is a must-visit. There is ramp access all round, and both the galleries and the museum itself are on the ground floor. While the site doesn’t have its own car park, there is a public car park on Emsworth Road nearby, with six free parking spaces for Blue Badge holders.

Getting to the New Forest area is straightforward too. If you’re coming by train, then you’re only an hour and a half from London Waterloo. There are also plenty of South West Trains services from Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. By car, you can reach the New Forest from the east and London via the M27, or the A31 if you’re travelling from Dorset. The A338 or the A36 brings visitors in from the north. Finally, you can also get the ferry to Hythe from Southampton. It’s a truly scenic way to arrive in this stunning location.

 

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

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

There is so much to see and explore here in the UK, from historic castles to vibrant modern cities. But there is also a wealth of incredible routes that are easily accessible for all to enjoy. Here at Quingo Scooters, we’re always excited to share them with you and, in this latest series of the best accessible routes in the country that you can enjoy on your mobility scooter, we’re finding out what the Leeds-Liverpool Canal has to offer.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes: The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

 The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

Two exciting northern cities, Leeds and Liverpool, joined by a stretch of one of England’s most fascinating waterways. So many of the UK’s network of canals are well worth exploring. They’re a haven of peace and quiet and, whether you’re on the water or using the many miles of restored towpaths, they offer an accessible way to see the hidden side of the country. The Leeds-Liverpool canal is a real gem and is over 127 miles in length, making it the longest single canal in Britain. Of course, much of its fascination lies in the industrial heritage of the region: not just the remarkable scale and ambition of the canal itself, but also the many buildings that were built along it. So, if you’re visiting, make sure you take time to explore sights such as the Bingley Five Rise Locks as well as the historic town of Saltaire.

But it’s not just one for the industrial archaeologists among you: the Leeds-Liverpool canal also passes through some stunningly beautiful countryside. Whether you’re accessing the canal via its towpaths or seeing things from on the water, you’ll get to experience plenty of picturesque Yorkshire Dales villages and the Pennine hills.

Quingo Scooters Accessible Routes_ The Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Wigan Pier

Accessibility

Clearly, when you have a route that is as long and as varied as the Leeds-Liverpool canal, then there will be a broad range of levels of accessibility along its length. However, a great place to start to get the information you need before a visit is the Canal and River Trust’s website. They have a very useful map of many of the key locations along the canal, as well as a dedicated accessibility page here. Generally speaking, towpaths are often flatter and more accessible than most footpaths, but it is still well worth checking locally before you venture out.

Of course, one of the very best ways to see the canal when it comes to accessibility is to be on the water itself. There are several companies who offer trips along the canal on accessible boats. We recommend contacting the team who run The Rose of Parbold, based at Parbold in Lancashire, as a great place to start. Give Mike Walker a call on 01257 463269 to find out more about his boat.

Sites like Bingley Five Rise Locks are also well worth a visit. This spectacular stepped system of locks has a lovely cafe with an accessible toilet next to it, but unfortunately there is no Blue Badge parking nearby (only on-street). Take a look at DisabledGo.com’s review of the locks here.

There are direct trains and regular rail services to Leeds and Manchester from most of the UK, and each city also has its own international airport. They are also well connected both to each other and to the wider motorway network by the M62, if you are travelling to the region by car.

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 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.