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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
