Tag Archives: quingo scooters

Accessible Routes, Holidays

Accessible getaways abroad: Accessible Lisbon

We hope you’re enjoying our new series of blogposts on accessible getaways in Europe. For this post we’re heading to a city that is becoming increasingly popular for visitors from across the world, and with good reason. Although (like Rome) Lisbon is famous for its seven hills and its cobbled streets, it is still a surprisingly accessible city to get around for those of us who use mobility scooters and wheelchairs. Here is our accessible guide to the best that the Portuguese capital has to offer.

Tuck into the greatest custard tart on the planet

It’s a bold claim, we know. And you might not think that you like custard tarts. But the poor excuse for a custard tart you can buy in British bakeries really doesn’t do them justice: the Portuguese make the original and best. The ones to go for actually come from somewhere very specific: the Pastéis de Belém bakery in Belém, on the edge of Lisbon. The team there have been making custard tarts since at least 1837. The great news is that the whole of the restaurant and bakery is fully accessible to wheelchair users, so grab yourself a coffee and a plate of Pastéis de Belém, and enjoy.

Jerónimos Monastery

While you’re in Belém, we also thoroughly recommend that you pay a visit to the Jerónimos Monastery. This peaceful place offers a welcome break from the busy city and was built originally to commemorate the discoveries of the great Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama. Remarkably it took over 200 years to compete, but the craftsmanship and effort that has gone into this beautiful building is absolutely breathtaking. Despite its great age, the church and its peaceful cloisters are both accessible using a ramp.

Jerónimos Monastery

Enjoy the sound of Portugal

If there is one thing that defines the Portuguese spirit (aside from incredible custard tarts and global exploration), it is the idea of ‘saudade’. It is one of those words that doesn’t really have an equivalent in English: it is something along the lines of ‘melancholy’, or ‘longing’, but neither of those really do it justice. It is a word born out of the Portuguese people’s love of exploring, but also of the love and longing for home that they feel when they are away. One of the best ways to get a sense of the feeling of ‘saudade’ is to listen to the traditional Portuguese folk music, fado. It is the music you will hear everywhere in Lisbon (and the country’s greatest fado singer, Amália Rodrigues, is buried in the city too).  Our tip is simply to head out in the evening and follow your ears to find the best live singers.

Make a splash at the Lisbon Oceanarium

The sea is everywhere in Lisbon, in the history of its most famous explorers and in the smell of grilled fish that fills the air. So, it is no surprise that the city is also home to one of the best aquariums in the world, the Oceanário de Lisboa. It is absolutely vast and has a huge range of creatures to see, with everything from live shows to exhibits examining how we can work to rid the oceans of plastics. It is also completely wheelchair accessible to all, and while it isn’t in the city centre you can easily reach it using the metro.

Lisbon Oceanarium

Did you know?

The city has a ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue overlooking it, just like Rio de Janeiro.

Getting to Lisbon

While there are often more affordable flights to Faro in the Algarve, flying to the Portuguese capital from the UK is still relatively cheap and easy. Fly direct, every day, from London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Once you’re there, you will be impressed by just how accessible Lisbon airport is too. The team there offer an assistance service for travellers with special mobility requirements. It is called MyWay and you can find out more here. As always, we’d suggest getting in touch with the team there to make arrangements before you get on the plane.

It is also relatively straightforward to get from Lisbon airport into the city centre. We recommend using the Aerobus shuttle service, which runs every 10 minutes into the city centre. It is fully accessible for all, and is only €3.60 for an adult ticket.

Lisbon has both trams and an extensive metro system, although not every platform or stop is fully accessible to those of us who use wheelchairs or scooters. The official advice is to check the metro map before you head out.

Travelling with scooters

The great news for those of you travelling abroad is that Quingo Scooters are all approved for air travel by IATA so you won’t have any problems taking them on the plane. That said, it is always well worth getting in touch directly with any train, bus and airlines you want to use just to double check their rules on scooters before you go. For more handy tips on travelling with your scooter by air, take a look at our page here.  

Share your accessible getaways abroad with us

Do you have any accessible getaways abroad recommendations? In Europe or perhaps further afield? If you do, we’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line and we’ll feature them.

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

Accessible Routes

Accessible getaways abroad: Accessible Berlin

For the fourth in our series of blogposts on accessible getaways abroad, we head to Berlin. The German capital is one of the most fascinating cities in Europe: rich in history, art and culture. It also very accessible for those of us with different mobility needs. So, here is Quingo Scooters’ guide to just a few of the best accessible sights in Berlin.

Charlottenburg Palace

The spectacular Charlottenburg Palace was home to the Prussian royal family for hundreds of years, and today it is one of Berlin’s most popular attractions. It is a beautiful building, built in the late 1600s and with some of the best gardens to explore in Berlin. It is a great place to head to when the hustle and bustle of the city gets too much. While there are parts of the palace that aren’t accessible to those of using mobility scooters, the gardens themselves are. A stunning place to relax and explore.

ACCESSIBLE BERLIN - Schloss Charlottenburg
Editorial credit: Nick Fox / Shutterstock.com

Mauer Museum

Although it is long gone, the Berlin Wall still casts a long shadow across the city. One of the best places to get a sense of how it divided the city is to head to the Mauer Museum. It is packed full of exhibits from the Wall’s early days through to its fall in 1989, as well as stories of the many thousands of ordinary Berliners whose lives it affected so dramatically. There is ramped access and a lift inside to all of the exhibits on the different floors. It is also well worth heading to the East Side Gallery, which features the longest remaining stretch of wall, and examples of the spectacular art it was decorated with.

Get away to Museum Island

One island, five museums. Berlin’s Museumsinsel is home to some of the city’s most remarkable treasures, and it a must-see for any visitor. It is also very accessible, with all five museums (The Pergamon Museum, the Bode-Museum, the New Museum, the Old National Gallery and the Old Museum) generally accessible. You will find everything from the Gates of Babylon in the Pergamon to artistic treasures from some of world’s greatest painters in the Old National Gallery. For a general guide to opening times for specific museums on Museum Island, head here.

Take a tour of Berlin’s fascinating neighbourhoods

One of the very best things about any visit to Berlin is the sheer variety in the different areas of the city. Whether you’re into art, culture or just want to see how ordinary Berliners pass their days, then an accessible tour is a great way to do it. We really liked this one, that starts in trendy Kreuzberg, takes you to Tempelhofer Feld park and ends up in Neukölln. If you’d like to work out your own route, then the tour uses a list of accessible sites featured on the handy Wheelmap.org tool, which you can find here.

Did you know?

There were actually two Berlin Walls, separated by a ‘death strip’ in between them, and over the years 80 people were killed trying to cross from East to West.

Getting to Berlin

There are plenty of regular flights to both Berlin Tegel Airport and Berlin Schönefeld from the London airports, as well as Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh. Both Tegel and Shönefeld have personal assistance services if you need them, and there are barrier-free shuttles available to the city centre.

If you’d like to find out more about getting around the city and more on the many accessible sites there are to visit, then Berlin’s official tourist organisation has a really useful site here.

Travelling with scooters

The great news for those of you travelling abroad is that Quingo Scooters are all approved for air travel by IATA so you won’t have any problems taking them on the plane. That said, it is always well worth getting in touch directly with any train, bus and airlines you want to use just to double check their rules on scooters before you go. For more handy tips on travelling with your scooter by air, take a look at our page here.

Share your accessible getaways abroad with us

Do you have any accessible getaways abroad recommendations? In Europe or perhaps further afield? If you do, we’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line and we’ll feature them.

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

Accessible Routes, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Scooters Accessible Woodland Trails

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.

Editorial credit: Debu55y / Shutterstock.com

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

Days Out

Quingo Scooters Accessible Luxury Retreats

Sometimes we all just need to get away from it all to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. And while a cheap flight and a few day’s holiday somewhere can make a big difference, there’s nothing quite like going for it and really pampering yourself at a luxury retreat.

The great news is there are plenty of wonderful options here in the UK, and many of them cater to those of us with mobility needs. Here is Quingo Scooter’s guide to some of the very best accessible retreats in the country.

The Grove, Pembrokeshire

Nothing says ‘retreat’ like a country manor, and The Grove in Pembrokeshire in Wales is one of the UK’s finest. It has everything you could possibly wish for: great food, a stunning location and comfy rooms. These are old buildings (some of them date back to the 15th century), so not every part of this wonderful historic property is fully accessible. However there is dedicated parking outside the reception, ramped access to the entrance and the restaurant and lounge, and the hotel’s gorgeous Bramble suite are all fully accessible for those of us using a scooter. The team there are also incredibly helpful, so make sure you ask if there’s anything you need during your stay.

QUINGO SCOOTERS ACCESSIBLE LUXURY RETREATS 2 - The Grove
Editorial credit: yackers1 / Shutterstock.com

Ye Olde Bell, Nottinghamshire

This former coaching inn has been looking after weary travellers for around 500 years and so the team there are pretty used to helping you to rest and recuperate. It was probably considerably less luxurious back in days of the English Civil War when it was first built, but today it is just the perfect place to refuel and pamper yourself. The food is healthy but hearty, and there is also a spa here for those of you looking to really kick back and relax. The good news is that all of the ground floor is accessible, and there are also eight ground floor rooms with parking directly outside. 

Kinloch Lodge, Isle of Skye

Where better to go to get away from it all than the Isle of Skye? This beautiful house was once the home of the Chief of Clan Donald, but today it is luxury hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant. It is by far and away the best restaurant on the island, with an endlessly inventive menu, but the hotel itself is also truly special experience. There are three accessible rooms (one with an adapted bathroom), and the dining room, drawing room and bar are all also on the ground floor for those of us who use a mobility scooter.

Seaham Hall, Durham

What an incredible place this is: nestled on a cliff top in the north east of England, Seaham Hall was the birthplace of Lord Byron’s daughter, before becoming a military hospital and then this wonderful hotel and restaurant. The building itself has an accessible room on the ground floor, as well as lifts and level access throughout most of the public areas. There is also dedicated Blue Badge parking close by the entrance: the main car park has 1 bay, while there is also another car park nearby with 6 more.

Holbeck Ghyll

Anyone who has been to the Lake District will know that, as beautiful as it is, it can sometimes get a bit crowded (especially during the busy summer months). But we love the area, so we were particularly happy to find this hideaway close to one of the Lakes’ busiest spots in Windermere. It’s a gorgeous hotel, with one of the best restaurants in the area and views that are truly spectacular. There is ramped access to the hotel itself, and the whole of the ground floor is accessible (including the restaurant). There is also a specially adapted ground floor bedroom, and you’ll also find a designated Blue Badge parking space right outside the entrance too.

QUINGO SCOOTERS ACCESSIBLE LUXURY RETREATS 3

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

Days Out

Quingo Scooters Accessible Getaway Aberdeen

Aberdeen is a truly unique city. Its architecture is defined by the granite that gives it its nickname, and the culture of the place is very much wrapped up in the city’s long maritime history. Here is Quingo Scooters’ guide to Aberdeen, the hidden jewel of the north east of Scotland.

Enjoy the unique architecture of St Machar’s Cathedral

If there is one thing you’ll notice when you head to Aberdeen (apart from the wind), it’s the city’s stunning buildings. The city is largely built out of granite, and one of the most impressive buildings is the ancient St Machar’s Cathedral. The first Norman cathedral was built on this site in 1131, and the building’s stunning stained glass windows and fortified frontage are well worth a look. The walls do contain a dark secret though – when William Wallace (of Braveheart fame) was hanged, drawn and quartered, one part of him was buried in the walls.

There is no accessible toilet (you’ll have to use the one at The Hub in St Machar’s Drive nearby), but other than that there is level access via automatic doors into this medieval building. Once you’re inside there is access throughout, with the exception of the gallery. The cathedral doesn’t have its own car park, but there are often spaces next to the churchyard itself.

Have a peaceful moment in Johnson Gardens

If the dark drama of St Machar’s is all too much then we recommend spending a few hours among the colourful blooms of the Japanese themed Johnson Gardens. It’s been part of Aberdeen’s daily life since the thirties and it is a wonderful place to come and enjoy some natural peace and quiet in the heart of the city. It’s especially beautiful at the moment as the spring flowers come into bloom. There is relatively level access throughout the gardens, but look out for a few steep slopes. The paths are a mix of tarmac, cobbles, and some chipping. It has its own car park, but no designated Blue Badge holder spaces.

Soak up some of Aberdeen’s maritime heritage

Of course the sea is an ever present influence in Aberdeen, and there are few better places to get a sense of this history than the Aberdeen Maritime Museum. It is a fascinating way to learn more about this city’s long and often dramatic relationship with the sea, and includes collections that cover everything from ship building to fishing and of course, the oil and gas industry. It is also almost fully accessible to those of us using a mobility scooter, with ramps and lifts throughout. It doesn’t have its own parking, but there are designated Blue Badge spaces at the Shiprow NCP car park nearby

Get hands on with history and culture at Aberdeen Treasure Hub

Aberdeen’s main art gallery is currently closed for a huge refurbishment, but many of its treasures are on display at the Aberdeen Treasure Hub. This unique place is where the city stores many of its collections when they are not on display in the city museums and galleries, and is a fascinating opportunity to see everything from objects that are a part of the city’s maritime history through to some of its most famous paintings. It is only open on Wednesdays and Thursdays but it is well worth making the time to visit this fascinating (and fully accessible) experience. You will need to book in advance though, so just give the team a call on 0 3000 200 293 to arrange your visit.

Eating out in Aberdeen

There are plenty of great places to eat out in Aberdeen, and if you are looking for something cheap and cheerful then you can’t do much better than Jo Jo’s Coffee Shop. It’s fully accessible and just a fantastically friendly place to enjoy lunch (and we also recommend their afternoon tea). If you’re after something a bit more up market then head to the No 1 Bar & Grill on Queen’s Terrace. It’s still pretty informal but they serve a great range of modern Scottish dishes (think lots of fresh fish and steak) and it’s level and accessible too.

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