Tag Archives: salford

Accessible Routes, Days Out, Quingo Scooters

Quingo Accessible Days Out: Clifton Country Park

Here at Quingo Scooters, we want to help you live your life to the fullest, by encouraging you to discover the world around you on your mobility scooter. In our series of articles, we’re shedding light on various accessible days out, which you can use to explore the UK’s most scenic outdoor spaces.

Today we’re going to Clifton Country Park. You’ll find this popular, stunning attraction in Irwell Valley, which is just a few miles away from thriving Salford. Read on for a fabulous day out…

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Clifton Country Park

Clifton Country Park is a 48 hectare picturesque local nature reserve, serving as an oasis away from the hectic confines of urban Salford. It features various meadows, woods, ponds and lakes for visitors to discover. The park has various self-guiding trails, with the highlight being its highly popular lake path. It won the prestigious Green Flag Award in both 2006 and 2007, so you know it’s a great place to visit.

This is a great park to indulge in a little wildlife spotting in particular, as it’s popular with bird watchers and fish enthusiasts. It also boasts various beautiful plant-life, from Irish Yews to Norwegian Maples. Clifton Country Park is especially known for its Arboretum, as well as for housing the remains of the Wet Earth Colliery. Set up in 1740, this was one of the first deep mines to be sunk into the Irwell Valley.

Clifton Country Park is free to visit and opens daily. It also has a Visitor Centre, where you can find out more about the Park, access key services and learn about the area’s fascinating industrial past. The Clifton Country Park Visitor Centre is open 11.30am – 4.30pm on Saturdays, 10am – 4.30pm on Sundays and 11.30am – 4.30pm on Mondays, but it can be opened at other times by arrangement.

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Talking accessibility

The park itself has a hard-surfaced, main cark park with three parking bays available for designated blue badge holders, which can be accessed via Clifton House Road.

After you have arrived, you can reach the nearby Visitor Centre by taking the level ramp up from the main cark park. The Visitor Centre is fully accessible and it also has fully accessible toilets. These spacious facilities include grab rails and easy access wash basins and hand dryers. The site also has a café and shop, which can be accessed via a level ramp, as well as an accessible picnic area with tables.

The main trail running around Clifton Country Park’s lake is fully accessible.  It boasts a wide, hard surface, making it easy for mobility scooter users to navigate, providing you with a clear, circular walk. We should also note that rangers patrol the park from 9am to 5pm on most days, providing you with assistance when necessary. The Park’s rangers run a regular Friday morning walk for those with limited mobility, which starts at the Visitor Centre and is held from 10.15am to 11.30am.

About QuingoThe 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 Accessible Attractions: The Lowry, Salford

Over our latest series of blog posts the Quingo Scooters team have been encouraging mobility scooter users to get out and about visiting interesting or unusual places. In our accessible attractions series, we aim to share some hidden gems; places that you wouldn’t usually visit or that you maybe thought weren’t accessible for your Quingo Scooter. This week we’re taking you to Manchester to an accessible attraction that has something to offer for everyone.

On Pier 8 at Salford Quays sits The Lowry – a large theatre and gallery complex named after the early 20th century painter, L.S. Lowry. However, don’t be fooled by this as the complex has so much more to offer than its art galleries. Officially opened in 2000 by Queen Elizabeth II, this impressive complex has two theatres and a drama studio which is host to plays, comedy, musical events and Opera North.  There are also restaurants and bars to treat yourself to a post-show meal, and an accessible shopping centre next door if you want to turn it into a real day out!

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The Lowry Galleries

The art galleries at The Lowry offer a stunning and exclusive look at some of the finest art around. With the different exhibitions constantly changing, there’s always something fresh to take a look at.

Every month sees the ‘Art After Hours’ exhibition, in which The Galleries keep their lights on and the doors wide open so you can join them for exclusive events, drinks and art after hours. This is something really special and different, and the July instalment sees music from the Galleries’ resident singer/songwriter Lucy Hopkins. What a great way to liven up your art viewing. Admission is free, and you can check what else is going on at the Galleries on the Lowry website to help plan your visit effectively.

Theatres

There are two theatres at The Lowry, offering a wide variety of performances from comedy, drama and music acts. The Lyric Theatre has 1,730 seats whilst the Quays has 466 for smaller performances. The Lyric Theatre has the largest stage in the United Kingdom outside London’s West End, and it even played host to the 2011 Royal Variety Performance.

If you’re into your comedy, one of the highlights of this summer at The Lowry will be when Sara Pascoe, who is known for being on Live at the Apollo and Mock the Week, performs her stand up extravaganza ‘Animal’. And if you’re after something a little bit different, don’t miss Derren Brown as he brings his ‘Miracle’ show to the Lowry until the 13th July. All the information on what’s on at the Lowry can be found on their website.

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Accessibility

The Lowry is a fully accessible venue, with plenty of ramps, lifts to all floors and wide doors throughout.

Outside the building there is a passenger drop off point. There is also secure parking available in The Lowry Outlet Mall car park which is free for blue badge holders. From the street outside there is great level access, with volunteers to assist on the entrance doors. There are also accessible toilets throughout, which are incredibly spacious.

In the actual theatres there are spaces for your mobility scooter where the seats have been removed to accommodate, with stools available for carers. The Lowry are available on 0161 848 1850 if you have any questions or queries regarding your visit.

Share your accessible attraction with Quingo!

If you want to share your mobility scooter accessible attraction, 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.