Information and support for holidaymakers with mobility problems
Travel advice for the Parkinson's traveller
Don't give up on one of life's wonderful experiences. Obviously, a lot depends on the level of your disability and your planning, but it is possible. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's 17 years ago, and I think my traveling over the past 10 years has helped slow my deterioration.
Wheels Over the Water
The key to enjoying a cruise vacation in a wheelchair is planning ahead. Cruise ships must provide access to vacationers with disabilities, but so far there's a lack of guidelines telling them how to do so. Therefore, the best way to avoid disappointment is to make special arrangements with the cruise line or travel agent ahead of time.
GB Paralympic skier wins silver
Britain's Sean Rose wins downhill silver in the final World Cup event ahead of the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver
Britain's Sean Rose wins downhill silver in the final World Cup event ahead of the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver
Useful websites for accessible travel
Our guide to online resources helping disabled travellers and their companions and carers to plan holidays and tripsThe internet has made it much easier for travellers with disabilities (or their companions/carers) to plan holidays and share tips and advice in online forums. Websites, as well as travel operators, are obliged to meet accessibility standards, including considerations such as clearly labelled images and self-explanatory links. Although the vast majority currently fall short of the lowest levels required by law (and have done since the Disability Discrimination Act amendment covering websites came into effect in 1999), there is a steadily growing number of informative online resources for disabled travellers. Here's our pick of sites and let us know if there are any that we have missed.Impartial information providersFlying with DisabilityThis site gives impartial advice to help travellers negotiate airports and flights with tips on advance planning (including letters from medical professionals to help make explanations easier), information on non-acid-filled wheelchair battery options for flights, information about your rights and obligations and details of UK organisations that provide specific insurance cover for disabled travellers, including specialist equipment cover. It also provides steps to take if you feel you have been treated unfairly and wish to make a complaint.Tourism for allAnother advice site, Tourism for all is a national UK charity dedicated to overcoming barriers and "making tourism welcoming for all". Here the content extends beyond flights and also provides advice on hotels, insurance queries, providing information sheets for travellers with mental health needs and assistance in obtaining care overseas. They also offer a UK phone information line for other related queries and to order travel guides. (0845 124 9971)Equality and Human Rights CommissionCreated to encompass the former Disability Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality, the Commission provides information on rights, definitions and access to services, as well as regular news updates and comment pieces. Door to DoorA dedicated UK transport and travel website for less mobile people and those with disabilities. The regularly updated site includes "all the information that disabled people need to make informed decisions and choices", plus links to helpful organisations and websites. It was set up for the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), an independent body to advise the government on the transport needs of all disabled people. Accessible accommodation and holiday suppliersThe Good Access GuideBilling itself as an online guide to life, leisure and mobility, the Good Access Guide is a well-organised site covering the UK and Ireland. The accommodation section gives detailed descriptions of facilities and summaries of accessibility features, and includes everything from farm stays to hotels and pubs. The holiday section has links for selected mobility services worldwide, flight advice and an informative (if somewhat dry and text-heavy) travel news blog. There's also a useful leisure time section, with ideas for accessible outings.Access at LastThis site (while not particularly exciting design-wise) adheres to web content accessibility guidelines, allowing blind and partially sighted readers to browse the site with screen-reader software, and there are access keys for easy navigation. Access at Last was created by Stephen Pritchard, a former IT manager who had trouble finding the services he needed when travelling (he is a T7 paraplegic). All hotels featured on the site have at least one room with a level access shower, and there are photos showing the facilities and an impressive amount of practical information on everything from the width of doorways to toilet and bed heights to whether the room lights can be switched off from the bed.Independent Living – Accessible Vacation Home ExchangeAlthough fairly small-scale, the vacation home exchange site has detailed information and the added advantage that potential home-swap partners can be contacted directly, allowing each party to ask as many questions as necessary to determine if the swap will work for them. The same risk factor is involved as in any home swap situation – the site merely provides a place for travellers to make contact – but it gives users the potential to explore with the help of an insider who can offer specific advice on accessibility of local attractions, or availability of medical assistance.MiscellaneousThe Rolling Rains report Seemingly inexhaustible American Scott Rains blogs extensively on issues surrounding inclusive travel, and is a champion of the principles of Universal Design (usually referred to as Inclusive Design in the UK), which is a way of designing environments and products to provide access for everyone, regardless of age or ability. The blog is updated daily and and functions as a highly informative digest of all that's going on in the world of accessible tourism. Rains has also created a 'Travel with a disability' photo sharing group on Flickr which has more than a thousand photos from around the world.Able MagazineAlso available in print, the online version of the magazine has news and articles from current and previous editions, as well as a discussion forum for travellers to share information and a second-hand listings column for specialist equipment.Accessible.travelAccessible.travel is a relatively new site set up by Craig Grimes a paraplegic and full-time wheelchair user. This site is a spin off from Craig's original AccessibleBarcelona page, which started off as a hobby and has expanded due to demand. In its current format the site provides an accessible accommodation online booking service, adapted airport transfers, mobility equipment hire and suitable guided tours in a variety of destinations. It's still a work in progress - with just nine cities covered worldwide - but as he explains, " ... the idea is to slowly expand destination choices month by month".Tirol without barriersSpecial mention goes to the tourism board of the Austrian Tirol, which has identified a gap in the market for comprehensively sensible tourism destinations for mobility-impaired travellers, and created an entire website highlighting its suitability as a location for all travellers. The holidays and accommodation featured on the site have been tested by a panel of outdoor experts, all of whom are wheelchair-bound, and who have provided hundreds of tips for perfecting the facilities beyond mere lip-service adaptions. The site lists more than 30 ski areas for sports enthusiasts with disabilities, as well as handbike routes, paragliding, rafting and diving options, hotels, spas and farmstays. It also features a 'Trail of Senses' attraction, which combines an olfactory station where wood and herbs are ground, ear trumpets provided to enhance the sounds of the forest, audiotapes, Braille brochures and a 'blind trail' with exhibits by Carinthian artist Elke Maier.Travelling with disabilitiesTravel websitesSarah Bournguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Ten top accessible stays in the UK
Huma Qureshi selects 10 places to stay that offer excellent accessibility and comfort for travellers with reduced mobility, from a coastal spa hotel to a five-bed barn conversionFor some elderly holidaymakers or those with impaired mobility, planning a break means finding somewhere practical to stay where comfort isn't compromised by inaccessibility. Ground floor rooms, lift access to restaurants, level floors and walk or roll-in showers can make all the difference. Here's our pick of 10 mobility-friendly places to stay in the UK.1. Meadowcroft Country Guest House, CumbriaTwo miles from Windermere, this B&B has two ground floor rooms. Wheelchair users get the larger room with extra wide doorways and an en suite with wheel-in shower and shower chair. The owners are also happy to supply a support pole to help you into bed. Carers and family members can stay in direct contact during the night from one of the upstairs rooms via an intercom. If you don't need a wheelchair, but would just rather do without stairs, there's another ground floor double with a smaller en suite. Owner Rosemary is on hand to give plenty of information on easy countryside access around the Lake District - she recommends the wheelchair-friendly Watermill Inn down the road for pub grub in the evenings. • £33 per person, per night midweek; £36 on weekends (includes breakfast); +44 (0)1539 821171, meadowcroft-guesthouse.com2. Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington, LondonThis huge four-star hotel has plenty of dedicated rooms on the ground floor. There are two single rooms with hoists for those unable to transfer themselves out of a wheelchair and connecting suites so family members can stay close by. If you don't need a hoist, but could simply do with a more mobile-friendly room, ask for one of 10 on the ground floor with automatic doors. You can choose from either a low bath tub or a roll-in shower with a drop-down chair, depending on your needs.• Standard rooms from around £71 a night (based on a three-night stay); call reservations for a quote; +44 (0)20 7937 7211, millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornetarakensington3. Manaros, Leyn Peninsula, WalesFor an unfussy stay with friends and family, try this neat bungalow in the seaside village of Aberdaron, north-west Wales. Built last year by the property's owner (who lives next door), this single-storey property has a roomy open-plan kitchen-diner and four double bedrooms, which all have their own attached bathrooms. Two of the bathrooms have been designed for wheelchair users with roll-in showers, non-slip flooring and appropriate grab rails in place. Corridors are extra wide, and the floor is tiled throughout for easy wheeling. You can just about make out the sea from the bottom of the garden - guests with walking difficulties can get down to the beach and explore with the use of an electric Tramper mobility buggy, helpfully included in the rental price.• Self-catering stay for eight people from £500 for three nights (B&B option also available); +44 (0)1758 760652, aberdaronbandb.co.uk4. St Michaels Hotel and Spa, Falmouth, CornwallFor a sunny seaside break, book room 53 on the ground floor of this contemporary Cornish hotel with sea views and tropical gardens. The pretty nautical room incorporates a wide door, low handled wardrobes and low-level furniture. There's also an en suite roll-in wet room with support rails. If you can't manage the steps at the front entrance to the hotel, there's level entry around the corner. The restaurant and lounge are both on the ground floor for easy access too. There are stairs down to the spa, but you can ask for in-room treatments if you prefer. • £69 per person per night (including breakfast); +44 (0)1326 312707; stmichaelshotel.co.uk5. Incleborough house, NorfolkYou'll get complimentary homemade cream cakes every day at this Grade II listed B&B near Cromer. The contemporary Oakroom suite on the ground floor sleeps two and there's an en suite wet-room for easy shower access, with a shower chair provided on request. All the door frames are extra wide - "so you won't rap your knuckles," says owner Nick, who lives upstairs with his wife Barbara. The couple lay on a gourmet English breakfast every morning in the conservatory, where the dining tables have been adjusted so that wheelchair users can slide in without armrests getting in the way. • From £150 per room per night (including breakfast, afternoon tea and wine)- check for monthly discounts; +44 (0)1263 515939, incleboroughhouse.com6. Moo House, NorthumberlandIf you can afford to blow the budget on a large group getaway or big(ish) family reunion, this five-star, five-bed barn conversion near the Northumberland coast could be an option. Sleeping 10 people, there's plenty of room for grandparents, grandchildren and a couple more in between. The barn isn't suited to those who are fully wheel-chair dependent (the showers have dips) - but those who have difficulties climbing stairs can benefit from two ground-floor bedrooms, two shower rooms and a roomy, level-floor open plan kitchen-diner and lounge. Rental price includes use of a games room, aka the Cow Shed, next door - perfect for children and teenagers who want their own space.• From £1,100 (off-peak) or £1,950 (summer season) for seven nights; +44 (0)191 2851272; coastalretreats.co.uk7. Grindale House, Pickering, North YorkshireChoose the comfy twin room in the courtyard of this refurbished Georgian B&B for a peaceful stay close to the North York Moors. There's a wet room which can easily accommodate a wheelchair if you need one; give owner Colin some notice, and he'll happily source any extra equipment you might require from the Red Cross (as he has done on numerous occasions for previous guests). Or, if you're coming as part of a larger group, consider booking one of the two contemporary barn-conversion cottages within the grounds. Both have two, double en-suite bedrooms at ground floor level.• £35 per person, per night for the B&B; or from £320-£545 for four people per week in a cottage stay; +44 (0)1751 476 636; grindalehouse.com8. Fishmore Hall, Ludlow, ShropshireThere's a discreetly adapted and chic-looking ground-floor double in this classy country house hotel. The en suite bathroom is kitted out with grab rails which can be pulled down as and when needed. Ask staff to bring a portable ramp to the main whitewashed entrance - or use the restaurant doors, where there are no steps. If you don't necessarily need an adapted bathroom but would rather avoid flights of stairs, there's a lift to rooms on the first and second floors. Fishmore Hall is about half a mile from historic Ludlow's centre - owner Laura and her team will happily put together a picnic hamper for you. • £140 per room (bed and breakfast) per night; 50% off room rate when you dine at the restaurant during your stay; +44 (0)1584 875148; fishmorehall.co.uk9. The Big Sleep Hotel, CheltenhamBook ahead for the Cheltenham summer classical music festival and get an affordable room in the centre of town at the Big Sleep. There's lift access to all floors at this central and simple hotel, which has four specially-adapted rooms for guests who use wheelchairs or have mobility difficulties. These standard suites are larger than usual, with roll-in wet rooms and grab rails in the bathrooms. • From £55 per night, including breakfast; +44(0)1242 696999, thebigsleephotel.com10. Cringletie House, Scottish BordersAsk for the Traquair room in this luxurious romantic mansion 20 miles south of Edinburgh. This ground floor twin suite has been sensitively designed for visitors with wheelchairs. Automatic doors mean no fiddling with cumbersome door handles and both beds can be raised or lowered electronically, as can the armchairs. The lights are remote controlled, and the bathroom has grab rails and a roll-in shower. For guests with hearing difficulties, the room is equipped with vibrating pillows and flashing lights should the fire alarm go off. A chair lift means you can avoid using the three low steps at the main entrance. There's fishing and plenty of gentle woodland walks nearby but if you just want to relax, helpful staff can arrange spa treatments in the privacy of your room.• From £230 per night with breakfast, +44 (0)1721 725750; cringletie.comTravelling with disabilitiesHotelsUnited KingdomShort breaksSelf-cateringWalesCornwallguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Trips and tips
Mad for itUrbis, the exhibition centre in Manchester, has launched a series of guided walks of the city's cultural heritage, including a Factory Records themed tour to the Hacienda building and other places associated with its "Madchester" history, a 60s Magical Music walk, and a Tavern Tour of proper Manc pubs. Tickets £3-6pp, weekends, 0161 605 8200, urbis.org.uk. My GuyanaThe first direct flights to Guyana in almost 30 years will begin in November when Club Caribee (020-8682 7222, clubcaribbee.com) introduces its Gatwick to Georgetown service. Returns from £599pp. It will also offer a service from Gatwick to Port of Spain, Trinidad, from £539pp return. Access all areasAnyone who uses a wheelchair or has trouble walking will find the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain a useful source of ideas for days out. From Sherwood Forest to Wembley, it has details of 100 places where people with physical disabilities won't have trouble getting around. Price £6.99, or free to blue badge holders (plus £1 p&p). 0800 953 7070, accessibleguide.co.uk.ManchesterGuyanaTravelling with disabilitiesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
A disabled person's skiing experience in Sweden
If only more disabled people could experience the fear and elation he felt as a novice skier on the Swedish slopes, writes John HoranI had just got over the feeling of quaking nausea in the lift on the way up, when I caught sight of the way down. It was the only way down, or so said my ski teacher, Bobo. On the right was a vertiginous upwards slope; on the left, just … air and, far below it, barely visible in the distance, the outlines of the Swedish village of Are.It was up to me to steer through the dead centre. No one else could take control.“There’s no way I’m going to make it,” I told Bobo, before beginning to ski slowly down the centre, certain that one side or the other would gobble me up. As Bobo explained later, I had experienced the moment of fear that every novice skier - able-bodied or not - goes through when he or she first sets off down a mountain. “The first stage is fear - but afterwards comes elation,” Bobo said.A heady mix - and even more so if you are disabled. For a start, confined - as I was - to a “ski cart”, you are only three feet from the ground: every bump and crevice is frighteningly up-close. Add to that the fact that you can only steer the cart with your hands - or, in my case, my right hand and foot.But then there is the high you feel when you suddenly get the skiing “right” for the first time. You are not heading for the abyss but, rather, in the opposite direction: you are suddenly in control. And when you finally hit the brakes on the cart, at the bottom of the mountain, you find yourself unable to stop smiling and laughing, babbling to your ski instructor some nonsense about this turn or that one. It’s like cocaine with the added bonus of being legal.It was a strange twist in what, until then, had been a relatively straightforward ski trip. I had come out with the holiday company Neilsen, which scored top marks by providing me with a flight to Ostersund, an airport conveniently nearby, and fixing me up with suitable accommodation. The accommodation was in what has to be the nicest hotel in Are, the Diplomat, where young, bright staff were there to help you with, well, anything, within reason. I particularly liked the table tennis – you don’t see that in many places, even the swankiest of five-stars. Both Neilsen and the Diplomat knew I was disabled and were (almost desperately) trying to help. I had even come out with Edge-to-Edge rented ski wear – also very good, particularly as you can send it back via the lost property office at Heathrow on your return.So, ski-suited and booted, I pitched up at the Holiday Club hotel for the five-minute bus journey to Total Ski school. Total was a surprise from the start. “The name is no accident,” said Anders Olsen, the founder, himself a disabled person. “We are emphatically not just a disabled ski school; we like to think that, if they required us to, we could provide ski training for every person who walks in the door.”Anders has been in charge of the school for 20 years. “When I first started, although there was a certain amount of equipment disabled people could use, there was no one to tell them how to use it. I myself suffered a back injury that initially left me paralysed from the waist down but, after a few years, I began to start skiing again and managed to get back on the slopes," he says.“I loved the skiing so much I thought: 'If I can do it, so can other disabled people.' I taught myself to ski, then to teach other people to ski and then to train instructors. I now have eight instructors working under me, and they teach hundreds of disabled people a year to ski.“What I would like to do is to replicate the success of the Total Ski school at other resorts throughout Sweden. I also want to do more summer activities – waterskiing, horseriding and fishing.”What’s stopping him? “Money. We have to rely on voluntary donations to make up the difference between what a normal ski school charges and what we charge some of our customers for the special equipment they need. I don’t think it’s right that disabled skiers should be charged anything more than the going rate that able-bodied skiers pay. "Indeed, in Sweden, we have a constitutional right to leisure activities, and skiing is clearly one of them. But, in spite of my letters, the Swedish government will not pay the difference between a disabled person’s skiing lesson and an able-bodied person’s skiing lesson."Every disabled person I met at Total thought the school's policy entirely reasonable. No one objected to spending the same amount as an able-bodied person; what they objected to was the prospect of spending twice that for the same service. Surely they were right: the notion of the pitiable disabled person accepting the charity of the able-bodied community is dead – or should be. The week's skiing was a delight, not to mention the husky-sled races and après-ski. What I had not expected to witness in the Swedish mountains was a collision of individual and state. Anders was, in the nicest possible way, obsessed with the plight of disabled people as skiers, and he is right to champion inclusiveness rather than hiving us off in separate, disabled ski schools. He is trying to make the state see that disabled individuals have the same rights as other individuals. But he has found a way to make the fight more fun: to paraphrase Bobo, politics on skis. Getting thereNeilson (0870 333 3347) is running trips to Are for an extra week this season, due to high demand. Prices start from £399 a person, departing on April 8.One week's one-to-one tuition at Total Ski School (+46 647 53 777) costs from £370.Ski hire from Edge2Edge (01293 649 300) starts at £25 a week for a jacket.SkiingSwedenTravelling with disabilitiesJohn Horanguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Our guide to online resources helping disabled travellers and their companions and carers to plan holidays and tripsThe internet has made it much easier for travellers with disabilities (or their companions/carers) to plan holidays and share tips and advice in online forums. Websites, as well as travel operators, are obliged to meet accessibility standards, including considerations such as clearly labelled images and self-explanatory links. Although the vast majority currently fall short of the lowest levels required by law (and have done since the Disability Discrimination Act amendment covering websites came into effect in 1999), there is a steadily growing number of informative online resources for disabled travellers. Here's our pick of sites and let us know if there are any that we have missed.Impartial information providersFlying with DisabilityThis site gives impartial advice to help travellers negotiate airports and flights with tips on advance planning (including letters from medical professionals to help make explanations easier), information on non-acid-filled wheelchair battery options for flights, information about your rights and obligations and details of UK organisations that provide specific insurance cover for disabled travellers, including specialist equipment cover. It also provides steps to take if you feel you have been treated unfairly and wish to make a complaint.Tourism for allAnother advice site, Tourism for all is a national UK charity dedicated to overcoming barriers and "making tourism welcoming for all". Here the content extends beyond flights and also provides advice on hotels, insurance queries, providing information sheets for travellers with mental health needs and assistance in obtaining care overseas. They also offer a UK phone information line for other related queries and to order travel guides. (0845 124 9971)Equality and Human Rights CommissionCreated to encompass the former Disability Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality, the Commission provides information on rights, definitions and access to services, as well as regular news updates and comment pieces. Door to DoorA dedicated UK transport and travel website for less mobile people and those with disabilities. The regularly updated site includes "all the information that disabled people need to make informed decisions and choices", plus links to helpful organisations and websites. It was set up for the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), an independent body to advise the government on the transport needs of all disabled people. Accessible accommodation and holiday suppliersThe Good Access GuideBilling itself as an online guide to life, leisure and mobility, the Good Access Guide is a well-organised site covering the UK and Ireland. The accommodation section gives detailed descriptions of facilities and summaries of accessibility features, and includes everything from farm stays to hotels and pubs. The holiday section has links for selected mobility services worldwide, flight advice and an informative (if somewhat dry and text-heavy) travel news blog. There's also a useful leisure time section, with ideas for accessible outings.Access at LastThis site (while not particularly exciting design-wise) adheres to web content accessibility guidelines, allowing blind and partially sighted readers to browse the site with screen-reader software, and there are access keys for easy navigation. Access at Last was created by Stephen Pritchard, a former IT manager who had trouble finding the services he needed when travelling (he is a T7 paraplegic). All hotels featured on the site have at least one room with a level access shower, and there are photos showing the facilities and an impressive amount of practical information on everything from the width of doorways to toilet and bed heights to whether the room lights can be switched off from the bed.Independent Living – Accessible Vacation Home ExchangeAlthough fairly small-scale, the vacation home exchange site has detailed information and the added advantage that potential home-swap partners can be contacted directly, allowing each party to ask as many questions as necessary to determine if the swap will work for them. The same risk factor is involved as in any home swap situation – the site merely provides a place for travellers to make contact – but it gives users the potential to explore with the help of an insider who can offer specific advice on accessibility of local attractions, or availability of medical assistance.MiscellaneousThe Rolling Rains report Seemingly inexhaustible American Scott Rains blogs extensively on issues surrounding inclusive travel, and is a champion of the principles of Universal Design (usually referred to as Inclusive Design in the UK), which is a way of designing environments and products to provide access for everyone, regardless of age or ability. The blog is updated daily and and functions as a highly informative digest of all that's going on in the world of accessible tourism. Rains has also created a 'Travel with a disability' photo sharing group on Flickr which has more than a thousand photos from around the world.Able MagazineAlso available in print, the online version of the magazine has news and articles from current and previous editions, as well as a discussion forum for travellers to share information and a second-hand listings column for specialist equipment.Accessible.travelAccessible.travel is a relatively new site set up by Craig Grimes a paraplegic and full-time wheelchair user. This site is a spin off from Craig's original AccessibleBarcelona page, which started off as a hobby and has expanded due to demand. In its current format the site provides an accessible accommodation online booking service, adapted airport transfers, mobility equipment hire and suitable guided tours in a variety of destinations. It's still a work in progress - with just nine cities covered worldwide - but as he explains, " ... the idea is to slowly expand destination choices month by month".Tirol without barriersSpecial mention goes to the tourism board of the Austrian Tirol, which has identified a gap in the market for comprehensively sensible tourism destinations for mobility-impaired travellers, and created an entire website highlighting its suitability as a location for all travellers. The holidays and accommodation featured on the site have been tested by a panel of outdoor experts, all of whom are wheelchair-bound, and who have provided hundreds of tips for perfecting the facilities beyond mere lip-service adaptions. The site lists more than 30 ski areas for sports enthusiasts with disabilities, as well as handbike routes, paragliding, rafting and diving options, hotels, spas and farmstays. It also features a 'Trail of Senses' attraction, which combines an olfactory station where wood and herbs are ground, ear trumpets provided to enhance the sounds of the forest, audiotapes, Braille brochures and a 'blind trail' with exhibits by Carinthian artist Elke Maier.Travelling with disabilitiesTravel websitesSarah Bournguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Ten top accessible stays in the UK
Huma Qureshi selects 10 places to stay that offer excellent accessibility and comfort for travellers with reduced mobility, from a coastal spa hotel to a five-bed barn conversionFor some elderly holidaymakers or those with impaired mobility, planning a break means finding somewhere practical to stay where comfort isn't compromised by inaccessibility. Ground floor rooms, lift access to restaurants, level floors and walk or roll-in showers can make all the difference. Here's our pick of 10 mobility-friendly places to stay in the UK.1. Meadowcroft Country Guest House, CumbriaTwo miles from Windermere, this B&B has two ground floor rooms. Wheelchair users get the larger room with extra wide doorways and an en suite with wheel-in shower and shower chair. The owners are also happy to supply a support pole to help you into bed. Carers and family members can stay in direct contact during the night from one of the upstairs rooms via an intercom. If you don't need a wheelchair, but would just rather do without stairs, there's another ground floor double with a smaller en suite. Owner Rosemary is on hand to give plenty of information on easy countryside access around the Lake District - she recommends the wheelchair-friendly Watermill Inn down the road for pub grub in the evenings. • £33 per person, per night midweek; £36 on weekends (includes breakfast); +44 (0)1539 821171, meadowcroft-guesthouse.com2. Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington, LondonThis huge four-star hotel has plenty of dedicated rooms on the ground floor. There are two single rooms with hoists for those unable to transfer themselves out of a wheelchair and connecting suites so family members can stay close by. If you don't need a hoist, but could simply do with a more mobile-friendly room, ask for one of 10 on the ground floor with automatic doors. You can choose from either a low bath tub or a roll-in shower with a drop-down chair, depending on your needs.• Standard rooms from around £71 a night (based on a three-night stay); call reservations for a quote; +44 (0)20 7937 7211, millenniumhotels.co.uk/copthornetarakensington3. Manaros, Leyn Peninsula, WalesFor an unfussy stay with friends and family, try this neat bungalow in the seaside village of Aberdaron, north-west Wales. Built last year by the property's owner (who lives next door), this single-storey property has a roomy open-plan kitchen-diner and four double bedrooms, which all have their own attached bathrooms. Two of the bathrooms have been designed for wheelchair users with roll-in showers, non-slip flooring and appropriate grab rails in place. Corridors are extra wide, and the floor is tiled throughout for easy wheeling. You can just about make out the sea from the bottom of the garden - guests with walking difficulties can get down to the beach and explore with the use of an electric Tramper mobility buggy, helpfully included in the rental price.• Self-catering stay for eight people from £500 for three nights (B&B option also available); +44 (0)1758 760652, aberdaronbandb.co.uk4. St Michaels Hotel and Spa, Falmouth, CornwallFor a sunny seaside break, book room 53 on the ground floor of this contemporary Cornish hotel with sea views and tropical gardens. The pretty nautical room incorporates a wide door, low handled wardrobes and low-level furniture. There's also an en suite roll-in wet room with support rails. If you can't manage the steps at the front entrance to the hotel, there's level entry around the corner. The restaurant and lounge are both on the ground floor for easy access too. There are stairs down to the spa, but you can ask for in-room treatments if you prefer. • £69 per person per night (including breakfast); +44 (0)1326 312707; stmichaelshotel.co.uk5. Incleborough house, NorfolkYou'll get complimentary homemade cream cakes every day at this Grade II listed B&B near Cromer. The contemporary Oakroom suite on the ground floor sleeps two and there's an en suite wet-room for easy shower access, with a shower chair provided on request. All the door frames are extra wide - "so you won't rap your knuckles," says owner Nick, who lives upstairs with his wife Barbara. The couple lay on a gourmet English breakfast every morning in the conservatory, where the dining tables have been adjusted so that wheelchair users can slide in without armrests getting in the way. • From £150 per room per night (including breakfast, afternoon tea and wine)- check for monthly discounts; +44 (0)1263 515939, incleboroughhouse.com6. Moo House, NorthumberlandIf you can afford to blow the budget on a large group getaway or big(ish) family reunion, this five-star, five-bed barn conversion near the Northumberland coast could be an option. Sleeping 10 people, there's plenty of room for grandparents, grandchildren and a couple more in between. The barn isn't suited to those who are fully wheel-chair dependent (the showers have dips) - but those who have difficulties climbing stairs can benefit from two ground-floor bedrooms, two shower rooms and a roomy, level-floor open plan kitchen-diner and lounge. Rental price includes use of a games room, aka the Cow Shed, next door - perfect for children and teenagers who want their own space.• From £1,100 (off-peak) or £1,950 (summer season) for seven nights; +44 (0)191 2851272; coastalretreats.co.uk7. Grindale House, Pickering, North YorkshireChoose the comfy twin room in the courtyard of this refurbished Georgian B&B for a peaceful stay close to the North York Moors. There's a wet room which can easily accommodate a wheelchair if you need one; give owner Colin some notice, and he'll happily source any extra equipment you might require from the Red Cross (as he has done on numerous occasions for previous guests). Or, if you're coming as part of a larger group, consider booking one of the two contemporary barn-conversion cottages within the grounds. Both have two, double en-suite bedrooms at ground floor level.• £35 per person, per night for the B&B; or from £320-£545 for four people per week in a cottage stay; +44 (0)1751 476 636; grindalehouse.com8. Fishmore Hall, Ludlow, ShropshireThere's a discreetly adapted and chic-looking ground-floor double in this classy country house hotel. The en suite bathroom is kitted out with grab rails which can be pulled down as and when needed. Ask staff to bring a portable ramp to the main whitewashed entrance - or use the restaurant doors, where there are no steps. If you don't necessarily need an adapted bathroom but would rather avoid flights of stairs, there's a lift to rooms on the first and second floors. Fishmore Hall is about half a mile from historic Ludlow's centre - owner Laura and her team will happily put together a picnic hamper for you. • £140 per room (bed and breakfast) per night; 50% off room rate when you dine at the restaurant during your stay; +44 (0)1584 875148; fishmorehall.co.uk9. The Big Sleep Hotel, CheltenhamBook ahead for the Cheltenham summer classical music festival and get an affordable room in the centre of town at the Big Sleep. There's lift access to all floors at this central and simple hotel, which has four specially-adapted rooms for guests who use wheelchairs or have mobility difficulties. These standard suites are larger than usual, with roll-in wet rooms and grab rails in the bathrooms. • From £55 per night, including breakfast; +44(0)1242 696999, thebigsleephotel.com10. Cringletie House, Scottish BordersAsk for the Traquair room in this luxurious romantic mansion 20 miles south of Edinburgh. This ground floor twin suite has been sensitively designed for visitors with wheelchairs. Automatic doors mean no fiddling with cumbersome door handles and both beds can be raised or lowered electronically, as can the armchairs. The lights are remote controlled, and the bathroom has grab rails and a roll-in shower. For guests with hearing difficulties, the room is equipped with vibrating pillows and flashing lights should the fire alarm go off. A chair lift means you can avoid using the three low steps at the main entrance. There's fishing and plenty of gentle woodland walks nearby but if you just want to relax, helpful staff can arrange spa treatments in the privacy of your room.• From £230 per night with breakfast, +44 (0)1721 725750; cringletie.comTravelling with disabilitiesHotelsUnited KingdomShort breaksSelf-cateringWalesCornwallguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Trips and tips
Mad for itUrbis, the exhibition centre in Manchester, has launched a series of guided walks of the city's cultural heritage, including a Factory Records themed tour to the Hacienda building and other places associated with its "Madchester" history, a 60s Magical Music walk, and a Tavern Tour of proper Manc pubs. Tickets £3-6pp, weekends, 0161 605 8200, urbis.org.uk. My GuyanaThe first direct flights to Guyana in almost 30 years will begin in November when Club Caribee (020-8682 7222, clubcaribbee.com) introduces its Gatwick to Georgetown service. Returns from £599pp. It will also offer a service from Gatwick to Port of Spain, Trinidad, from £539pp return. Access all areasAnyone who uses a wheelchair or has trouble walking will find the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain a useful source of ideas for days out. From Sherwood Forest to Wembley, it has details of 100 places where people with physical disabilities won't have trouble getting around. Price £6.99, or free to blue badge holders (plus £1 p&p). 0800 953 7070, accessibleguide.co.uk.ManchesterGuyanaTravelling with disabilitiesguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
A disabled person's skiing experience in Sweden
If only more disabled people could experience the fear and elation he felt as a novice skier on the Swedish slopes, writes John HoranI had just got over the feeling of quaking nausea in the lift on the way up, when I caught sight of the way down. It was the only way down, or so said my ski teacher, Bobo. On the right was a vertiginous upwards slope; on the left, just … air and, far below it, barely visible in the distance, the outlines of the Swedish village of Are.It was up to me to steer through the dead centre. No one else could take control.“There’s no way I’m going to make it,” I told Bobo, before beginning to ski slowly down the centre, certain that one side or the other would gobble me up. As Bobo explained later, I had experienced the moment of fear that every novice skier - able-bodied or not - goes through when he or she first sets off down a mountain. “The first stage is fear - but afterwards comes elation,” Bobo said.A heady mix - and even more so if you are disabled. For a start, confined - as I was - to a “ski cart”, you are only three feet from the ground: every bump and crevice is frighteningly up-close. Add to that the fact that you can only steer the cart with your hands - or, in my case, my right hand and foot.But then there is the high you feel when you suddenly get the skiing “right” for the first time. You are not heading for the abyss but, rather, in the opposite direction: you are suddenly in control. And when you finally hit the brakes on the cart, at the bottom of the mountain, you find yourself unable to stop smiling and laughing, babbling to your ski instructor some nonsense about this turn or that one. It’s like cocaine with the added bonus of being legal.It was a strange twist in what, until then, had been a relatively straightforward ski trip. I had come out with the holiday company Neilsen, which scored top marks by providing me with a flight to Ostersund, an airport conveniently nearby, and fixing me up with suitable accommodation. The accommodation was in what has to be the nicest hotel in Are, the Diplomat, where young, bright staff were there to help you with, well, anything, within reason. I particularly liked the table tennis – you don’t see that in many places, even the swankiest of five-stars. Both Neilsen and the Diplomat knew I was disabled and were (almost desperately) trying to help. I had even come out with Edge-to-Edge rented ski wear – also very good, particularly as you can send it back via the lost property office at Heathrow on your return.So, ski-suited and booted, I pitched up at the Holiday Club hotel for the five-minute bus journey to Total Ski school. Total was a surprise from the start. “The name is no accident,” said Anders Olsen, the founder, himself a disabled person. “We are emphatically not just a disabled ski school; we like to think that, if they required us to, we could provide ski training for every person who walks in the door.”Anders has been in charge of the school for 20 years. “When I first started, although there was a certain amount of equipment disabled people could use, there was no one to tell them how to use it. I myself suffered a back injury that initially left me paralysed from the waist down but, after a few years, I began to start skiing again and managed to get back on the slopes," he says.“I loved the skiing so much I thought: 'If I can do it, so can other disabled people.' I taught myself to ski, then to teach other people to ski and then to train instructors. I now have eight instructors working under me, and they teach hundreds of disabled people a year to ski.“What I would like to do is to replicate the success of the Total Ski school at other resorts throughout Sweden. I also want to do more summer activities – waterskiing, horseriding and fishing.”What’s stopping him? “Money. We have to rely on voluntary donations to make up the difference between what a normal ski school charges and what we charge some of our customers for the special equipment they need. I don’t think it’s right that disabled skiers should be charged anything more than the going rate that able-bodied skiers pay. "Indeed, in Sweden, we have a constitutional right to leisure activities, and skiing is clearly one of them. But, in spite of my letters, the Swedish government will not pay the difference between a disabled person’s skiing lesson and an able-bodied person’s skiing lesson."Every disabled person I met at Total thought the school's policy entirely reasonable. No one objected to spending the same amount as an able-bodied person; what they objected to was the prospect of spending twice that for the same service. Surely they were right: the notion of the pitiable disabled person accepting the charity of the able-bodied community is dead – or should be. The week's skiing was a delight, not to mention the husky-sled races and après-ski. What I had not expected to witness in the Swedish mountains was a collision of individual and state. Anders was, in the nicest possible way, obsessed with the plight of disabled people as skiers, and he is right to champion inclusiveness rather than hiving us off in separate, disabled ski schools. He is trying to make the state see that disabled individuals have the same rights as other individuals. But he has found a way to make the fight more fun: to paraphrase Bobo, politics on skis. Getting thereNeilson (0870 333 3347) is running trips to Are for an extra week this season, due to high demand. Prices start from £399 a person, departing on April 8.One week's one-to-one tuition at Total Ski School (+46 647 53 777) costs from £370.Ski hire from Edge2Edge (01293 649 300) starts at £25 a week for a jacket.SkiingSwedenTravelling with disabilitiesJohn Horanguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
