Centre parcs june 05
In June of 2005 I went to one of the down Center Parcs in Suffolk, see link: Center Parcs I had arranged to go into an adapted chalet with parking near to the apartment. On arrival it can take a long time to actually get to the complex itself, as there are only certain days that you can check in. Once reaching the chalet the parking space wasn’t long enough to be able to get the wheelchair out safely, as there was lots of traffic coming past due to it being the day of arrival for lots of people. There was a long (ish) path up to the door that was a wide door for easy access. There was a door on the left that had the adapted bathroom. This was fully equipped with handrails for the toilet and also at the side of the washbasin too. The shower was a roll in shower with plenty of room for a wheelchair to transfer to the pull down seat that had arms that could be adjusted if needs be. On entering the door there was a sharp right angle to get in to the main living area. However there was a large dining table just in front that was in the way of me getting in, so after pushing this up I could get in, but it had blocked off the access to the only disabled accessible room by wheelchair. Therefore if I wasn’t able to get out of my wheelchair I would have had to keep having the table and chairs moved to get in and out of the bedroom and in and out of the front door. There were three bedrooms in total all with twin beds in each; a kitchen area that wasn’t very big to manoeuvre a wheelchair around, you could only drive in and out the same way. There was no way you could really use the oven and hob unless you could reach far in front of yourself or back in to the kitchen and do things backwards! (no id didn’t try that one lol) The seating area around the TV and open fire is low enough to aid transfer from a wheelchair. The other bathroom is not accessible to a wheelchair as it is very small and had a small step to get over to get in.
The complex itself is very accessible, there are paths all round that wheelchair users are able to take advantage of, these take you through the woods to see the different wildlife around the area. Once in the main dining and activity area this is extremely accessible. There are lifts to the areas that are upstairs, ramps up to the bowling area and access to the amusements. Downstairs there is pool; table tennis that I took part in that are accessible. The badminton and squash courts weren’t due to steps needing to be negotiated. The cinema was accessible though a little tight going through the door, so anything wider than 25inches will probably not fit. The gift shops, café’s and supermarket are all accessible though they do get very busy. The restaurants are not too bad in terms of their food, though some are better than others, so you just have to try and find what’s best for you. The outdoor activities are very accessible, I took part in archery, and they accommodate you with no problems and the same with the clay laser shooting, though the guns were a little heavy! The beauty salon was also accessible in the main reception area, though the treatment rooms were a little tight to get in to, and with a wheelchair there would be not much chance of getting in there.
Despite a lot of things being accessible one down side was the fact that the chalet wasn’t very clean and there was no maid service in these apartments and with having open wounds it wasn’t the best place to stay. So my recommendation would be to stop in one of the apartments that do have maid service, so that you know that the room will always be clean.
Chester July 2006
Chester Zoo is extremely accessible for wheelchairs, see link: Chester Zoo There is ample disabled parking near the entrance and easy access through the turnstiles. Each animal area, gift shop and café is very accessible. The only difficulty is when there are shows going on if you don’t get to the front of crowd then it can be difficult to see. It is quite expensive though a small discount is given for disabled customers and their carer or friend.
Whilst in Chester we stayed at Hoole Hall Hotel, see link: Hoole Hall . From what I remember there aren’t many if any disabled parking bays, so I just found a space on the end so that I could open my door wide enough. Though parking is ample so you shouldn’t really have too much of a problem. The entrance for anyone using a wheelchair is by the conference entrance this is sign posted so that you can find it. They have a few disabled adapted rooms, though the door is a little tight but once in it was ok. The bed had room at the side for transfer and was quite low. The bathroom had a wide door, with handrails at the side of the toilet though the room I was in there was only one rail. The wash basin could have fit a wheelchair underneath as it was a large area with legroom under the basin. The shower was in a small area with a tiled wall either side so no room for a wheelchair to transfer to a shower seat. However the shower seat was just a garden seat so not very sturdy or strong. There was a non-slip floor which didn’t seem to get too wet or hold the water like some floors can. The restaurant was accessed down the corridor which is quite a walk for someone with limited mobility and there is also a slight ramped incline to the restaurant. Once inside the staff were very accommodating seating me were it would be best as to not be in the way. I found the staff very disabled friendly in that they spoke directly to me and not to the person who was with me, makes a welcome change.
The Lakes 2004
Meadowcroft Guest House in Ings village, near Windermere in the Lakes. This is a very accessible little guesthouse run by a family. There is a disabled parking bay outside, a ramped access into the building and wide corridors. There is two disabled adapted rooms on the ground floor, each with different type of adaptations, see link for more details: Meadowcroft.The room I had, had wide doors and room for the wheelchair inside near to the bed. The bathroom was very very spacious, with a non-slip floor, a toilet with plenty of handrails and from what I remember a washbasin that a wheelchair could get under. The shower was a roll in type with plenty room to manoeuvre. There is no shower seat in there but one can be provided if needed. The dining area is easily accessed by a small incline and there is plenty of space to move a wheelchair round the dining room. The food is very good and every diet, vegetarians, vegans etc can be catered for. The family that run it are very friendly and welcoming.
THE LAKES (GRASMERE) NOVEMBER 2006
I have been to the Lake District on a few occasions, but never managed to find anywhere in Grasmere to stay until now. The Lakes are beautiful with small towns to visit and explore. Grasmere is a lovely town and at this time of year looks magical with the trees different colours, the air crisp and the people friendly and welcoming. See link to the information centre for the Lakes: Lake District Info . The hotel I found was called the Dale Lodge Hotel in Grasmere, see link: Dale Lodge . The hotel is small but has an accessible room for those with needs. The car park is small and no designated parking space for disabled customers though at this time of year that isn’t a problem. There is a step up to the main reception area but a wooden ramp is provided on request. The reception area is spacious, though for me and my wheelchair being a little longer and wider than normal it was a tight squeeze to access the corridor to the bedroom. The room was quite spacious and for anyone in a manual chair there would be no problem accessing the bedside to aid transfer. The bathroom was a complete wet room, with handrails next to the toilet and a fixed shower seat. The only thing that lets it down is that there is no shower curtain and the water went everywhere and the floor was rather slippy when wet. This is a problem the owners are aware of and are hopefully going to rectify it soon. The dining area is very spacious with plenty of room to place a wheelchair up to the table, plus the food is very good and well prepared.
New Year 2007 Center Parcs.
New Year 2007 I decided to go to Center Parcs in the Lakes, see link: Center Parcs This time after the problems I had during my stay at the other Center Parcs, I decided to stay in one of the apartments where there was maid service everyday keeping the room clean. Upon arrival the parking was a bit of a nightmare, there was only one designated disabled parking space for around 20 apartments, though not sure how many of these are accessible for disabled customers. However this parking space was on such a gradient that I wouldn’t have been able to use it anyway. It would have made getting the wheelchair out virtually impossible and for myself to walk to the car extremely difficult too. However after a few phone calls I was able to park on level ground, this is something I would recommend you asking about car parking when booking your holiday. The apartment was up quite a steep hill, this was ok me myself as I use an electric wheelchair, though I did have to back down the ramp so I didn’t skid. It maybe in my opinion difficult for someone to push a manual wheelchair up this ramp, plus anyone using sticks or crutches may also find it a problem.
However once into the apartment room, this was very spacious with plenty of room at the side of the beds for transfer. There was a dining table high enough for a wheelchair to get underneath it. The bathroom was extremely accessible with a non-slip floor, roll in shower, with handrails for shower and toilet. There was also a shower seat and the shower unit within easy reach of the seat too. The only let down of the room was the small kitchen, making it difficult for anyone in a wheelchair on a daily basis to use with ease.
The activities were fairly accessible, such as the games area of pool, snooker and video games. The restaurants were very accommodating in anyway they could be. The only problem I had was being unable to access the upper level of the sports area were there was more snooker tables and also the gym where I had planned to take part in a boxercise class. Unfortunately the lift was very small and I could not fit my wheelchair in.
 
Scarborough February 2007
On my birthday this year we decided to go to Scarborough, I hadn’t been there in years so thought it would be a nice change. See Scarborough tourist info for further details, link: Scarborough Tourist Info . After a bit of a search I came across a small hotel that had accessible rooms and for once I didn’t have to pay a fortune for such access. Please see the hotel link at: Scarborough Lodge . The hotel itself is quite small and in a few separate parts. The accessible room was in an annex of the hotel up quite a steep hill, but that is Scarborough very hilly. The room itself was quite small with only just enough room for a wheelchair, there was a double bed and bunk beds in the room, though they do take out the bunk beds if you do need more room. The bathroom was quite spacious with handrails for the toilet and near to the shower. However I did not chance sitting on the shower seat as it seemed a little flimsy, though I did mention this and they said they would look into it. Access to the main building for the restaurant and games room was a sharp right turn, but once inside it wasn’t too bad for getting around. The staff were very friendly and accommodating to my needs, so for that reason I would recommend it as a place to stay. The food was good, especially the breakfast which was value for money and plenty to choose from.
 
Scarborough itself as I say is very hilly, I did have a few problems negotiating the hills and not sliding down them! But there are some nice places to visit that are either fully or partially accessible.
The sealife centre is very accessible with disabled parking too. The staff are very helpful if you have any problems, the only difficulty I had was the underwater tunnel as there was only one way in and out, so had to back out with people bustling past me, not something you could easily do in the height of the tourist season. I would recommend the fish and chips by the seafront, very yummy! The castle is a nice place to visit with great views, though of course very steep to get up to, but if you need a work out that’s the place to go!
 
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