The Disabled Ramblers is not responsible for the content of external websites. The inclusion of a link to a website should not be understood to be an endorsement of that website or the site’s owners or their products or services.
We are kindly sponsored by
Outdoor active
Outdoor Active hosts our ramble routes and provides free ‘Pro’ accounts to our ramble leaders. To find accessible rambles go to Route Finder and filter by Accessibility.
Or, on this site, go to ‘Rambling’, ‘Routes’ and look through the ‘Collections’
Disabled Ramblers’ Facebook Group, full of helpful people:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DisabledRamblers
TRAMPER
Tramper, built in Britain specifically to meet the needs of the Disabled Ramblers. Known as the ‘Land Rover’ of the disabled world. Tramper – The Movie on YouTube
Locations with Trampers and other Off-Road Aids For Hire
These lists can become out of date quickly as more locations are added and some sites cease to offer scooters
Tramper List of sites with a Tramper for hire / free loan.
National Trust Access Guide Provide Tramper and other scooters for use at many of their properties. Also listed are locations with Mountain Trikes, Other useful information includes sites with Changing Places toilets.
Forestry England have Trampers for hire at these locations (Was called the Forestry Commission)
Countryside Mobility Has Tramper mobility scooters for hire at over fifty locations across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire Somerset and Herefordshire. Membership (£15/year) gives free use at any location including those operated by Outdoor Mobility
Lancashire There are seven locations with Trampers for hire in the County
Outdoor Mobility have Trampers for hire at locations in the Lake District (6), North York Moors (6) and North Pennines (5).
Morecambe Bay’s More to Explore offers six locations with Trampers for hire.
Peak District Hoe Grange Accessible Holidays, BOMA 7 off-road wheelchair for hire to guests.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Gravel Hill, Horndean, Hampshire PO8 0QE have 2 Trampers for hire, free of charge. To book, tel: 02392-595040
South Downs National Park has helped get Trampers, other scooters and Accessible Bikes for hire from several locations within the park. You can see the locations here.
Wandlebury Country Park, Cambridge has a Tramper available on free loan
An independent person has created this map. The locations might be out of date so please check before traveling. Google Maps
Scotland
1st Elgin Scout Group have a Magic Mobility Xtreme X8 Off-Road Powerchair for a suggested donation of only £10/day or £50 a week. It includes a road trailer to tow to your chosen location or they will tow it for you. Example routes are the Dava Way and Speyside Way Contact: Ewan Chalmers at wchair@1stelginscoutgroup.co.uk
Carradale Bikes and Buggies have a Tramper and a smaller scooter for hire. Carradale is a small village on the east coast of the Kintyre peninsula overlooking the Kilbrannan Sound and Arran. (Email address given as their website is being transitioned) See the report on Trip Advisor
Wales
Aberdaron Cottage has Two Trampers for guests to use for free as well as accessible accommodation on the tip of the Llyn Peninsular, north-west Wales.
Loggerheads Country Park has a Tramper for use around their trail.
Snowdonia National Park Their Tramper needs to be booked in advance and will be delivered to the start of an accessible route. It is now stationed in Beddgelert Forest and can be booked here: https://1085adventures.co.uk/bike-hire/tramper-hire/
Other Lists of Scooters for hire
England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland
Access the Dales is setting up ‘hubs’ across the Yorkshire Dales from where various chairs and scooters can be borrowed.
Jo Southall, an Independent Occupational Therapist who is a wheelchair user, has created this map of places which hire out Trampers, BOMAs, other scooters and Mountain Trikes. The locations might be out of date so please check before traveling.
Northern Ireland
Shopmobility has scooters based at several Country Parks
Mountain Trike
Mountain Trike These rugged go-anywhere wheelchairs are available for hire for 2, 5 or 9 days. They are available to try at over twenty locations across the UK.
Groups Running Rambles on Wheels
England
Cornwall Rolling Ramblers Organises rambles in Cornwall.
Experience Community provides films and information about walks and other leisure activities for disabled people and the wider community. Based in Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, they run rambles in the wider area sometimes using the Mountain Trike.
Hampshire Roamability Social events and rambles in Hampshire and neighbouring counties.
Wheeled Access Group (W.A.G.) We find routes on Dartmoor that disabled people using powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters can access. We work with land managers to make simple changes on routes to improve access. We lead walks on Dartmoor during the Dartmoor Walking Festival and through the year.
PonyAxeS Takes you in a pony-drawn buggy without transferring from your wheelchair
Scotland
Forth & Tay Disabled Ramblers A sister organisation in Scotland
Highland Disabled Ramblers A sister organisation in Scotland
Activity / Holiday Providers
TravelEyes for sight impaired people and sighted people who get up to 50% discount to act as guides.
ACCOMMODATION
Please note that ideas vary on what is deemed ‘Accessible’. Please check with the owner that any accommodation is appropriate to your needs.
Aberdaron Cottage has Trampers for guests to use for free as well as accessible accommodation on the tip of the Llyn Peninsular, north-west Wales
Bench Cottage and Little Bench Cottage Custom-built accommodation in the New Forest for disabled people.
The Beamsley Project within the Bolton Abbey Estate is an independent charity with over 15 years of experience in providing accessible, self-catering holiday accommodation in the Yorkshire Dales. We provide fully accessible accommodation for individuals with disabilities, their families and groups with disabilities.
Ellwood Cottages Located in the heart of beautiful rural Dorset in the peaceful hamlet of Woolland, Ellwood Cottages are outstanding conversions of three traditionally built barns, in a courtyard setting.
Fell End Bunkhouse offers group accommodation for the disabled in the Yorkshire Dales
Harrods Cornish Cottages – 5* Accessible Self Catering and Dog Friendly accommodation in the heart of Cornwall. Spacious open plan living with large wet rooms. Accessible hot tubs and other accessibility equipment available, including hoists, profiling bed, shower chairs, rise and recline chairs. info@harrods-cornwall.co.uk
High Wray Farm, Lake District has accessible self-catering accommodation. “This newly converted former Stable is situated within the steading at High Wray Farm. The cottage has two en-suite bedrooms a lounge dining area and kitchen, equipped and furnished to a high standard. This cottage also has the benefit of being fully accessible for disabled visitors. ”
Hoe Grange Accessible Holidays, Peak District. BOMA 7 off-road wheelchair available for hire to guests. “Hidden in the spectacular Peak District hills between Ashbourne and Bakewell, Hoe Grange Holidays offers four stylish and spacious self-catering log cabins”.
Holiday Cottage Wales have an accessible cottage. Ash Tree lodge is situated just outside the small quiet village of Llanfynydd in the heart of the Carmarthenshire, West Wales right on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Holiday Homes Trust part of the Scouts, is a national charity, dedicated to providing self-catering caravan accommodation for families, groups, and their carers. We cater for people with a disability or illness and low or single-income families, in fact any family whose quality of life is diminished by disability, infirmity or misfortune. They have accessible mobile homes in 8 locations across England: Bognor Regis, Exmouth, Filey, Gt. Yarmouth, New Milton, Paignton, Poole & St Austell.
HolidayParkSpecials.co.uk offer over 800 holiday parks across Europe and have dedicated pages for their holiday parks for disabled travelers
Irton House Farm in the Lake District offers a choice of six holiday cottages which sit around a central courtyard. The cottages have been carefully designed to provide easy access and comfort for all our guests including any with disability including wheelchair users.
Lyneal Trust offers canal boat and cottage holidays and canal day trips in beautiful Shropshire for people with disabilities, illness or injury, or any other vulnerability and their family, friends and carers who may accompany them.
Orchard Manor in Probus, near Truro, Cornwall, TR2 4LY
Guest House, Bed and Breakfast, Luxury Apartments, one with disabled access, ideal if you need respite care for a few days, Holiday Accommodation.
Peveril House, Castleton offers: THE COACH HOUSE. We are happy to offer a ground floor, easy access suite with wide doors, floor level shower/wet room with hand grab rails and alarm alert system for reduced mobile guests. (Please note that there is a small lip to the entrance for which might need you to bring a pair of ramps – web officer)
Plymouth – Fernhurst 2-bed Bungalow. Our newly refurbished spacious 2 bedroom 2 lounge 2 kitchen bungalow is on the outskirts of Plymouth, with easy access by road onto Dartmoor. The property has a secure garden where scooters could be left over night. Ample parking for 2 or 3 vehicles. We have 2 wet rooms and a fully adapted bedroom with a ceiling track X/Y hoist and a profiling bed. The property sleeps 6 suitable for guests with mobility problems or wheelchair users plus children. We accept dogs by arrangement.
Sykes Wheelchair Friendly Cottages. A UK based company which specialises in independently owned self catering holiday cottage accommodation. They currently have over 3000 properties across the UK and Ireland.
Summerfield Farm near Whitby offer Accessible accommodation: “Located just South of Whitby on the A171, Summerfield Farm offers quality holiday accommodation with spectacular views across open countryside to the sea and North to Whitby Abbey. Furnished to a high specification there are three holiday cottages and a holiday home to choose from. All of the accommodations have disabled facilities. They are open all year and have log burners to keep you warm and cosy on those wintry evenings.”
The Tack Room Herefordshire at Durstone Cottages offers accessible accommodation for 2 with a further 2 on a sofa bed. The seven Durstone Cottages are set in the beautiful rolling countryside of North Herefordshire, close to Bredenbury and Bromyard, 20 minutes away from gourmet Ludlow and only half an hour away from Worcester and the M5.
Treworgans Farm Holidays offer high quality, wheelchair-accessible self-
Trevassack Holidays. Opening in August 2021, Trevassack Holidays offers six purpose-built, accessible self-catering holiday homes with hot tubs, here on our 26 acres of grounds.
Each of our brand new luxury homes are welcoming to all ages and abilities, with Bradbury House and Clare Milne House particularly suited for disabled-friendly holidays in Cornwall.
Where is the best UK holiday destination for wheelchair users? Well we certainly aim to be one of them, with everything created to be as wheelchair friendly and inclusive as possible whether you are fully able or limited in your mobility, young, old or have four legs – we have facilities for families and dog-friendly holidays here in south west Cornwall.
UR Needs Accommodation Northern Ireland Accessible accommodation on the Causeway Coast
Woodcombe Lodges Minehead, Somerset, have three accessible lodges. Very handy for rambles on Exmoor and The Quantock Hills.
DIRECTORIES & Other Information
AbilityNet offer free computer help to disabled people.
ABLEize List of UK Disabled Rambling Clubs and much more. ABLEize is a UK disability resource directory offering, perhaps, the biggest collection of disability, mobility and health resources in the UK and Europe.
Accessible Countryside for Everyone (ACE) Promoting accessibility to leisure and sport, signposting family, carer and disability support organisations
Birding For All is seeking to improve access for people with disabilities to reserves, facilities and services for birding – membership is FREE and open to all regardless of physical ability.
Disability Grants A website listing numerous organisations offering grants to the disabled and carers.
David Winwood An artist who is disabled. His website describes some of his rambles on his mobility scooter in South Wales.
Disabled on Exmoor Making Exmoor accessible to disabled people.
Enable Holidays We offer a range of over 250 accessible hotels and apartments to suit varying levels of mobility – for disabled people with limited mobility, for wheelchair-users, slow walkers – their families and friends.
Free Spirit Travel Insurance has produced a set of guides for all seniors with any medical condition. Free Spirit provide information related to what people need to know before they plan their next trip abroad. They also have condition specific guides, for people with heart conditions and cancer patients.
FastFitClothing Designed specially by a Tetraplegic wheelchair user, our clothing perfectly blends performance and price whilst retaining a discreet and stylish appearance.
LILY – Living Independently in Later Years For people in West Norfolk. The directory brings together information about a wide range of services, activities, advice and guidance, primarily for the over 65s, providing an easy-to-access, easy-to-use reference and signposting guide.
MS Mutual Support exists for Serving and ex-Serving members of the Armed Forces and Reserves, their dependants and carers affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).
Norwich Access Group work to improve access in the area of Norfolk and hold regular meetings for all disabled people in Norwich.
Open Country is a Harrogate-based disability charity which helps people with disabilities to access the countryside.
RIDC Conducts research for older and disabled people. Produce guides to scooter and car choice.
The Essential Guide to Traveling with a Medical Condition: http://www.insurancewith.com/travelling-with-a-medical-condition/
Air Travel Checklist for Heart Patients: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20040719/new-air-travel-checklist-for-heart-patients?page=2
Tourism For All UK is the UK Voice for Accessible Tourism.
Trainline Disabled Person’s Railcard.
Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale Disability Action Group provide equipment hire including scooters as well as providing a range of other services.
Australia
While we don’t know of any similar organisation in Australia, the following links might be of interest:
