Mobility issues and wheelchair use in Cumbria and the Lake District.
Cumbria has a stunning landscape but the very terrain that makes it so beautiful can also make it inaccessible in some areas to people with mobility issues and wheelchair users.
Our family has personal experience of this and thought that it would be a good idea to do a series of upcoming blog posts about scenic drives within the Lake District and other parts of Cumbria where some of the best views can be seen from the car together with suitable places for pulling off the road to admire the scenery or take a photograph.
Many of Cumbria’s roads are narrow country lanes and often encased in tall hedgerows which restrict views. However there are other roads which are more open and the views of mountains and lakes are stunning .
So with local knowledge and personal experience we plan to give detailed driving routes including maps together with written descriptions of where some of the pulling off places are along the roads which provide the best views of spectacular landscapes.
Some places in Cumbria are trying to include more wheelchair suitable trails to make things more accessible.
Here is a useful link for trails that are suitable for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility.
https://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/walking/mileswithoutstiles
It can also be worth looking at visitor attraction’s online sites to see if they have an access statement which will give details that can be helpful when planning a trip. Very often it will include details of slopes, gravel , cobbles ,steps , lifts , ramps and whether they loan wheelchairs / scooters etc. Telephoning in advance to ask is a good idea if they do not cover the details on their website.
Here is an example of a visitor attraction that loans mobility scooters - ( I don’t know whether Covid has affected this )
Muncaster Castle , near Ravenglass
https://muncaster.r.worldssl.net/images/PDFs/Access-Statement-Muncaster-Castle.pdf
The season and time of year make a difference too.
In winter and early spring when there are fewer leaves on the trees, it allows some lakesides that are normally obscured to be seen.
During that time of year very often the mountain tops are covered in snow and everywhere looks so lovely I could burst !
The blog posts for this particular subject will be published in stages , with a view to eventually making a compilation that can be downloaded as an E- book, in addition to a traditional printed book which could be ordered to be published on request.
( guest blog by Kev’s wife )
