Attractions in the South West

Image by davidcharge

There are many wonderful attractions for disabled people to visit in the South West of England, each with their own unique character and activities to take part in. What follows are five of the finest and most accessible attractions to visit for a truly memorable day out.

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, is one of the world’s oldest and largest collections of trees. 600 stunning easily accessible Cotswold acres are home to more than 16,000 different trees and shrubs. The beautiful scenery makes for an uplifting experience and there are unique workshops and events to attend, including the recent Gowrings Mobility Roadshow and the popular Festival of the Tree in August. The disabled access and facilities are excellent, including 17 miles of hard paths through the arboretum and free powered scooters. A concession rate applies and one carer per visitor may enter without charge.

Therma Bath Spa, Bath, is a modern spa largely contained within the magnificent ‘Glass Cube’ building design by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, situated near the ancient Royal Bath and linked to the historic Georgian spa buildings and Hot and Cross Baths. The unique complex combines both modern and traditional spa facilities offering a range of relaxing treatments. There are lifts to all floors, special chairs to help disabled patrons into the baths and lightweight shower wheelchairs.

Sherborne Castle, Dorset, is a magnificent building with a rich history dating as far back as the 12th Century. Sherborne Castle has been the Wingfield Digby family home since 1617 and has been open to the public since 1969. The marvellous collections of art and furniture within and the sprawling grounds surrounding Sherborne Castle has made it an extremely popular attraction. Only the ground floor of Sherborne Castle is accessible to wheelchair users. However, this is where the most notable rooms are located. The gardens are fully accessible. Carers are admitted free of charge with wheelchair users.

The Eden Project, Cornwall, is a botanical theme park and registered charity that works to showcase the vanguard of eco-friendly techniques. In the immense landscaped grounds stand giant geodesic biomes (huge eco-friendly glasshouses), which contain the world’s diverse plant life, allowing visitors to take in a vast array of forms and scents as they make their way through both the Mediterranean Biome and the Rainforest Biome. Between the biomes is an air conditioned area to relax and chill out. The Eden Project was the proud recipient of the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain’s 2010 Motability Award for its excellent disabled access and facilities. These include; low-floored park and ride busses, manual wheelchairs to borrow and a team of trained volunteers to help.

STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, Wiltshire, is situated at the heart of what was once the Swindon Railway Works. The museum narrates and depicts how the pioneering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel was realised by the men and women who built and operated the Great Western Railway (GWR). The museum combines films and interactive exhibits to immerse the visitor the GWR’s rich history and is fully accessible with a huge range of excellent disabled facilities to make every visit as comfortable as it is exciting.

Gowrings Mobility – Leading provider of wheelchair accessible vehicles.