Wheelchair friendly country walks??

Dottydoodah
Dottydoodah Member Posts: 169
edited 12. Apr 2011, 18:19 in Living with Arthritis archive
I have only joined this site today and overwhelmed at how friendly and helpful everyone is. Such a joy to find you all.

I have another question :mrgreen:

I love the countryside and rivers of England, but since my OA has got so bad I cant walk very far at all so need to be pushed in a wheelchair. Does anyone know of any websites that list places you can go that wont get me stuck in the mud or give my husband a heart attack pushing me up a hill? :oops:

Comments

  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Dotty :smile:

    If you google wheelchair walks along rivers and countryside, as I have just done I have a feeling that you may find exactly what you are looking for, I hope so anyway. :smile:

    Welcome to the forum, I did see your name on here earlier in the day. :grin:

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • Dottydoodah
    Dottydoodah Member Posts: 169
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Elna

    i was having a dumb moment

    cant find much in my area but will keep looking
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Dotty :smile:

    As I do not know the area where you live I could not add that in the google search but I hope when you do, that you do find some suitable walks. :smile:

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • cythna
    cythna Member Posts: 42
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Dotty

    I love going on "walks" in my chair, and there are several online. Unfortunately they tend to be short, and you usually have to return the way you've come, grrr!

    I must admit, I never feel too safe in the chair, having been tipped out a couple of times, and last year my brother in law ran me into a ditch (luckily I had the belt on!), so our walk are quite noisy affairs, with me say 'mind that stone/branch/kerb/hole/duck!

    The weather's been so lovely, it would be a shame to stay indoors however.

    Susan
  • Dottydoodah
    Dottydoodah Member Posts: 169
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello again

    I have only just started to use a chair. Until recently i just went to wherever we were going and sat near the car whilst the grandkids went off with OH. I felt so frustrated that i couldnt join in. We have a lovely woodland area right at the back of our house, but i cant go there anymore.
    I know what you mean about not feeling safe in a chair. My OH has to be the clumsiest person I know. Crashes into all sorts, but it does make me laugh.
    I do enjoy the supermarket though as i use one of the electric scooters they all provide. I am an expert in the best scooters now and Waitrose wins hands down :mrgreen: Gets up to a great speed. I just know one day the manager is going to tell me off for speeding in store :lol:
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi dotty

    I use a scooter most of the time but do also have a chair. I live in yorkshire and there are quite a few nice walks. I also tend to go through wooded areas but what is quite easy and round trips are reservoirs. Have you any near you?
    I also use google to find these places, I find it very useful.

    Hope you get out and about.
    Take care
    Juliepf x
  • Dottydoodah
    Dottydoodah Member Posts: 169
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Wish i had my own scooter Julie. I would ride off into the sunset
    I cant afford to buy one though. We moved back from living in Australia 2yrs ago and that is a VERY expensive thing to do!

    Do you have to have a special scooter for going through woods and rough terraine?

    I will have to do more research on places to go. As we havent lived here that long I dont really know the area that well
  • wannabewriter
    wannabewriter Member Posts: 114
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Dotty

    There's also a book ,I cant remember the exact title but its something like accessible britain or openbritain or something like that, which is a good travel guide for accesible walks etc across the country.

    Hope that helps!
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I just want to welcome you to the forum Dotty. I have spent the weekend away visiting and I was quite upset that I couldn't walk very far and had to rest while everbody else went to the park. I had to avoid a few possible day trips out because I knew I would cramp everybodies style. It is so frustrating.
    The local bluebell walk had a special disabled/wheelchair gravel path set out according to the brochure and I think this is quite common nowadays.

    Hope you find somewhere nice to visit,
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi dotty

    My scooter is a small scooter with 2 big batteries, My oh took the batteries off a large scooter and put them on my small frame, changed the wheels and now i can go any where , from round shops to trecking through woods. People think it is a small scooter but it has a lot of pull. :lol: Oh likes messing you see :lol:

    I have the book wannabe suggested....Accessible Britain...6.99
    It tells you of places of interest...eden project. gardens.museums and piers etc. There is a website on the back...www.roughguides.com
    The book is for all over britain so may not be what you want.

    But as i said before most of our walks come from googling.

    hope you find something not too far away from you.
    Take care
    juliepf x
  • Dottydoodah
    Dottydoodah Member Posts: 169
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I will look for that book thanks Wannabe and Julie

    Hello Elizabeth
    Yes it is all very frustrating.
    I just noticed you are in Ruislip. I was born and raised in Pinner.
    I remember as a child my dad taking bluebell picking in Oxhey woods, then we would go down near the lido to feed the donkeys.
  • madwestie
    madwestie Member Posts: 383
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Dotty, have you looked at local country parks I live in dorset and one of our local country praks has scooters for you to borrow.
    You could also look at rspb sites as they often have nice scenery and will tell you if they are accessible for wheelchairs.

    Hope you have some nice outings

    Tracey
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I will look for that book thanks Wannabe and Julie

    Hello Elizabeth
    Yes it is all very frustrating.
    I just noticed you are in Ruislip. I was born and raised in Pinner.
    I remember as a child my dad taking bluebell picking in Oxhey woods, then we would go down near the lido to feed the donkeys.

    OH took the children to Lido yesterday. I didn't go because i would have to keep stopping. I'm a hindrance I'm afraid!
    Elizabeth x
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi, I've got an ordinary average scooter......doesnt do grass with holes and humps very well...basically it s for the footpath.....whats the best place to google for things like that...I'm sure some on you knowledgable people will know :wink:
    Oh sorry welcome to the forum....sorry i'm late welcoming you but I havent been able to get on the site

    Love
    Hileena