Days out should be for all the family, not just the one’s that have no mobility issues. Fenetic Wellbeing are campaigning to say exactly that, it shouldn’t matter if you have a pram or a wheelchair, if you need to stop every 10 minutes to have a rest or if you need a mobility scooter.  Mobility scooters can really help to make all family days out more accessible for everyone.

Since I was 18, I have been a support worker for adults with learning disabilities. Many people I have supported have used a wheelchair. When going out we have had to pre plan where we could go. We had to think about what the ground would be like for pushing the chairs, whether the doors would be wide enough and if there where accessible toilet facilities.

My Grandma is 86 and although she has really good health for her age, she does have some trouble with her leg and regularly needs to rest so when I go out with her, we think about whether there are benches around where we are going if it is outdoors. I know it’s not Lancashire but we went to Tatton Park last year and it was really good for having places for her to rest. We took Lucas’ pram and we could easily walk around everywhere. We couldn’t take it in the mansion but they offer free baby carriers.

Here are some places I have found ok for going out with wheelchairs and prams x

 

Accessible days out in Lancashire

Worthington Lakes, in between Chorley and Wigan is made up of 3 reservoirs. It is part of a 50 acre country park, with a nature reserve and accessible footpaths. This is somewhere I regularly went with people who had autism. It is an incredibly peaceful place to walk. It isn’t often you pass other people there and dogs are banned which was perfect as a lot of people I supported didn’t like dogs. This is a great place to go for a walk but there are no toilets.

 

Accessible days out in Lancashire

 

Astley Park, Chorley, has an abundance of open space to explore and play. There are 2 incredibly good play areas, tennis courts and a bowling green. The park itself is really good for prams and wheelchairs, the paths are smooth and very wide. There is a Pets Corner which has a ramp up to it and wide doors for access. There is also a cafe and toilets that are easy to access. Astley Hall is a Grade 1 listed historic house that was built in 1578 and is now preserved as a museum and art gallery. Unfortunately only the ground floor can be accessed by wheelchairs and prams, however you can ask staff to see a guided tour of the rest of the hall on a DVD.

 

Accessible days out in Lancashire, Yarrow valley country park review

 

Yarrow Valley Country Park, Coppull has over 700 acres to explore, an adventure playground, cafe, clear paths and accessible toilets. Highlights include Duxbury Woods, Big Wood and Copperworks Wood as well as exploring the riot of wildflower colour that grows in Lower Burgh Meadow in the summer months and the magnificent Big Lodge, which is a venue for fishing and canoeing as well as the home of many swans, geese and ducks.   

 

Accessible days out in Lancashire Blackpool tower

 

The Blackpool Tower makes every effort to ensure that The Blackpool Tower Eye, Dungeon, Circus , Ballroom and other facilities are accessible to all of their guests. Disabled access into The Blackpool Tower is via Bank Hey Street (opposite Primark). Although electric scooters can’t be used past the ground floor, they can be locked away safely and wheelchairs are available free of charge. Whilst in Blackpool, the sea life centre is also easily accessed by wheelchairs and prams.

 

Accessible days out in Lancashire botany bay

 

Sprawled across the five floors, Botany Bay is full of the designer brands in clothing, furniture, homeware, gifts and crafts – all at outlet prices. There is also a garden centre, food hall and restaurants. For the children there is Puddletown Pirates. There are 2 lifts but they can be hard work with wheelchairs, however there is a goods lift and the staff are happy to support you to use that. It’s free entry and free parking.

 

Fenetic Wellbeing are offering my readers the chance to win a family day out from here, enter below for your chance to win x

Day out voucher

This post was in collaboration with Fenetic Well-being

131 Comments

131 Comments on Accessible days out in Lancashire

  1. Despite living in Manchester all my life, I’ve never been to Botany Bay. I really ought to go, even if it’s just to say that I did!

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  3. The National Museum of Scotland its great, so much to see, something new every time and its free, so great for families.

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  9. Lovely to see all your suggestions, been to all of them as I am from Bolton! 🙂 We love going to White Coppice, beautiful picnic spot, great for walks but my lot love going rock hopping 🙂 Thanks

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  11. We love putting on our wellies going out into the woods and search for bugs. Today we lifted up a big log and found some frogs, my two year old was over the moon 😀

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  14. We love visiting different zoo’s, been to our local one quite a few times and the local wildlife park is an annual visit for us too x

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  18. Off to Legoland soon! We managed to get tickets through Merlins Magic Wand as my son has a disability. So excited!

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  19. We love visiting London, my little boy always asks to go to Leicester Square for his birthday, we usually have a meal out and go somewhere fun like Madame Tussauds! This would be lovely! x

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  21. We love National Trust properties for a day out. Fresh air, loads of space to run around and usually a great tea shop too!

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  32. We like going to Kew Gardens. It houses the largest and most diverse botanical collections in the world and is a World Heritage Site. I have a membership so we go often.

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  51. Anywhere we can have a walk by the sea – coastal paths a favourite, preferably with a nice tea shop en route

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  52. We love St James’s park, definitely our favourite London park or if we have enough money then a day at London Zoo is always fun! 🙂

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  63. I love going to Saltwell Park, Gateshead with the kids. There’s loads to do, you can spend the whole day there and it’s all free.

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  89. I need to use a wheelchair now, and don’t have much energy. So I like to see water, the sea or a lake, and mountains. And have lovely things to eat. We live in North Wales, so don ‘t have to go far to enjoy these.

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  91. We love Arundel Castle – it dates back to 1067 and is so interesting. Afterwards we like to pop down to the WWT and look at the birds, have a picnic and ride in the electric boats among the reeds trying to spot water voles.

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  92. My favourite family day out is a trip to our local wildlife park beecraigs country park. We fed the animals, have a picnic and play in the park doesn’t cost a bomb and the. Kids have a great day everytime we go

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  95. we love Whitton park in Blackburn…. Its just down the road from us and has a lovely big adventure playground, acres of land for walking round and a small section of birds and other animals.

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  107. We really like Whitby, there’s so much to see and do. Once we are fed up of the beach we can go have lunch and then see the Abbey. When we are feeling brave we take a boat trip round the harbour. Usually end up going on New Years Day as well if the weather isn’t too bad.

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  108. My favorite days out are visiting National Trust properties. Recently went to Bodnant Gardens in North Wales which was terrific.

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  116. we love warrick castle <3 something for all ages Lucas who is 7 is intrigued by all the history and Jessica 5 loves the princesses.

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  121. Weather permitting we love Kingsbury water park where the kids can run wild, play on the parks, go boating etc. There’s a good few acres for them to be thermselves

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