Accessible travel in the UK can be tricky. Not only is accessible holiday accommodation often difficult to come by but hotels in wheelchair friendly locations can be prohibitively expensive too. In popular tourist destinations like our National Parks your trouble can be doubled.
Committed to diversity and inclusion, we opens our doors to all. Which means you can enjoy disabled access holidays throughout the National Parks of England and Wales without breaking the bank. Read on for a comprehensive guide to the best wheelchair friendly holidays in our National Parks, courtesy of us.
Disability friendly holidays in the Lake District
One of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations, the Lake District has it all. Stunning scenery, waterside walks, great food and cosy pubs to unwind in at the end of the day. Ideal for wheel chair travel, the Lakes offers plenty of walking routes that are suitable for visitors with a variety of impairments, meaning you’re able to explore this special corner of England with minimal stress.
And when it comes to accommodation? Look no further than YHA Ambleside on the banks of Lake Windermere, where you’re in easy reach of local amenities and can enjoy locally sourced in-house dining plus a bar well-stocked with local ales. And if you’re keen to really get back to nature? Book in at YHA Borrowdale. With its NAS Level 3 Accessibility Award, this friendly hostel is perfectly situated for visitors looking to really immerse themselves in the dramatic surroundings of the Lakes.
There are some fantastic ability-friendly walks in the Lake District. Here are three of our favourites! You can choose which one to do depending on which YHA you’re stayin at to really make the most of it.
Accessible holiday accommodation in the North York Moors
Take wheelchair suitable steam train journeys through spectacular countryside, long, accessible meanders through forests and nibble on some of the country’s best fish ‘n’ chips overlooking dramatic seascapes. The North York Moors provides visitors with an extremely varied experience, so whether you’re looking to get on your handbike and whizz through moorland or you’d rather settle in for a long lunch of regional specialities you’ll find your ideal break here.
While YHA Whitby provides a good base for exploring the North Yorkshire coast, outdoor adventurers might prefer a stay at YHA Dalby Forest. This private hire only accessible hostel provides easy access to Dalby Forest itself, where Tramper mobility scooters can be hired for off-road exploration. YHA Helmsley, conveniently located in a pretty market town, is convenient for the historic, and mostly accessible, sights of Rievaulx Abbey and Castle Howard.
Here are a couple of our favourite ability-friendly adventures in Yorkshire. They’re close by to a couple of our hostels so that you can spend the day sightseeing, and then rest up after your adventures in a cosy warm bed:
Accessible travel in Northumberland
Northumberland is fast becoming England’s coolest holiday destination. Home to an International Dark Sky Park, this neck of the woods is a must-visit for stargazers and has its own accessible observatory to explore. History buffs’ll love Northumberland too. From the atmospheric Lindisfarne to the infamous Hadrian’s Wall, there’s loads of learning to be done here as well as plenty of wheelchair accessible trails to enjoy.
Up in the extreme north, you’ll find two of the Association’s best accessible hostels. Modern and thoughtfully designed, both YHA Berwick and YHA The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall are perfect for wheelchair friendly breaks. While Berwick has all the town amenities you’ll want for convenience – plus links to Edinburgh and other Scottish days out – The Sill is a great stop off for families. Situated at the newly built, accessible Hadrian’s Wall discovery centre, this comfortable hostel puts you in an ideal location for getting out into the Northumberland National Park.
Disability friendly holidays in the Peak District
With so much history and such beautiful surroundings, everybody has to pay a visit to the Peak District at least once in their life. You’ll find numerous Miles Without Stiles trails here in the Peaks, taking in some of the region’s most famed sights. There’s also accessible routes into history at locations like Chatsworth House and Poole’s Cavern (probably the best opportunity for a wheelchair user to experience one of the Peaks’ famed caves).
Adventurers won’t want to miss an opportunity to stay at YHA Edale Activity Centre. Here, accessible accommodation is complemented by a range of diversity and inclusion activities, ranging from archery to abseiling and canoeing. Among the many other accessible YHA hostels in the area are YHA Hartington Hall and YHA Ilam Hall. Both of these historic properties provide good access for disabled visitors as well as unrivalled locations close to some of the Peak District’s best loved areas.
Wheelchair accessible holidays in the South Downs
With ambitions to be the most accessible National Park in the UK, the South Downs is already making headway when it comes to wheelchair suitable hikes thanks to their Miles Without Stiles initiative. Whether its taking a gentle route along the River Adur, butterfly spotting on the chalk grasslands of Mill Hill or taking in the stunning views towards the Seven Sisters from Seaford Head, there’s truly a place for everyone in this sprawling natural park.
To make the most of the Downs, book yourself in for a stay at YHA South Downs. This farmhouse with outbuildings offers a range of ground floor accommodation, including one bedroom with accessible en-suite. Just moments away from Southease train station, this hostel is ideally located for exploring the Downs.
Accessible holiday accommodation in the Yorkshire Dales
With its many wheelchair accessible routes and the handcycle friendly Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way, the pretty Yorkshire Dales is the perfect spot for an outdoorsy getaway. Natural wonders accessible by wheelchair or, even better, using a locally hired Tramper all-terrain scooter, include Gordale Scar and Malham Cove. Miles Without Stiles routes available in the region include a waterside trail following the River Lune through Killington New Bridge Nature Reserve and a route to the Cotter Force waterfalls of Wensleydale.
Close to both the cycle way and Malham Cove as well as wheelchair friendly trails, YHA Malham offers accessible holiday accommodation in a lovely Dales village. Handy for public transport, this comfortable hostel is perfectly situated for getting out into the countryside and is close to the Malham National Park Visitor Centre too. In addition to being the best place to get local tips and info, the centre is also home to a Dark Sky Discovery Site.
Wheelchair friendly accommodation in the Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is a secret favourite of many an outdoors adventurer. This glorious, vast National Park stretches from the valleys of South Wales to wild Mid Wales and from the English border to Carmarthenshire, giving visitors a varied landscape to explore, with many parts of it open and accessible to those with a variety of impairments. As Wales’s first International Dark Sky Park, skywatching in the Brecons can’t be missed. One of the most accessible spots for astronomers is Llangorse Lake where you’ll often find fellow stargazers setting up their telescopes.
Offering step-free rooms, including a suite with accessible bathroom, YHA Brecon Beacons is ideal for an affordable stay with the family. Located right in the centre of the National Park, this hostel provides views to Pen-y-Fan, the highest peak in the region and a cosy lounge with a roaring fire for getting warm and dry after a day in the elements.
Disability friendly holidays on the Pembrokeshire Coast
Wales’s most attractive coast, Pembrokeshire curves around the country’s westernmost point, taking in rugged cliffsides, idyllic coves and family friendly sandy beaches. Widely accessible, this National Park offers walks for all as well as both viewpoints and beaches with easy access to wheelchair users and others with physical impairments. To help you get around this glorious coastline, beach wheelchairs and mobility scooters are available to hire in several locations too.
One handy spot where you’re able to get your hands on a beach chair is YHA Broad Haven. Just moments from a beautiful Blue Flag beach, this hostel is well-equipped for wheelchair users and is perfectly located for getting around the whole area. Further south, close to Tenby, accessible YHA Manorbier is an ideal family stay, giving you great access to favourite days out including Folly Farm and Oakwood Theme Park.
Accessible holidays in Eryri (Snowdonia)
Wales’s most popular National Park, Eryri (Snowdonia), is home to one of the UK’s most famed peaks, accessible by wheelchair friendly tourist train. In addition, you’ll find many miles of accessible routes to explore. These include easy to access paths, like that which circles Dôl Idris, to the more challenging Lôn Gwyrfai route, suitable for the Tramper all-terrain scooters available to hire from the National Parks service.
To really experience the best of Eryri (Snowdonia), a stay at YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass or YHA Idwal Cottage is a must. Both offering accessible accommodation, these two hostels allow you to stay deep in the countryside of the beautiful park. While Pen-y-Pass sits at the foot of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) itself, eco-friendly Idwal Cottage is nestled in the Ogwen Valley a little farther north, in reach of accessible adventures such as those found at Zip World and the Plas Menai Outdoor Centre.
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Photo credit: Ali / Reimar / Mark / alanpearson / Albinoni / Alice_D / Lukassek / Adobe Stock
