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Patrick McDonnell explores the wide range of accessible holidays in our own back yard.
Holiday choices for disabled people in the UK are as wide as your own horizon. These range from full-board hotel pampering, to self-catering for the more independent minded, through to individual cottages, enclaves, or farms. For those who like to keep on the move there are motor
home or caravan holidays to consider. For those who like exercise there are many and varied outdoor pursuit centres, stretching across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom.
John Grooms, a charity focused on servicing the needs of the disabled, provides holiday destinations at accessible hotels and self-catering properties throughout the UK, including
major hotels in Glamorgan, Llanduddno and Minehead. 
The charity's self-catering facilities are situated at 15 locations across the country, including Weymouth, Clacton, Skegness, Keswick, Bognor and Ambleside. The charity works with disabled people to improve both choice and freedom, and also to ensure that people are able to live as independently as possible.
For the more traditionally minded or for those who wish to be cosseted, there are the glories of the former Fat Lamb coaching inn situated in rugged Cumbria. This 17th century hostelry is midway between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks.
The Fat Lamb features a number of ground-floor rooms suitable for wheelchair users and the mobility impaired. In fact, there is level access throughout the ground floor, which
gives access to the small bar and the restaurant's table d'hote menu. All dishes served at the Fat Lamb are produced by the inn's own chef, on the premises and from the best local ingredients
available. Apart from the magnificent locale for exploration and walks, the inn also boasts its own 11-acre private nature reserve. 
The Bryn Glas Hotel in Denbigh, North Wales, offers accommodation with eight bedrooms comprising twin, double or family rooms, with all facilities being easily accessible by
wheelchair, and specialised equipment available for those who require it. The hotel features a public lounge bar, restaurant, business and children's facilities and gardens. Local activities
include fresh and saltwater fishing, golf, sailing, water sports, climbing and nature trail walking available.
For those wishing for more independence there are farm cottages and farm centre establishments. Blagdon Farm has been designed to be fully accessible and wheelchair friendly.
The accommodation consists of eight south-facing cottages, with names such as Wood and Wag, the Mallard, Chaffinch, Swallow and Kingfisher. All include wide doors, wheel-in
showers and accessible light switches. One cottage has a lowered kitchen suitable for wheelchair users. Each cottage has double patio doors opening on to south-facing timber terraces, which offer spectacular views over the lake and 30 acres of beautiful countryside owned by Blagdon Farm.
The farm is also equipped with a new indoor swimming pool, with wide step access and a track hoist. The pool also has a hydro massage unit. Blagdon Farm is open all year round and
has been the recipient of the South West Tourism Excellence Awards – known as tourism Oscars– awarded to promote and reward quality and excellence in the tourism industry.
Tregoninny Farm and Woodland is situated on the South Cornwall Coast six miles from Truro. Established in 2002, Tregoninny consists of 10-bedroom accommodation, which has been created to provide a versatile centre for either short or long stays. It has been awarded Government Objective One funding, which has been instrumental in providing the facilities
for disabled people. Several of the rooms have adjoining lounges and interconnecting doors, which enable smaller or larger groups to enjoy privacy. The rooms and bathrooms conform to the latest access criteria. There are gardens to the front and rear of the cottage. The buildings are set in a 190-acre farm, of which 90 acres are mixed woodland. Tregoninny is also developing
three wildlife ponds, the intention being to revert the farm to an ecologically friendly
environment.
Langthwaite Farm Cottages, near Lancaster, are two sandstone cottages set within a working farm with a small caravan site. The cottages are self-contained and have full central heating and double-glazing, with a stair-lift and platform chairlift if required.
Each cottage sleeps six, plus infants. The kitchen features sandstone arches and timber beams. A loop induction system is fittedin the old dairy. The cottages are sited on high land,
affording views 50 miles distant in all directions on clear days.
Elsewhere, Eildon holiday cottages have six awardwinning cottages at Melrose, in the Scottish Borders.
These are in a secluded site on the edge of the town. The cottages themselves are modern and spacious, warm and bright and come well equipped. Five of the cottages are rated Category 1 (suitable for wheelchair users travelling independently) and have special facilities for disabled and elderly guests. Each building is equipped for the needs of disabled people.
The cottages are sited 375m up on the slopes of the Eildon Hills, affording magnificent views over the Lammermuir and Moorcroft hills beyond. The cottages are ideally placed for touring in the Scottish Borders countryside on traffic-free roads. Melrose itself is one of the most attractive of the Border towns with its unusual shops and fine eating-places.
If exercise is your thing, what better way of indulging in it than the Calvert Trust Kielder's outdoors pursuit centre situated on the edge of Kielder Forest and Kielder Water in 
Northumberland. Calvert Trust Kielder has been designed around an old farmhouse in a 40-acre woodland site. The fully accessible centre is open and spacious, offering a selection of
ensuite bedrooms, sports hall, hydrotherapy swimming pool, computer room and a bar.
There are also ten accessible self-catering chalets in the surrounding woodland. Calvert Trust Kielder is a not-forprofit charity, which began operations in 1981. Since then tens of thousands of people have experienced the opportunity of exploring activities or relaxing in Kielder's surroundings.
Qualified and experienced instructors run all Kielder's activities, which are registered with the AALA (Adventure Activity Licensing Authority).
Don Amott Leisure Kingdom combines aspects of the holiday accommodation sector and caravan/motor home experience.
Caravans include the Willerby four-bed Vogue and the six-bed Granada range. All feature gas central heating throughout, porcelain toilet suite, range cooker with hotplate, fridge/ freezer, washer/dryer, microwave and safety features. There is also a range of motorhomes from leading manufacturers, allconfigured according to clients' specifications.
Amott also offers holiday park accommodation at five locations in Lincolnshire, some catering for caravans and motorhomes using their facilities, and some designed for permanent
caravan/holiday home location, with Amott selling plots at these secluded retreats in beautiful surroundings for £11,995 per plot.
Fry's Caravans of Driffield, East Yorkshire, supply both new and used caravans from manufacturers including Luna, Chateau, Avondale and Sterling. They also have a large display
of tourers available for appraisal by prospective buyers. There are over 40 new caravans on display at the main showroom. RDH Motorhomes of Nottingham hires out four- to sixberth
motorhomes. All are available for self-drive hire for use in the UK or abroad. The company has launched its Eurable model to cater for the needs of wheelchair users. The Eurable comes with full electric ramp for wheelchair access, electric step to side entrance and anchor points for a wheelchair. The Eurable also features air ride assisted rear suspension, large bathroom with folding chair and grab rails and three-point seat belts on forward facing dinette seats. Items designed for ease of use include a retractable low level bed and an extending dinette table.
The more esoteric sector of the motorhome market is catered for by RS Motorhomes, who design motorhomes almost exclusively aimed at those involved with motor racing. 
The company creates bespoke vehicles from the chassis upwards, rather than convert existing vehicles. RS Motorhomes' top tier articulated crusier is aimed squarely at motor sports including Formula 1 and 3 and Superbike. The race cruiser is RS's top model, with accommodation for sever to eight people. Uniquely, the new rear hydraulically-operated door allows easy access to a garage, suitable for Smart type micro-cars, bikes and jet skis. However, more likely to appeal
to disabled drivers are the Euro Cruiser and Race compact models.
So for the disbled holidaymaker, there is increasing choice in the UK. It just depends where your fancy — whether it be relaxation or stimulation — takes you.
Blagdon Farm 0149 211509. Bryn-Glas Hotel 01745 730868.
Calvert Trust 01434 250232. Don Amott Leisure Kingdom 01283 732193. Eildon Holiday Cottages 01896 823258. Frys Caravans 01377 271383. Fat Lamb Inn 015396 23242. Grooms Holidays 01446 771311. Langthwaite Farm Cottages O1524 62388. RDH Motorhomes 0870 7585050. RS Motorhomes 01226 280055.
The opinions on the products mentioned are those of the providers, and not those of Disabled Motorist magazine.
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