to think that if somewhere is advertised as wheelchair accessible it bloomin' well should be?

[Glitterknickaz]

A really good friend of mine that we don't see too often popped by this morning, wanting to take the kids for a walk in some bluebell woods. I don't think he really 'gets' that DS2 can't walk far so I pointed out that DS2 needs a wheelchair and that by definition woods aren't generally that great for wheelchairs. DD also can't walk more than a few metres but as she's small for her age she still uses a pram.

Anyway, said friend was so taken with the idea he found local woods that had a 'wheelchair accessible' route through them... or so the website said. (this is local council owned by the way, not privately)

We noted that the route suitable for wheelchairs was the blue route so we stuck to that, we didn't go anywhere else. However there were tree roots everywhere, the front wheels got stuck in them so we had to lift it out, there were ruts, steep hills and deep gouges in the ground right by the bridge over the river which meant that me and DH had to physically lift a heavy wheelchair containing DS2 off the ground to use the bridge.... wheelchair accessible it really was not.

I think this is mainly a rant, it's not the first time somewhere allegedly 'wheelchair accessible' is anything but. I just wish that these places actually put their claims to the test sometimes.

I'll definitely be complaining. We thought we'd got the wrong route somehow but I've checked again, it was definitely the blue one!

Oh, how annoying for you.

You could perhaps email your local Ramblers group. My mum is a member and she always checks out the routes before they go on a walk, and she has led several wheelchair accessible routes.

That's very unfair and if it was wheelchair accessible then it should have been. I have mobility issues and am quite bemused by the place which claim to be accessible for wheelchair users or mobility problems when they quite clearly aren't.

There must be some way you can leave feedback or complain

It's mad isn't it, Groovee?
The number of places where you can't even get a wheelchair around the room... some think if you can get through the door it's enough.

Chessington World of Adventures has its disabled car park on a steep slope, I had to help someone in a self propelled wheelchair get out of her car.... she was trying to transfer out of the driving seat and the chair was off down the hill! Brakes did nothing! No staff anywhere to be seen either.