Electric wheelchair hire for Edinburgh trip

[Mumofone2007]

My daughter and I are travelling by train to Edinburgh next weekend and we're both really looking forward to it but I'm also quite anxious. I have a condition called FND that causes different symptoms for each person affected. For me it causes chronic pain and exhaustion upon minimal exertion and I'm worried how I'm going to cope as I've read that Edinburgh is very hilly. I don't want to miss out on any experiences but I don't want to end up in so much pain that I don't enjoy myself. When we usually go away I hire an electric wheelchair and was hoping to do so for this trip but I can't seem to find anywhere that hires them. Does anyone know of a place that is open on Fridays where I can get one? A mobility scooter is no good because we are staying in Bathgate and will have to use buses to get to and from there and scooters are not allowed. Thanks for any suggestions x

Glenmore Mobility in Bathgate seems to hire out wheel chairs.

https://www.nemobility.co.uk/locations/edinburgh-mobility-solutions/

https://www.glenmoremobility.com/

https://www.mobilityscooterhireedinburgh.co.uk/our-scooters/

Getting the wheelchair (I hope the place mentioned above can help you) is only half the solution - Edinburgh is wonderful but it's not just hilly - it's adapted itself to its hilliness by existing on multiple altitudes with buildings having their ground floor entrance at basement level on one size and at third floor level on the other side and many walking routes between places that look nearby on a map will require use of a staircase to get from one street to the next. You may need to use taxis more than you expect to get between places you visit, or have unexpected diversions around 3 sides of a rectangle to avoid staircases. There are also a lot of cobblestones that wheelchairs are tricky on. However, a lot of the attractions are brilliant for accessibility once you actually make it to their front door - including that Edinburgh Castle will send their mobility vehicle to get you from the entrance up to the level area where the main buildings are. Have a brilliant time!

PP is right, you may be better to look at using taxis between attractions. The centre of Edinburgh is not just hilly but full of cobbled streets

Yes, PPs are correct. I have a family member in a wheelchair and travelling about the city is impossible for her. Not just the hillside dimensionality and cobble stones, but Edinburgh Council put no thought into how wheelchair transverse the city. The pavements and roads are a mess, meaning even high suspension chairs can get unexpectedly stuck and finding dropped kerbs is not as easy as in other parts of the uk.

Thank you for all of your replies I will save myself the expense of hiring a chair and look at getting taxis instead x

Good luck! Edinburgh is a particularly challenging city to get around. My husband's godmother visited with her wheelchair and it was a massive endeavour. There are stairs everywhere and not everything is accessible by taxi so think about your schedule carefully. Don't be shy about asking for the accessible toilets either - the regular toilets almost everywhere are usually down a flight of stairs but there's often a hidden ground floor toilet that is not as obvious as you'd think.

Thank you I'll keep that in mind x

My next door neighbour drives the Edinburgh Castle mobility bus! He loves his job and will happily pick you up and drive you to the front door.

What other places are on your list? Maybe we could help you plan how to get from one to the other.

Do you have a folding wheelchair that your dd can push you in sometimes? I'm thinking for example that if you visit the Royal Museum you could easily wheel all around there to save energy then use your energy walking to other places with your daughter pushing the empty chair.

Thank you that is very kind

The places my dd would like to go are

Edinburgh Castle
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Princes Street Gardens
The National Portrait Gallery
Calton Hill
Dean Village
The Water of Leith Walkway
The Gently Mad Bookshop
Circus Lane
Greater Grass Market
The Writers Museum
The Royal Botanic Garden
The Scot Monument
Arthur's Seat
The Rosslyn Chapel

We are travelling on Thursday and returning on the following tuesday so we probably won't even be able to fit all of this in!!