This resource is part of the ‘Days Out’ series and has useful information for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) or cauda equina syndrome (CES) about planning a day out in the countryside and visiting attractions.
Enjoying days out with family and friends is important for returning to activity and enhancing wellbeing. Preparation is key to confidence when planning a visit and we have prepared a checklist to help you. Whilst there may be unexpected issues, there are many things you can do to prepare for your visit.
Planning your day out: the checklist!
Where do you want to go? … think about:
> The conditions (in a countryside environment what will the ground be like and will there be pathways/tarmac)
> The weather (and consider alternative options in case of bad weather)
> How you will get there (starting close to home or somewhere you know can be good to build your confidence)
> How accessible the location will be
> If the location is right for your level of mobility.
TIP! Visiting a location or an attraction close to your home or in a familiar area can be good to build confidence before planning more complex visits.
Your personal and care needs
> Medication and personal care items like catheters (take extra in case of delays)
> Medical aids.
> If you travel by car, it can be useful to keep a bag of essential personal care items and a change of clothing in the car.
Your mobility equipment needs
> The equipment you need to travel there.
> The equipment you need to get around the attraction.
Many attractions have information available on their websites regarding:
> Parking.
> Drop off areas.
> Access.
> Equipment to hire.
> Toilets /changing facilities.
Booking the attraction
> Many venues will ask that you book online and there may be an option to add details about your requirements.
> There may be times / days which are quieter, and this might allow for better access.
> Websites often show facilities so that you can understand what is available.
On the day
Most venues will have clearly marked disabled parking as close to the entrance as possible. If you are looking for spaces in other locations then use the Blue Badge Parking website to search for disabled parking spaces at your chosen destination.
English Heritage (free carer places for attractions and events and the organisation recommends referring to the website for each individual attraction)
There are a number of specialist companies who can work with you to provide equipment for your visit:
How to use a tramper
Please be aware that tramper vehicles vary depending on the venue and staff are unable to help you to transfer.
Disabled Ramblers
The Disabled Ramblers are a small charity working across England and Wales to help make the countryside more accessible to people with limited mobility. Find out more about how to ramble safely and their calendar of events on their website: DISABLED RAMBLERS
National Trust - Accessable
The National Trust were proud to work with AccessAble to develop accessibility guides and improve everyone’s experience. We hope that these guides will be useful for you.
If you are keen to get out on the water (either on the sea or inland) there are organisations available to assist with this, such as the Wheely Boat Trust.
