Travel: Experience Scotland

Scotland, known for its breathtaking landscapes and captivating history, is a destination that welcomes travellers from all over the world. What many might not know is that this country is filled with wheelchair accessible attractions and activities. From the majestic highlands to vibrant cityscapes, Scotland is committed to ensuring that its beauty and rich cultural heritage are accessible to all.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park

This is one of my favourite spots for day trips and weekend getaways. With its stunning lochs, picturesque villages, and beautiful scenery, it's very popular.

Start your adventure by hopping aboard the steamship Sir Walter Scott for a cruise on Loch Katrine. While enjoying the mountain views, you can learn about the area's rich history. Sit on the open-air deck, where you can feel the wind in your hair and take in the landscape.

After the cruise, make your way to The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre for lunch, which offers great views above Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. You can then explore the accessible walking trail, which has a dramatic waterfall. Look out for the elusive red squirrels on the way. Situated in Callander, in the heart of Trossachs National Park, you will find The Crags Accessible Pod. The wheelchair accessible glamping pod is an ideal base and comes equipped with a kitchenette, ceiling track hoist, a profiling bed, and a large ‘Changing Places’-style wetroom.

Glasgow & The Clyde Valley

Glasgow is a vibrant and friendly city with a long and varied history. A bus tour is a great way to get an overview of the place. Start in George Square and take the red tour with City Sightseeing Bus. Each bus has low floors and a ramp, making it easy for wheelchair users to board and disembark at any of the 21 stops, which include some of the city's main attractions and points of interest.

Most museums in Glasgow are free, making them a family-friendly activity. On the banks of the River Clyde, you will find the Riverside Museum, a hands-on transport and technology museum. Explore the collection of vintage and modern vehicles, including trams, cars, motorcycles, buses, steam locomotives, skateboards and wheelchairs. There is wheelchair access throughout the museum, including platform lifts to look inside the trains, a Changing Places toilet and disabled parking.

The beautiful University of Glasgow campus will give you the impression that you have entered a real-life Hogwarts with its gothic architecture, towers, courtyards, and famous cloisters.

After a busy day of exploring, rest at the Radisson Red Hotel in the city centre. Its accessible rooms are spacious with automatic door entry, a wetroom with grabrails, and a wall-fitted shower seat. Alternatively, Clober Farm, a former farmhouse in Milngavie, is only seven miles from Glasgow city centre. It has been transformed into a three-bedroom apartment featuring a ceiling hoist, profiling bed, and wetroom.

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

If you want fairytale castles, a lively city, impressive architecture, coasts and beaches, Aberdeenshire is for you.

Start your trip in Aberdeen, Scotland's third-largest city, and explore maritime history at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum. Featuring displays on fishing and shipbuilding across four floors, complete with a large-scale replica of a North Sea oil platform all areas are accessible by lifts. From the top floor, enjoy views of the bustling Aberdeen Harbour. Admission is free, and the museum offers kid-friendly activities, such as quiz sheets guided by Granite Jack, the museum's pirate mascot.

If you prefer green spaces, visit Duthie Park or Seaton Park, which have wheelchair accessible paths, landscaped gardens, floral displays, and playgrounds. The Winter Gardens in Duthie Park are open year-round and are one of Europe's largest indoor gardens, housing a vast collection of exotic plants.

I highly recommend Balmedie Country Park for its long, beautiful, sandy beach and all-terrain beach wheelchairs. The park has a hoist, a Changing Places facility, an inclusive play area, and Sand Bothy, where you can grab refreshments. The city offers several accessible hotels. I've enjoyed stays at the Park Inn by Radisson and Aloft Aberdeen TECA, the latter conveniently located if attending events at P&J Live. But if you're looking for self-catering, The Byre at Boghead Holiday Cottages is excellent. The three-bedroom conversion features level access, spacious rooms, and an accessible bedroom with en-suite wetroom. The cottage is a 30-minute drive from Cairngorm National Park which is along the Whisky and Castles Trail. 

Shetland

While in Aberdeen, you might want to explore the Shetland Islands. Northlink Ferries depart daily from Aberdeen, with an overnight journey to Lerwick that takes about 12 hours. I travelled on this ferry, staying in a wheelchair accessible cabin equipped with a ceiling track hoist and a wet room. Have dinner and drinks in the restaurant and bar, watch a movie in the cinema, and do some shopping. Grab breakfast on the ferry, then explore the history of the islands at the Shetland Museum and Archives. It has accessible toilets and a café overlooking historic Hay’s Dock. 

Or you can visit the Mareel next to the museum, an entertainment venue that includes a music hall, cinema, and a café bar with views where you can watch seals and seabirds just outside the windows. The best place to see puffins in Shetland is Sumburgh Head. The Sumburgh Head Lighthouse is atop the tall cliffs of this southernmost spot on mainland Shetland. Prepare to be amazed at the views of the North Sea. 

Disabled parking is near the lighthouse and visitor centre. If you take your car on the ferry, exploring more of the island is quicker and easier. However, Shetland has accessible buses with low floors and space for wheelchairs. The charity Ability Shetland provides all-terrain wheelchairs to access stunning landscapes, historical sites, and dramatic coastlines. Look out for the Shetland ponies, too.