Wheelchair Friendly Holidays in the UK

Planning a family holiday or weekends away with friends, shouldn’t be made more difficult by accessibility needs. With greater consideration to accessibility becoming a non-negotiable, there are countless fantastic places to take a trip in the UK that wheelchair users can enjoy.  

Local councils and charities do a tremendous job of providing accessible toilets, lifts, parking, and more – and that's worth celebrating. Whether travelling for a relaxing break or for an adventure, discover the best wheelchair-friendly holidays in the UK with CrossCountry. 

The Lake District

The Lake District National Park is well-known for their accessible walking routes, most notably with the Miles Without Stiles project, a collection of fifty routes that cover a range of different levels to accommodate as many people as possible. These open pathways have limited gradients, no physical boundaries, and improved surfacing to make the experience more comfortable for wheelchair users. Around the Lake District, you will also find a variety of accessible activities, including painting, stargazing, birdwatching, and more. 

You can get to the Lake District with a simple onward journey from various CrossCountry stations. Either travel directly to Carlisle by changing at Newcastle station, or arrive at Crewe station on services from Birmingham New Street, Coventry station, Manchester Piccadilly, and more, and switch onto a direct service to Penrith. 

Torquay

Where could be better in the UK for a sunny and accessible holiday than Torquay? With sandy beaches and the English Riviera to boast about, there is no more scenic location to while away the summer days than one of Devon’s most popular tourist destinations. The main seafront in Torquay is Torre Abbey Sands, an excellent wheelchair accessible beach, pier, and promenade. The beach has accessible bathrooms and sand chairs available to hire. 

You can reach Torquay station on CrossCountry routes from a wide variety of locations around the UK. Whether you’re local and travelling from places like Newton Abbot station or Exeter St Davids; or coming from further afield like Bristol Temple Meads, Stockport station, or Weston-Super-Mare station; you can find direct routes to Torquay on CrossCountry trains. 

Cardiff

The UK is full of great city breaks, and Cardiff is no exception. Known in Cymraeg as Caerdydd, Cardiff is a city full of culture. Ranging from medieval heritage to the modern bay area, and with activities for families, groups of friends, couples, and everything in between. Cardiff city centre is pedestrianised and has been praised by wheelchair users for how accessible the streets are – with smooth surfaces, wide pathways, dropped curbs, and fantastic public transport connections. Cardiff is a city that welcomes everyone, regardless of accessibility requirements. 

Finding your way to Cardiff is super easy with CrossCountry, as a range of our services run directly to Cardiff Central. Situated in the heart of the city, you can get your holiday started in comfort by boarding a train to Cardiff, from Newport (South Wales), Cheltenham Spa and Bristol Temple Meads. 

Cambridge

Cambridge is one of the nation’s favourite weekend getaways for soaking up heritage and culture. Thanks to an expansive inclusivity drive to support wheelchair users, there are plenty of ways to spend your break in Cambridge, regardless of accessibility requirements. Why not head to the Fitzwilliam Museum, with step-free access; the Botanical Gardens, with paved pathways and ramps; or go punting, where mobility scooters and wheelchairs can be stored free-of-charge. Plus, Deaf and hard of hearing customers can download a PDF of the tour guides script, so no one misses even a snippet of the fascinating history along the River Cam. With accessibility accounted for in all aspects of this trip, you can relax and recharge on your staycation to Cambridge. 

Making your way to Cambridge station with CrossCountry is simple – with direct services running from around the UK. Whether your journey starts in Birmingham New Street, Leicester station, or Stansted Airport, you can get on board a CrossCountry service directly to Cambridge. 

Wells

Located at the tip of the Mendip Hills, Wells has been crowned the most accessible city in the UK by Age UK, with other thirty accessible attractions. There are numerous dropped curbs around the picturesque Cathedral Green and Market Place and easy access around the Bishop’s Palace Moat and Recreation Ground, meaning there is no missing out on the cathedral cities rich medieval history. 

Wells has plenty of accessible restaurants too, like the Bishop’s Table, a popular café surrounded by trees, looking out onto Bishop’s Palace. From the main entrance to your table, there is completely level access. Wells can be reached using the Mendip Explorer bus from Bristol, where designated wheelchair spaces will be available. 

Accessibility on Board

Every great holiday starts with a great journey, and with CrossCountry, you can arrive in comfort – whatever your accessibility needs. Passengers can request travel assistance up to two hours before the journey, to ensure that they travel with confidence. If you need assistance at short notice, please let a member of staff know, or use a Help Point at our stations.

If you’re planning a holiday as a wheelchair user, don’t forget to book Advance rail tickets via our website or the CrossCountry app. Before you travel, make sure to check scheduled train times to find the best journey for you. If you need more information, you can contact us here.