Wales
VIEWING LLANDUDNO FROM A WHEELCHAIR
The Beach at Llandudno
Llandudno is situated on the North Wales Coast between Colwyn Bay and Conwy, the bustling town has many accessible shops, a pier and a very long promenade, all of which are on level ground. There is a theatre that is also accessible. Although some of the attractions such as the museum are not wheelchair friendly, one that is well worth a visit is The Home Front Experience. It is housed in a building with accessibility in mind and it holds a large and very comprehensive collection of World War Two memorabilia. Just a short distance away near the sea front at Hoosons Corner is the friendly Take a Break Cafe, which although not large welcomes wheelchair visitors and has easy access from the street.
For accessible places to stay in the area please scroll to the bottom of the page and for a wider accommodation search for other areas of Wales and the UK click here.
The Great Orme
The towns main attraction is that it nestles beneath The Great Orme, a large rocky headland, that can be accessed from a scenic toll road adjacent to the pier. The Great Orme is a country park with its own unique flora and fauna and the views from the summit car park are spectacular. There is a visitor centre with visual/audio commentary about the park and a gift shop with disabled toilet facilities (Radar Key operated).
Rhos- on- Sea harbour
There are other seaside resorts within easy reach eg Rhyl and Caernarfon. One which is nearby is Rhos on sea, that has a small harbour, shops and an excellent promenade.
Further along the coast at Prestatyn there is an organisation called On Track that offer cycles for hire to explore this beautiful part of North Wales. They have introduced a community project that has opened up the area to people with disabilities. Wheelchair users who can transfer and have good upper body posture can try out one of two 'side by side' tandem bikes. For those with less ability there is the duet which is a tandem with a difference as the front seat is a wheelchair. There is a hoist on site for carers to use to assist transfer to the bike. There is also a tricycle for those who can cycle unaided but find balancing difficult. The cost for a one hour session is £8 but funding is being sought to help lower this cost. To book Phone 01745 854410 allowing 2 days notice.
A view from the visitor centre at RSPB Conwy
About fifteen minutes from Llandudno is the RSPB nature reserve at Conwy. Leave the A55 at the exit signed to Conwy and the reserve entrance is on the roundabout above the expressway. There are disabled parking spaces in the car park and a level path to the visitor centre. All the hides are wheelchair accessible and there is a disabled toilet on site.
Bodelwyddan Castle
Thirty minutes away by car is Bodelwyddan Castle (an excellent day out) which is home to a large collection of Victorian paintings from The National Portrait Gallery. The castle has rooms furnished and decorated in Victorian elegance and has extensive gardens and grounds. It is possible to reach the second floor by lift and plans are in progress to allow disabled access to the top floor. There is a tea room providing light lunches, as well as a gift shop and a drop off point at the entrance avoiding the steep path from the car park.
St. Margarets Bodelwyddan
Just across the other side of the A55 from the castle is the 19th century marble church of St. Margarets, it contains some of the finest examples of Victorian wood carving in Britain. It is a beautiful church and we recommend including it in the visit.
Marchlyn Mawr the reservoir that feeds the Dinorwig Power Station
Approximately 25 miles from Llandudno in Llanberis at the foot of Snowdon is The Electric Mountain Visitor Centre. There is disabled car parking in the adjacent car park. The centre is fully wheelchair accessible with disabled toilet and a lift to the first floor. There is a shop and a cafe on site. There is a charge for wheelchair users to go on the tour but their carers go free. It is advisable to book the tour beforehand ( 01286 870636 ) as there are limited wheelchair spaces and during times of maintenance checks the accessible bus may not be available. There are two wheelchairs on site available to loan and there is limited on access the bus so electric wheelchair users who can transfer will need to do so in order to be able to take the tour.
The tour starts with a film and then continues with a bus trip ( hydraulic lift ) deep inside Elidir Mountain to view the hydro electric Dinorwig power station. N.B. The tour commentary can be hard to follow if you have a hearing impairment so please advise the guide if you are having difficulty. To download their access statement which has been compiled by a member of staff who is also a wheelchair user click here .
There is an excellent hotel in Llandudno called The West Shore Hotel which is run by the charity Livability formerly John Grooms and has full disabled facilities Contact :- 01492 876833 and their e-mail is westshore@livability.org.uk ). This would be ideal to use as a base for viewing the picturesque North Wales coastline and the breathtaking mountain scenery of Snowdonia.
There is also a Travel Inn at Llandudno Junction just of the A55 express way.