Midlands
VIEWING PETERBOROUGH WITH A WHEELCHAIR
Cathedral Square
Peterborough is set on the edge of the fens and is ideal for a wheelchair visitor because of the flat terrain. It is a historic city with many fine buildings and the city centre has pedestrianised areas with a continental feel. Bridge street is wide with an avenue of trees, underneath which is lots of outdoor seating. There are plenty of places to eat in the city and a lot have outside tables. There are plenty of car parks surrounding the centre with disabled parking spaces.
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 the Midlands and the UK click here.
Fossil Remains at the Museum
Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery is in Priestgate a short walk from the main square. The Museum has a changing array of exhibits and houses one of the best collections of marine dinosaurs in the world. It has good access with a lift to all floors and two disabled toilets. The Museum building is said to be haunted by at least nine ghosts.
Peterborough Cathedral
The cathedral church is dedicated to St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew who are depicted as three figures on the West front. There was originally an Abbey on the site founded in 655 AD by Peada a Mercian nobleman. This was destroyed in 870 AD by the Danes and a later reconstruction was burnt down in 1116. The present cathedral was started in 1118 AD and took a 120 years to complete. Access to the cathedral is good with only a few small areas not accessible. The interior architecture is magnificent, as are the ceilings. It also contains Katherine of Aragon's tomb and at one time Mary Queen of Scot's was also buried here. Opposite the cathedral entrance is Beckets restaurant that serves meals as well as light snacks and has a disabled toilet. The tourist information centre that is situated next door has a wheelchair lift down to the entrance and houses a small exhibition.
The Bishops Gardens
Guided city tours are available from the Tourist Information Centre. They last approximately 90 minutes and help to explain the city's long history and are well worth taking. The gardens above feature on the tour and the memorial shown is dedicated to two local soldiers who died in Northern Ireland.
An Iron Age Round House at Flag Fen
Flag Fen Bronze Age Centre is about 15 minutes from the city centre by car. There is free parking on site, a shop, a cafe and a disabled toilet. The site contains reconstructions of Iron Age and Bronze Age houses, a museum and a preservation hall that shows the original Bronze Age timbers that were sunk into the fen. The site is mainly flat but some of the path surfaces are uneven and may be difficult to negotiate. There is a phone link available to summon assistance if you require help pushing. There is a wheelchair to loan and the staff are extremely helpful.
Boarding Nene Valley Railway
Nene Valley Railway runs between Peterborough and Wansford and passes through the beautiful countryside of Nene Park. Pre booking of trains is not necessary as there is always space for wheelchairs. The friendly staff are on hand to offer assistance and the carriage we travelled in contained the bar. It is easier to start your journey from Wansford where the access is better. There is a shop at the station, a small disabled toilet and free disabled parking.
Ferry Meadows
Ferry Meadows Country Park is the focal point of Nene Park which stretches six miles along the valley of the river Nene. Within the country park are lakes meadows and woodlands. There are plenty of good surfaced paths and cycle ways that are suitable for wheelchairs. There is a visitor centre and cafe, also the watersports centre and a cafe, both have good access. There are disabled toilets and platforms for disabled anglers. The park can be reached by taking the A605 Oundle road or by The Nene Valley Railway or wheeling along the cycle track from Peterborough.
The Old Bakery at Sacrewell Farm
Sacrewell Farm is situated on the A47 West of Peterborough close to the junction with the A1. There is free disabled parking, a restaurant, shop and disabled toilet. The pathway down to the watermill inclines for a long way and you may need assistance to get back to the entrance. There is limited access in the watermill and Millers house but a good proportion of the site is accessible.
The Rutland Belle
Rutland Water is 18 miles northwest of Peterborough on the A606. It is the largest man made lake in Western Europe and there are plenty of activities in and around the lake. Among these and pictured above is The Rutland Belle that cruises from Whitwell Harbour on the North shore. There is a wheelchair lift to allow access to the boat but as only six wheelchairs can be accommodated at any one time, it is advisable to book in advance on 01572 787630. There is a cafe and watersports centre at Whitwell Harbour and adjacent disabled parking. Also on the North shore is Sykes Lane car park with a Tourist Information Centre, a small cafe and a disabled toilet. There are cycle paths running in either direction from here that are suitable for wheelchair users although towards Whitwell the surface is uneven for a couple of hundred yards.
A large Moth at the Butterfly Farm
Also situated at Sykes Lane car park is a butterfly farm and aquatic centre. Access to the site is good and there is a gift shop. As well as identifying the butterflies watch out for the Iguanas that roam freely inside the tropical house.
The Picturesque Town of Oundle
Oundle lies 12 miles Southwest of Peterborough on the junctions with the A605 and A427. The stone buildings throughout the town are very attractive. There is a museum situated in the Old Courthouse and access is via a ramp that is housed inside a cupboard at the entrance, please ask for assistance with this. Beans Coffee Shop is accessible and serves light snacks as well as lunches. The Tourist Information is not accessible but there is a bell to summon the staff. A reasonable proportion of the shops are accessible and there is on street parking.
We stayed at The Express by Holiday Inn on the A605 at Alwalton adjacent to the East of England Show Ground tel 0870 720 1197. The disabled rooms have a wheel in shower and the tariff includes a continental breakfast. Adjacent to the inn is a Harvester restaurant but we also tried The Cuckoo in the village that served excellent meals and also had a lot of outdoor seating.
For a more luxurious stay try The Bell Inn at Stilton, Southwest of Peterborough adjacent to the A1 tel 01733 241066. Their Garden room has an en-suite wet room and wheelchair access to the bistro. There is car parking at the rear.
Peterborough is a good base to explore this part of the East of England and there is a wide range of places to see and things to do.