3.5
Terrifying but fun cable car - just about accessible enough for wheelchairs
https://potesaventura.com/en/fuente-de-cable-car/
Fuente Dé cable car is a classic example of a place that was built in the 1960s without access in mind and they've made a valiant but imperfect attempt to retrofit it for wheelchairs. This means that the ramps to get to and from the cable car can be more scary than the cable car itself, but it's worth persevering in order to get up to the high peaks of the Picos de Europa.
I particularly want people to know that there is some degree of wheelchair access to the cable car, because there is absolutely zero information about this on any website, and we had to take a chance on it for our day out in the mountains.
You can buy your tickets in advice on the website https://telefericodefuentede.com/tarifas/ or at the lower cable car station on the day. There is a rather baffling queueing system at the cable car station, where people were understandably turning up expecting to be let in the turnstiles at the time on their timed ticket, but were then directed to go to the back of the queue. Everyone seemed to get in eventually, though.
To get up to the place where you step onto the cable car, most people use steps, but there are ramped alternatives. The ramps are too steep, really, but one thing I did appreciate was when staff members got out a board which formed a kind of bridge from the platform onto the cable car itself so my wheels didn't get stuck in the gap. I also had priority boarding.
The cable car ride itself is quite something, ascending hundreds of metres in just four minutes, with a commentary in Spanish and English. At the top, there's another slope where you'll be wanting someone to give you a push even in an electric scooter or wheelchair, and at the top of this there's level access into a decent cafe with amazing views from its terrace.
The weakest part of this experience were the toilets. At the bottom of the cable car there's a separate toilet block where there was a wheelchair loo, but it was out of order, so I was glad I'd brought my walking frame so I could go into one of the regular cubicles. At the top cable car station and cafe there are no wheelchair loos at all.
Overall, I did have fun and I was glad there was enough access for me to do this at all, as I've come across plenty of cable cars in other places that could only be reached by steps. But I hope some improvements are made for those who come after me, because it wouldn't take a lot to improve the toilet situation or install wheelchair lifts rather than steep ramps.
https://potesaventura.com/en/fuente-de-cable-car/
Fuente Dé cable car is a classic example of a place that was built in the 1960s without access in mind and they've made a valiant but imperfect attempt to retrofit it for wheelchairs. This means that the ramps to get to and from the cable car can be more scary than the cable car itself, but it's worth persevering in order to get up to the high peaks of the Picos de Europa.
I particularly want people to know that there is some degree of wheelchair access to the cable car, because there is absolutely zero information about this on any website, and we had to take a chance on it for our day out in the mountains.
You can buy your tickets in advice on the website https://telefericodefuentede.com/tarifas/ or at the lower cable car station on the day. There is a rather baffling queueing system at the cable car station, where people were understandably turning up expecting to be let in the turnstiles at the time on their timed ticket, but were then directed to go to the back of the queue. Everyone seemed to get in eventually, though.
To get up to the place where you step onto the cable car, most people use steps, but there are ramped alternatives. The ramps are too steep, really, but one thing I did appreciate was when staff members got out a board which formed a kind of bridge from the platform onto the cable car itself so my wheels didn't get stuck in the gap. I also had priority boarding.
The cable car ride itself is quite something, ascending hundreds of metres in just four minutes, with a commentary in Spanish and English. At the top, there's another slope where you'll be wanting someone to give you a push even in an electric scooter or wheelchair, and at the top of this there's level access into a decent cafe with amazing views from its terrace.
The weakest part of this experience were the toilets. At the bottom of the cable car there's a separate toilet block where there was a wheelchair loo, but it was out of order, so I was glad I'd brought my walking frame so I could go into one of the regular cubicles. At the top cable car station and cafe there are no wheelchair loos at all.
Overall, I did have fun and I was glad there was enough access for me to do this at all, as I've come across plenty of cable cars in other places that could only be reached by steps. But I hope some improvements are made for those who come after me, because it wouldn't take a lot to improve the toilet situation or install wheelchair lifts rather than steep ramps.
