The Loch Indaal Way

Isle of Islay

2.5

1 review

Review this place

finnberrys

29 Oct 2023

Fantastic accessible footpath but with some serious accessibility flaws

2.5

Date of visit: October 2023

I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: dexterity or coordination and moving around.

Access ramp with nice gentle gradient and fencing.

Service point with various tools, tyre pump and other handy gadgets for bikes and wheelchairs.

Clean wide path stretching into the distance.

Wheelchair user with assistance dog admiring the views from the path.

Entry/exit ramp which is rather steep but has good surface.

Bottom of the entry ramp is a pavement with no dropped kerb.

The pavement continues with no dropped kerbs and there is a flight of steps which makes the pavement too narrow for a wheelchair to pass. Man with dog looks back with a concerned expression.

At the end of the pavement, there is still no dropped kerb.

On the other side of the road there is no dropped kerb either. In the main road is a dustbin lorry, which will make it difficult for the wheelchair user to wheel down the road instead of the pavement.

Overall Rating

Average

We were staying in the Port Charlotte area for a couple of nights as part of a road trip, and having done a lot of driving, we wanted to leave the motorhome on a site and just go for local walks for a day. The new Loch Indaal Way looked perfect! However, it wasn't as straightforward as we'd hoped.

Disabled Access In and Around

Good

The actual path itself is a fantastic concept. The route between Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich is a single track road with national speed limit and previously, anyone walking would have had to walk on the busy road. They created an off-road footpath, with a good surface, bridges to get over inlets and with the most beautiful views out to sea. The problem we found was in Port Charlotte. The path begins at the Port Mor Centre and goes through Port Charlotte but there is a stretch in the town where it breaks off. The pavements are narrow, with hardly any dropped kerbs. In places, I had to be in the road, which had potholes and was very difficult due to heavy camber. Where the accessible path recommences, the kerbs are all high and with no drops, so actually getting onto the path in a normal manual wheelchair is impossible. I had to get out and my husband lifted my chair up for me. This seems a real shame when so much effort has gone into making the path itself accessible.

Parking & Transport

Not really applicable as it's a walking trail. There is some parking in Port Charlotte and in Bruichladdich but the roads are narrow, and parking is limited.

Accessible Toilets

Bad

We wanted to go all the way to Bruichladdich (about 2.5 miles) and back. However, we got as far as the War Memorial (probably just over half way) and I needed to find a toilet. There were no signs, no indication of whether there were any toilets on the route or not, so we turned back just in case. We were later told that there are public toilets just as you enter Bruichladdich.

Staff

Not applicable as there are no staff.

Additional Information

The path has good quality fencing on both sides and is about 3m wide throughout. On the sea side of the path, there are fields with sheep and some highland cattle. They ask for dogs to be on lead to protect these animals.

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