Wheelchair accessible Windermere cruise
4.5
4.5
Date of visit: September 2015
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Excellent
About half their cruises are in wheelchair accessible steamers, and there is space to sit either inside or outside which is wheelchair accessible. Its a bit expensive but your carer gets to cruise for free, which makes a 'freedom of the lakes' ticket pretty good value (did the yellow, red and blue routes in a day for £19 for me and my hubby). As per their leaflet, the loos on board ship are only accessible by steps, although there are RADAR accessible loos on the quayside. Some improvised queue jumping was arranged by the staff, but there isn't a system for getting disabled people to the front of the queue (except by arriving earlier than everyone else!)
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
The ramp to get on and off the boat is quite steep, depending on how 'high' the boat sits in the water. You queue on the 'board walk' which has no cover, so a bit hot / sunburn risk in hot days and probably wet on rainy days.
Parking & Transport
Average
We parked in the long stay carpark which is quite a long way away. Blue badge holders get 1 hour extra free. 12 hours of car parking cost £7.
Accessible Toilets
Average
Finding the loos on the jetty can be a challenge. The RADAR loo in Windermere had 2 bins which needed to be removed before I could get my chair in.
Staff
Excellent
Generally friendly, although perhaps more used to wheelchair users who are elderly as they were a bit on the loud side! There were several such part-time wheelchair / mobility scooter users on the boats we went on during the course of the day.
Additional Information
Take drinks with you as the on-board bar is a bit over priced (and downstairs).
Comments
janeelizabethbrassington
16 Jan 2017
This is a fair and thorough review. I have been on the lake several times, I have always found the staff and other passengers accommodating when I have gone to the front of the queue. The pier cafe at Ambleside although small is a great place to watch the boats coming and going. They're happy to move chairs so you can get by the windows.
