The UK has more to offer disabled visitors than ever before.
Accessible days out are more widely available, better signposted and more genuinely welcoming than at any point in recent memory - and your Motability Scheme vehicle gives you the freedom to reach them on your terms.
We've put together this guide to some of the best outdoor (and largely outdoor) destinations across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Every location here offers wheelchair access, Blue Badge parking, or both. Many go considerably further.
What to look for at any destination
A little planning goes a long way.
Before you travel, it's worth checking whether your chosen destination offers accessible toilets (including Changing Places facilities for those who need extra space and equipment), mobility equipment hire such as wheelchairs or scooters, and carer concessions or free carer tickets.
The AccessAble website lets you search venues by accessibility feature and is a reliable first stop for detailed access guides.
Chester Zoo, Cheshire
Chester Zoo is one of the most wheelchair-friendly attractions in the UK.
Blue Badge parking is available on site, alongside free hire of wheelchairs and mobility scooters (a refundable deposit applies), accessible pathways throughout, and accessible toilets across the grounds.
Carers get free admission, which makes the visit more affordable too.
It's a large site - set aside a full day, and plan your route around the accessible map available at the entrance.
Tarn Hows, Lake District
The circular path around Tarn Hows is one of the most celebrated accessible walks in the country.
The route is firm underfoot and gently graded, and the panoramic views across the lake reward every step - or every turn of a wheel.
Blue Badge parking is available at the National Trust car park nearby.
It's genuinely one of those rare outdoor spots where accessibility and scenery arrive in equal measure.
Eden Project, Cornwall
The Eden Project nestles in a former clay pit, and it's an extraordinary place to spend a day outdoors.
Manual and powered wheelchairs are available to hire free of charge, and Blue Badge parking is provided on site.
Accessible toilets are positioned throughout the site, and the terrain - while dramatic in parts - has been laid out with mobility in mind.
The outdoor biomes and gardens are the real draw here, with plenty of open space and fresh air whatever the season.
Trentham Gardens, Staffordshire
Trentham is a large garden and outdoor leisure destination with smooth, level terrain that works well for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility.
Wide pathways run throughout, benches are plentiful, and the accessible facilities are wel- maintained.
Wheelchair hire is available on site, and there's accessible parking close to the main entrance.
It's a popular spot - weekday visits tend to be quieter if you prefer a more relaxed pace.
Rutland Water, East Midlands
Rutland Water is one of the largest reservoirs in Europe, and its lakeside trails make for an excellent half-day or full-day out.
The paths are smooth and well-surfaced, Blue Badge parking is available, and there are accessible toilets and a café at the visitor centre.
Bird hides along the route are accessible too, which makes this a popular destination for nature lovers.
The flat terrain means it works well for a wide range of mobility needs.
Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest, Mid Wales
This Cambrian mountain visitor centre run by Natural Resources Wales offers one of the most distinctive accessible outdoor experiences in the country: watching red kites feed.
Each afternoon, around one hundred red kites swoop down to a lakeside feeding station.
The wheelchair-accessible Barcud Trail runs 1.2km along the edge of the lake and puts you right in the middle of the action.
Wheelchair loan is available if booked in advance, and the accessible café overlooks the feeding area.
Blue Badge parking is available at the visitor centre.
Hampton Court Palace Gardens, London
Sixty acres of formal gardens, a sprawling deer park, and the oldest hedge maze in the UK - Hampton Court's grounds give you a lot to explore.
Most pathways are flat and paved, and you can hire wheelchairs or electric buggies on site.
Blue Badge parking is free, and carers receive complimentary tickets.
It's a well-run destination with excellent accessibility support and a genuinely grand setting.
Holkham Beach and Nature Reserve, Norfolk
Norfolk consistently ranks among the most accessible counties in the UK for disabled visitors, and Holkham is a highlight of the coastline.
The beach is wide, flat, and backed by dunes and pine woodland, with good access from the car park.
Blue Badge parking is available, and the nearby nature reserve has firmer paths suitable for wheelchair users.
For those with electric vehicles on the Motability Scheme, it's worth planning charging stops in advance - Norfolk has good coverage but it pays to check before you travel.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire
The National Botanic Garden of Wales offers accessible paths throughout, mobility scooter hire, and a shuttle buggy service for those who need it.
The gardens are spread across 568 acres, and the Great Glasshouse - the largest single-span glasshouse in the world - is fully accessible.
Blue Badge parking is available close to the main entrance.
Carer admission is free, and the café and accessible toilets are well positioned across the site.
Bude Summerleaze Beach, Cornwall
Summerleaze is one of the best examples of an accessible beach in the UK.
Ramp access leads directly onto the sand, and beach wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and transit wheelchairs are available to hire.
There's a tidal sea pool that's popular with families, Blue Badge parking nearby, and accessible toilets and a café on the seafront.
It's the kind of place where a day out genuinely feels effortless - the infrastructure is there, so you can get on with enjoying it.
Planning tips before you travel
A few things worth confirming before any day out.
Call ahead to check mobility equipment availability - wheelchair hire and scooter hire can be limited at busy periods, and many venues require advance booking.
Check the Blue Badge parking situation too, particularly at National Trust and English Heritage sites where parking rules vary.
If you drive an electric vehicle (EV) on the Motability Scheme, route planning apps like Zap-Map make it easy to locate charging points en route and at your destination.
The AccessAble and Disabled Go websites both carry detailed access guides for hundreds of venues across the UK - well worth bookmarking.
Your Motability vehicle opens up these destinations
Getting to places like these - on your terms, at your own pace - is exactly what the Motability Scheme is designed to support.
Your vehicle comes with insurance, servicing, and breakdown cover included, so the practicalities of the journey are already taken care of.
If you'd like to find out more about the vehicles available through the scheme, our colleagues at your local Vertu dealership are happy to help.
Explore Motability vehicles at Vertu
Speak to our team about the full range of vehicles available through the Motability Scheme.
Book an appointment at your nearest Vertu dealership to discuss your options.
- Motability