Changing Place toilet

Accessible Family Adventure in the Lake District

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During the school summer holidays we had the most amazing week in the Lake District with the Bendrigg Trust. Quinns has always been a thrill seeker but it’s extremely difficult finding activities he can do that give him an adrenaline rush. Plus it’s always challenging to find things we can all do together so when I saw the opportunity for an accessible activity holiday I signed the four of us up immediately.

Quinns smiles in his wheelchair which is strapped into the Bendrigg bus on the way to caving. Yellow ropes can be seen attached to the side of his chair.

The schedule for the week was so jam packed we barely had time to unpack when we arrived but thankfully the first activity was lunch. The holiday was fully catered including any special diets so Quinns enjoyed the same meals as we did only blended for his button. It took the pressure off me to cook and allowed me to take part in all the activities.

Our rooms, two adjoining, were in Acorn Lodge which is the smaller of the two buildings set in large grounds. Both Quinns and Big Sister had profiling beds in their room much to her excitement. They also had a massive wet room (bigger than Big Sister’s bedroom at home apparently) with an adjustable height bench for showering. The Trust were able to provide a range of equipment so we requested the exact same shower chair Quinns has at home – one less thing to pack in the car! With suitable accommodation and food sorted we were able to focus on all the activities.

After lunch we explored the extensive grounds before our first activity in the specially constructed indoor cave. We were grouped with another lovely family for the whole week. Quinns wouldn’t wear a helmet but delighted in wearing the light so he could see his new friend when he popped out of one of the tighter spaces in the cave. We later teamed up for an evening of orienteering which may have got a wee bit competitive!

Day two was very wet but that didn’t stop us on the zip slide. The activity leaders got Quinns all sorted with an appropriate harness and hoisted him up ready. After taking him half way to check he was happy they sussed that actually he had a need for speed so off to the top he went! He is certainly braver than me who nearly chickened out at the last minute!

After a spot of archery, with some special equipment to allow Quinns to push a button to release the arrow, it was time to climb. Quinns was fitted with the same harness for climbing as he was for the zip wire. Either Big Sister or I climbed beside him to guide him up and encourage him to reach out for the wall or kick it. At the top we went over while he got to abseil all the way back down.

Big Sister guides Quinns up a climbing wall. They are both wearing harnesses.
Quinns smiles widely as he abseils down from a climbing wall. There is a small orange dot of someone's helmet at the bottom of the photo showing how high up Quinns is.

Although we had been really looking forward to it, my expectation had been that Quinns might manage a bit of the wall and that would have been the end of it. However he loved it so much he did nearly three climbs plus abseils and also two further abseils at a separate abseil bit. I managed two climbs and one abseil while Big Sister climbed almost every part of the wall including the really difficult end! It was lovely being able to do it all together.

Heavy rain gave us the excuse for a well earned evening with no activities so we were ready for the next day’s caving adventure. Bendrigg have a number of vehicles to transport people so we all loaded into a minibus which drove us straight to the entrance of Ingleborough Cave. The activity leaders attached ropes to Quinns’ wheelchair as an additional safety measure to guide him through any steep slopes inside the cave and we were all issued with hard hats. Quinns chose to just wear his torch again. The roof of the cave wasn’t so low that he was at risk of bumping his head at any time. Dad on the other hand had some difficulties!

Quinns wears a torch on his head to see around the indoor cave at Bendrigg.
Dad is missing his head in Ingleborough Cave because the roof is so low in some points he has to crouch but at this point he can stand up.

After a slight change of plan due to lack of Changing Places toilet we headed back to Acorn House and some afternoon activities in the games hall and sensory room. By this point Quinns was starting to flag from all the stimulation but managed to giggle through the Angry Birds film with his new friend during movie night.

The sun shone for our final day, canoeing on Lake Windermere. A portable gantry hoist and a clever doubling up of the canoes meant it was possible for us all to go out together. Quinns sat like a king in the middle of one canoe between me and dad. He did try rowing with a special paddle for a moment or two but preferred the luxury of us doing all the hard work. A highlight from the morning was being at the exact right spot on the river to see the steam train go past. We lunched in the canoe with some new found duck friends before going out again for a quick trip across Windermere itself.

The site we set off from at Fell Foot Park in Newby Bridge is well provisioned with a number of changing facilities including an accessible changing room as well as a full Changing Place toilet. After canoeing and a change into dry clothes we were able to enjoy an ice cream at the café before heading back to Bendrigg.

Quinns is using a special orange paddle in the canoe on Lake Windermere.
Quinns and Big Sister pose outside the door of the Changing Place Toilet at Fell Foot in Newby Bridge.

We managed a visit to the gift shop and a bit of a disco in the sensory room that evening before heading back to our room to pack for going home the next day. It’s safe to say we were all exhausted after the busiest of weeks but we were also buzzing from having had quality family time, making new friends and us all trying out new activities. Enjoy this short video of the highlights of our trip!

Lochore Meadows Country Park

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I have been keen to visit the play park at Lochore Meadows Country park since it opened in March this year and it did not disappoint! It had so much more than the usual basket swing and accessible roundabout. There was something for Quinns to explore in all parts of the park which meant he was able to keep up with his friends and play both with and alongside them.

Anita and Quinns smile from on top of a piece of play equipment with sunshade above them.

After exploring the fully enclosed park which included going up and down the ramps of the two main pieces of climbing equipment he then went across the suspension bridge multiple times as his friends bounced along with him.

Rather than go for his usual high-backed swing (we weren’t sure the style of swing would work for him) we instead waited for our moment and took over the piece of equipment all the kids wanted to go on, the one with the biggest thrill. I’m not sure of the name of it, but it could be a flying chair swing or a carousel sky swing!

Quinns smiles strapped into his Go-To seat in a high backed swing seat which is spinning around with all his friends.

Five of them could sit on the individual seats and it spun them around and outwards. It’s the first time I’ve seen one with a high back seat. So with the help of the trusty Go-To seat Quinns got to experience a new sensation and be as adventurous as everyone else.

Of course, he tried out the wheelchair swing and the accessible roundabout. Apart from all that there was also at least one accessible trampoline, a rainbow tunnel, a double slide and multiple sensory boards plus things I may not have spotted in the busy-ness of the park.

Quinns throws his head back in excitement as Anita holds on tight while the two of them spin on a wheelchair accessible roundabout.
Quinns grins a broad grin as his friend pushes him on the wheelchair accessible swing.

It is the first time I’ve felt disappointed to leave a park with Quinns as I didn’t feel like we had explored everything it had to offer. With a café right next to the play park and a Changing Places toilet in the nearby education centre though I have no doubt we’ll be back at some point to play some more!

A week exploring Changing Place Toilets

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The first stage of planning adventures from our base at The Rings in Fife was working out the location of the facilities for days out. Each new day and every adventure during our week long holiday meant an opportunity to try out a different Changing Place toilet.

Quinns facing away from the camera with a view out to sea with the St Andrews Changing Places toilet to his right.
Anita and Quinns smile into a mirror in the Changing Places toilet in St Andrews.

In St Andrews the new Changing Place toilet is right next to the beach and not far from the town centre so it was ideal for a spot of lunch followed by an afternoon on the sand with the help of a beach wheelchair.

Quinns and Anita smile for the camera in the Changing Places toilet at The Helix. There is a photograph of the Kelpies on the wall behind them.

It was great to have an opportunity to check out the new Changing Place at The Helix: Home of the Kelpies as it’s so close to home and I know there’s been a big campaign to get it there!

Quinns smiles in the Changing Place toilet in the education centre in Lochore Meadows Country Park.

Lochore Meadows Country park is the accessible park of dreams with so much for Quinns to do we didn’t get it all done! The café next to the park and the Changing Place toilet in the nearby outdoor education centre makes it possible to stay all day.

Dark blue toilet door with the words Changing Places toilet in bold yellow writing in the centre.
Quinns smiles inside the Changing Places toilet in the Dundee Science Centre.

We had a choice of two Changing Places in Dundee City Centre, at the Dundee Science Centre or at the V&A. Since we tried out the one in the V&A a couple of years back we decided to give the one in the Science Centre a go this time.

It’s disappointing that neither the Scottish Deer Centre nor the Falkirk Wheel had Changing Place toilet facilities when both attractions have ample space for them. Luckily the Deer Centre was just a short distance from our holiday accommodation, and we combined our Falkirk Wheel visit with a trip to the Kelpies so it all worked out for us but it could have been a very different story.

The art of travel

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Quinns has absolutely loved taking part in Your Art World, an art project, at the National Gallery in Edinburgh over the last few months. As well as exploring the gallery he has used various techniques to explore artistic techniques and as a result produced some interesting artworks.

He has taken part in so many ways; cutting strips of gold foil, pressing down on paper for prints, holding onto stretchy material, choosing colours for ink and paint, rolling over paint in his wheelchair, decorating the walls etc. It is a challenge to find activities that Quinns can be fully involved in, and this has been a wonderful opportunity where he has been truly valued. Thanks to PAMIS for the opportunity and the lovely artists who have helped him explore the materials and techniques.

Quinns hand holds a blue brush. An adult's hand help guide him to press the brush into clay to make a stamp for printing.
Quinns smiles as his Big Sister pushes his wheelchair over a closed bag of red and yellow paint. There are strips of paper on the wall behind them.
Quinns has his back to the camera. His arm stretches out to stick down strips of gold foil.
Quinns smiles up at the camera. In front of him there is a painting made from dipping wool in paint and pressing it onto paper.

Edinburgh is an hour away. There are  always complex logistics involved with travelling far from home with Quinns. The main things to sort out are how to get there and how we care for him while we are away. I feel reasonably happy visiting the centre of Edinburgh because there are several Changing Places we can use; Waverley Station, Wetherspoons, St James Centre. There is also a facility in the Gallery itself which although it doesn’t quite make the specification for a full Changing Place is fine for us.

Quinns smiles in the centre of a narrow Changing Places facility with ceiling track hoist, adjustable height changing bed, toilet and screen.

We all know Quinns loves the train so travelling that way is a good option for a fun day out in central Edinburgh. For three out of the four sessions our train travel went smoothly. However, the day there was a bus replacement for a tiny fraction of the journey it went spectacularly wrong.

A normally 4-minute train journey took one hour! Even although we arrived in ample time for our train, as a result of inaccessible replacement buses and having to wait for a replacement taxi, we missed two trains and ended up in Edinburgh an hour later than planned. Sadly, it was the same on the return journey. What should have been a total of two hours travel there and back took us four hours!

I trusted the Scotrail app when it said the replacement buses and coaches were all accessible. Generally we have experienced good service on the trains and have also travelled by bus and coach with Quinns, so I had little reason to doubt it. We didn’t set out that day entirely naively so we made it to the art gallery on time but only because we had left a large enough margin of error.

It may have all worked out but we arrived home that day thoroughly exhausted and in shock at how badly the service had failed us. I have, of course, written to Scotrail detailing what happened in order to highlight the issues we faced. The response was an apology and assurances that the issues we flagged have been noted. The third party bus service have also been notified of their failures. All we can do now is hope that changes are made and next time we try we don’t receive such a disappointing service.

It is easy to highlight the good things that happen to Quinns without really sharing the difficulties. He has had some amazing opportunities recently which are good to share but none of them come without challenges. For every photo of Quinns smiling there is usually also a story to share about how he got to that point.

Quinns smiles from the wheelchair space on a train.
Quinns looks out from the gallery window at the trains coming out from Waverley Station in Edinburgh.

Riverside Transport Museum

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Since it’s a bit tricky getting out and about at the moment we save big trips for special occasions. Our latest day out took us to the Riverside transport Museum in Glasgow. It was possible to spend the entire day there because it had a Changing Places toilet. 

Changing Places toilet door and Quinns and his Big Sister smiling inside the Changing Places toilet. I can be seen taking the photo in the mirror.

Quinns loved seeing the huge selection of vehicles. He pointed out the plane on the ceiling and watched the boats going around for a good long while. A highlight was the lifts that took him to the platforms to see the insides of the trains up close. I’m not entirely sure what he preferred; seeing inside the trains or just being in the lift! 

Quinns is very excited going up in the glass lift and then looking at the inside of a steam train.

Unfortunately when we tried to access the Tall Ship we were told the lift was out of order. We could have got Quinns onto the upper deck but given the rain we decided to give it a miss. There was plenty inside the museum to see, including a few new rooms we hadn’t seen before.

All in all it was a great day out!