Last week I got to spend a relaxing few days amongst the Glenshee Mountains in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland. It was my boyfriend’s 30th birthday, so we thought it would be a nice way to celebrate at Glenbeag Mountain Lodges.
Originally we had the idea of booking a city break in Berlin for his birthday. It got too pricey because we left it to the last minute and we couldn’t justify spending that much money on it. Booking so last minute also worries me a little as I prefer to do lots of research into wheelchair accessibility, transport and making sure we have suitable seats on the plane. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Berlin so its definitely on our travel wish-list (once I do a bit more research).
Before we could set off on our getaway we had to make a pit-stop at the hospital where I had managed to grab a cancellation at the wheelchair clinic. I was getting my new wheelchair cushion fitted after a few long and painful months of having a sore bum. My old cushion had well and truly past it, so I was happy to get the new one in time for going away.
We headed home after my appointment to finish getting ready. I had planned for my Mum and nephew to be waiting at home to surprise my boyfriend with a birthday cake, balloons and presents. He wasn’t expecting it at all, but loved it!
The log cabin was lovely and cosy. It even had grass and plants on the roof. How cool is that?
It was described as having a category 2 rating, which means it is more suited for assisted wheelchair access. I knew this before booking the log cabin, so I was aware it wouldn’t be completely accessible for me and that I’d have some issues with certain things. I wasn’t worried too much as we always find a way around things. The main issue I had was with the bathrooms. There was a small en-suite bathroom which I couldn’t get into with my wheelchair. The second bathroom was bigger with a corner jacuzzi bath which took up a lot of space meaning I couldn’t get near the sink. I found a way around this problem by brushing my teeth and washing my face in a basin at the dining table. Not great, but it worked at the time.
I didn’t have any problems driving my wheelchair around the rest of the cabin and there was a wooden ramp outside on the deck.
Having Muscular Dystrophy means the muscles in my limbs are weak and will gradually keep on weakening. I can’t walk anymore and simple tasks like moving my arms to touch my face is difficult. So we love going to log cabins that have hot tubs as it relaxes my muscles and allows me to move my legs and arms with less difficulty. It is a strange feeling being able to do this, but it’s great. We especially loved the hot tub at this log cabin due to the amazing views and wildlife around us. We even got to watch Swallow chicks being fed by their parents as their rest was on the cabin. Well, we aren’t very clued up on types of birds, so please feel free to let me know if they aren’t Swallows.
It was a great few days of relaxation in the beautiful Cairngorms. We both loved it so much that we are already looking to book up again soon. Overall I think it was good for wheelchair accessibility. I think it might be a little tricky if you need to take a portable hoist or large pieces of equipment as there isn’t a lot of space in the bedrooms or bathrooms. Apart from lack of space in these rooms, I didn’t have any issues with accessibility.
Our trip away has given us our travelling spark back again after a bad experience travelling back from New York last December. You can read about our New York trip here.
I’m looking forward to our next adventure, big or small….
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