Mobility-Friendly Walks Near Lichfield
PR Sample – I received the coat and hat you see me wearing in this post for consideration on my blog from Lighthouse.
One thing I’ve found since getting a wheelchair is, a lot of places aren’t accessible, this of course is to both people who have mobility issues and use a walking aid, and those using chairs. As such I’ve come up with a few places near Lichfield which do offer a mobility-friendly area at least in parts.
The National Memorial Arboretum
The National Memorial Arboretum is located in the village of Alrewas, just up the A38 from Lichfield. This beautiful area is home to over 400 memorials, which offer the chance for you to learn and explore.
What’s more, right now they are looking to create a new living memorial alongside The National Forest which will see 25 acres dedicated to recognising those who we lost during the pandemic, alongside celebrating the bravery of the key workers.
As a mobility-friendly location, they have built a network of paths through the arboretum. However, it is worth noting that some memorials are harder to reach than others, with some being in grassed areas.
They also have a limited number of mobility scooters and wheelchairs for hire. If you have a dog, they are also allowed to come and visit as well.
To find out more about The National Memorial Arboretum and its accessibility do visit its website.
The Wolseley Centre
Somewhere close to my heart is The Wolseley Centre, in my early 20s I spent a lot of time here working as a Youth Ranger and helping with children’s activities. Since then, however, it has had a huge revamp and become a lot more mobility friendly.
It is located on the A51 near Rugeley and is a peaceful, tranquil place that you can just explore and unwind through.
They have created a network of pathways through the centre which has been made to work for both wheelchairs and pushchairs. While they also offer a mobility scooter onsite which is free of use to guests and a map is available showing the main, flat footpath.
There is a cafe available and dogs are welcome on a lead. To find out more about both the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and The Wolseley Centre, please visit their website.
Fradley Junction
I mentioned the Laughing Duck in my post on 5 Places to Eat Near Lichfield, so I had to include the area in this post. The Fradley Pool Nature Reserve and canal, where Coventry Canal joins the Trent & Mersey Canal are perhaps a bit more of a road than others I have mentioned. However, the pathways are pretty flat and can be taken in my chair at least.
When it comes to the canal some of the towpaths near Fradley Junction were resurfaced during 2022, which now makes them more accessible to those with mobility issues.
Personally, I find it rather peaceful to spend some time down by the canal and in the warmer months you never know what canal traders you might come across. I’ve learned that the waterways of the UK are filled with all manner of talented people.
The Heart of England Way
Offering 100 miles of walking between Milford and Bourton on the Water there are bound to be parts of the Heart of England Way that are mobility friendly, including much of the part that passes through Lichfield.
Running through the centre of the city, it goes past locations such as Erasmus Darwin’s House and the Cathedral and Close. While the official walk suggests going up Beacon Street, I would be tempted to take a detour and explore Beacon Park.
This green area of Lichfield offers 70 acres of garden and parkland. Inside which you will find the statues of King Edward VII, Captain Smith of the Titanic and Erasmus Darwin, while the Martyrs’ Plaque can be found in the Herbaceous Garden. There is also a cafe and accessible toilets within Beacon Park.
Wherever you choose to explore, it is worth looking up examples of the land in the area if it is new to you, so you are sure you can traverse the area safely. What’s more, you are going to want to make sure you wear suitable clothing from a store such as Lighthouse, especially in these colder, wetter months.
I would love to know where you are looking to explore this year, especially if it is mobility friendly.
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The National Memorial Arboretum is definately worth a visit if those pictures do it justice! Absolutely stunning.
They really don’t I have a couple of posts on the National Memorial Arboretum now but it is definitely somewhere you have to visit yourself.
Looks a lovely route, great to have walks that cater for every need, some beautiful scenery.
Definitely – so many places are just not accessible when you have mobility issues.
It is great it is easy for you to get out and about and mobile, I love the fact there were mobility scooters for hire. We have nothing like that around where I live.
Definitely, you know a place has really thought about it when you can hire a wheelchair or scooter.
This is such a lovely and scenic route catering to everybody
Definitely, there’s some really lovely places to explore.
It’s so important to have routes that cater to everyone – great post!
Definitely, I think it can be really hard to know where to go when you have limited mobility as well.
Never actually been around this area – so much to explore and see
I hope if you ever get to visit you have a lovely time exploring.
I came across how the world was limited to some people when my daughter had twins and there were so few places the double buggy could access. Even supposed access friendly sites. So I can empathise with your frustrations when you can’t get to say a particular memorial
It is really hard, there are so many places which just aren’t accessible to people who are disabled, it’s like a whole 90% of the world gets shut off from you.
Really useful and certainly promoting Lichfield, I never knew that there was so much to see and do
There is some really lovely things to do and see around the area when you look which is nice.
I think I am quite lucky to be in London to witness a lot of places accessible for wheelchair users and people with mobility problems. I’m so glad there are at least some places that are accessible for you to explore.
The memorial you shared is beautiful. We used to live right next to a graveyard and I used to love the sun rising behind the really old trees and listening to the birds among the trees. It looks like a nice place to reflect on life, way from the hustle and bustle of life.
And thank you for sharing the photo of your canal. Reminds of my hometown. It’s so tranquil there, contained in it’s own little path so you’re taken away from everything else. I do love UK’s canals.
It often amazes me how mobility-unfriendly some places are, but I think a lot of people just don’t think / look at things that way until they are in a position where it is part of their everyday life.
The arboretum is incredible, I love that they are making something around those who were lost to covid. As that is such a pivotal moment in modern history.
I love spending some time down by the canal, you never quite know who you might meet while you wander the pathways.
The national memorial looks so beautiful, there are so many places to explore in the UK.
It is amazing how many places to go and visit there are across the UK, so much to do and see.
These sound great, it must be quite difficult to find places such as this
It really can be hard to find places you can explore, and even when places do offer a mobility friendly area it can be quite limited.
my wheelchair is the same as yours! they are brilliant and easily fold into a car boot too!
It’s so much easier to get around in – Ash can lift it in and out of the car as well, so that really helps it’s meant I’ve been able to explore places I wouldn’t have been able to go without it.