Here’s What You Need to Know if You Have a Disability and Want to Have an Amazing Holiday in the UK

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has changed and restricted our lives in so many different ways, and, subsequently, our ability to travel has never been as challenged as it is now. However, with summer just around the corner, it’s high time we re-discover the UK as a perfect disabled holidays destination.

The pandemic issue

Before even thinking about disabled holidays in the UK, we must speak about the big pink elephant in the living room – COVID-19 restrictions. Whether you’re a British Isles native, or you’re planning to visit from abroad, some specific rules will apply. Of course, as the pandemic situation develops, most of the rules will change accordingly. Therefore, this part of our little travel guide will be just an intro. For detailed information and the most recent updates on COVID-19 situation, restrictions and rules in the UK, please visit and regularly check the UK government’s COVID-19 webpage.

If you’re a British Isles native, your holiday plans in the UK shouldn’t be particularly affected by restrictions, but you should keep in mind that across the different parts of the UK, there may be rules in place that restrict travel. You should check the restrictions in place where you intend to travel to and from before making arrangements, so plan ahead. Also, you must not share a private vehicle in groups larger than 6 people, except when everyone present is from no more than 2 households. This applies to overnight stays in holiday accomodation, too.

On the other hand, if you’re visiting from abroad, your holiday plans in the UK will depend on quite a few rules, and this will hinge on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrived in the UK, as well as the country you’re travelling from. Countries and territories are listed as either red, amber or green. The rules for testing and quarantine when you arrive in England are different for each list. The rules change in response to the situation, and the list is updated regularly, so make sure to consult the UK government’s Red, amber and green list rules for entering England before making arrangements.

One important thing to note here is that – having a disability or not – the rules and restrictions should not affect the accessibility of your holiday in the UK.

Now that we got the COVID-19 elephant out of the way, we can properly talk about disability holidays in the UK.

What’s on offer

As all living in the UK know, and most others have at least seen on TV, the weather on the islands tends to be a little, well, interesting. But even if you don’t find that as a part of the country’s charm, no one can deny that the UK is a truly fascinating and deeply colorful place. Not only is it rich in history and famous for its medieval castles and ruins, it also offers some of the most stunning vistas in the world. Whether you’re a native re-discovering the beauty of your home or you’ve finally decided to visit from overseas, here you’ll find breathtaking countryside, awesome coastlines and vivacious cities, among other things.

When it comes to UK disabled holidays, there’s a huge choice of accessible accommodation options, as well as activities tailored to suit the needs of tourists with disabilities, from accessible city breaks and disabled cottage holidays to accessible hiking and sightseeing routes.

Sadly, but gladly, our guide can never be big enough to cover all of the accessible holiday options in the UK for the people with disabilities, not by a long shot, but we will mention some of them and point you in the right direction.

Where to go, what to see and do

While we expect modern attractions to be accessible – and rightly so – you might find it quite surprising that a lot of the historic attractions in the UK are also accessible, including the famous Stonehenge and Tower Bridge, among many others. We’ll mention some of them just to whet your appetite, but you can discover more online.

• Stonehenge
• Titanic Belfast
• National Railway Museum
• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
• Hyde Park
• Royal Yacht Britannia
• St Paul’s Cathedral
• V&A
• Royal Albert Dock Liverpool
• Tower Bridge
• Warwick Castle
• Alton Towers

With a stunning coastline and pathways cutting through beautiful rural landscapes, the UK is full of great outdoor options for people with disabilities, too. Again, we’ll mention a few accessible trails across the UK, and more can easily be found online.

• Tarka Trail
• Millennium Coastal Park
• Dunwich Heath Coastal Centre
• Haldon Forest Park
• Glenmore Forest Park
• Brecon Canal Walk
• Rutland Water
• Walls Drive Trail
• Flanders Moss
• Symonds Yat Rock
• Camel Trail
• Silent Valley Nature Trail

Of course, the UK offers much more than just landmarks to see and trails to explore. For example, an escorted coach holiday is one of the most convenient ways to enjoy an accessible holiday in the UK – you don’t need to worry about researching suitable transport, hotels or attractions, because that’s already taken care of. 

We hope we’ve given you a nudge in the right direction, and enough information so that you can start planning your next, or first, disabled holidays in the UK. Further information about travelling is available on Passionate People blog, so be sure to check it out.