Brompton Lakes

Brompton Lakes - http://www.bromptonlakes.co.uk

In May 2008 we spent a week at Brompton Lakes in Yorkshire.  This was a great location just a short drive from the A1, the lodges and the park were lovely.

We were made very welcome, they were happy to receive Ben's supplies before our arrival, we took Ben's sleep system which we fitted to a single bed and he also used his bed for getting changed and dress on.

We had a great time touring the beautiful area and hope to go back in the future.

The Grooms Quarters

The Groom's Quarters - http://www.groomsquarters.co.uk

In June 2006 we stayed here for a week and enjoyed it so much we went back again in October 2006.

It is not an obvious choice for disabled visitors because the bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs but at the time Ben was only 3 and it was easy to carry him upstairs.  The master bedroom upstairs has a sofa, armchairs, TV and little balcony with lovely views so we used it as our day room just nipping downstairs for food and drink.

We were made very welcome and the owners were happy to receive deliveries of Ben's feeding supplies and oxygen before our arrival, also Tesco delivers!

Down a quiet country lane it was peaceful and relaxing but not far from main roads for getting out and touring the area.  Very near Alton Towers.

Euro Disney

Eurodisney Newport Bay Hotel - http://hotels.disneylandparis.co.uk/hotels/newport-bay-club/index.xhtml

We went to Eurodisney with Make a Wish Foundation in July 2007 for a long weekend.  We stayed in the Newport Bay Hotelwhere it was possible to have two adjoining rooms, one with a disabled bathroom (basically larger).  For Ben's wish he had a special meeting with Winnie the Pooh and the cast of the Pooh show.  This was a magical trip that I will never forget.

We flew with Flybe who were excellent once I had got through to their customer services department with a list of our requirements.  Ben was allowed to stay in his wheelchair up to the steps of the plane where we took responsibility for carrying him on, his wheelchair then met him again on the tarmac when he came out of the aircraft.

Our OT was able to lend us a Crelling Harness http://www.crelling.com to secure Ben in his seat on the plane.  The captain welcomed Ben on board over the loud speaker and the flight crew brought him and his sister a toy as a gift and were very willing to help.  Make a wish spoke to customer services at Paris airport who arranged for someone to meet us off the plane and guide us through the airport to where our Taxi was waiting to drive us to Eurodisney.  I think this was really essential help with a wheelchair and we were very glad it had been arranged.

I would advise anyone who was thinking of making the trip to ask for a hotel room near to the lifts but not on the main corridor right by them because there were lots excited children running up and down late into the night.  The hotel arranged for a kettle, fridge, socket adapters and a bed guard for our room so we could store Ben's milk and medicines, plug in his baby monitor and make him up cooled boiled water for his feeds.

I would also advise anyone wanting to see the Disney characters to go into the Town Hall to get information on when the characters will be around the park rather than just relying on the information leaflets.  We very much enjoyed a Character Breakfast, Princess lunch, the Wild West Show and of course Winnie.

I hope we go again sometime, if I did I think I would try to go out of peak season because I did spend quite a lot of time waiting at the reception desk for various reasons, which was busy.  The hotel did take delivery of our medical plastic and feeding supplies and confirmed their arrival before ours but when we arrived the syringes had gone missing despite being signed for!  They did arrange for a doctor to come out quickly and prescribe us some syringes which we had to pay for.

Ben's wheelchair would not fit on the Disney buses between the park and hotel but it was possible to arrange for a minibus with tie down facilities to come and pick us up, usually with a 15-30min wait.

Cairngorm Executive - Osprey House

Cairngorm Executive  - Osprey House -http://www.gael.net/cairngorm

Adrian and I went here on holiday in 2002.  I hope to get here with Ben one day as it has a downstairs bedroom and is a really beautiful location and house, more so than is aparent from it's website. Ben was named after the mountains we climbed when on holiday here.

Pictures of the village where we stayed