JOAN SCALES answers your questions
I’m looking for wheelchair-friendly spots in England
Q I am a 38-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair and would like to go on holiday in southeast England. I will be travelling in August with a friend, so we could hire a car. We could also go by ferry with my adapted car, which both of us can drive. Too often in the past I have been misled about destinations' accessibility, so I would welcome suggestions. I would like a "normal" holiday, as I travelled extensively in pre-wheelchair days.EF, Limerick
This trip is going to take a little planning to make sure you have a good holiday. Accessibility is usually well thought out in England, but you will have to check in advance with accommodation providers and places of interest for specific facilities.
First, weigh up the costs of taking your car or hiring one when you get there. You can hire cars with Lynx hand controls from Europcar (www.europcar.com) and Kendall’s (www.kendallcars. com, 00-44-1483-574434). Expect to pay about €400 for the two weeks. If you take your own car you’ll be able to explore more of Wales and England en route; the ferry will cost about €250-€300 return.
Try www.visitsoutheast england.com for wheelchair- accessible hotels, guest houses and self-catering properties. Use the advanced-search option to find them.
Southeast England has many places worth visiting. It includes the counties of East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent and the Isle of Wight. The website above will also direct you to some of the best places to see, such as Hever, Dover and Leeds castles, the cathedrals of Canterbury and Winchester, the literary links of Jane Austen and Kenneth Grahame, the New Forest, National Trust gardens and historic houses.
Brighton is a vibrant city with a range of cultural activities and lovely restaurants typical of a traditional British seaside town. You could base yourself here and travel around for sightseeing.
Q I'm 18 and my brother is nearly 16. I'm in a wheelchair and he's very keen on all water sports. Can you suggest a family holiday somewhere fairly sunny? We would like to fly from Cork. Last year we flew to Carcassonne, in France, but the house our family rented (for wheelchair use) was isolated and we had no company. The previous year, near Valencia, in Spain, was similar, as we were the only ones under 50. I like the promenades in Spain, as I can drive independently to the shops and restaurants. Maybe Marbella would fit the bill, but I can't find an apartment.SM, Cork
The promenades in Spain are great; a lot of work has gone into improving them in recent years. Marbella is a possible destination; the promenade runs for a couple of kilometres and is lively. There is access to water sports for your brother.
The old town in Marbella may be a bit more difficult, as the pavements are cobbled and some streets run uphill. Puerto Banús is also fun, and mostly flat.
My first suggestion is to contact tour operators with package holidays from Cork to a variety of sun-holiday destinations. They can tell you which accommodation is wheelchair-friendly. Also, package holidays during the summer usually have lots of other teenagers, for company.
The helplines are: Falcon Holidays/JWT 1850-946164, Budget Travel 01-6311075, Sunway 01-2311888, Panorama 0818-200300 and Sunworld 01-8814333.
You may also find it helpful to visit some travel agents in Cork to talk about specific properties. Staff will be familiar with the packages they sell.
As for self-catering accommodation on the Costa del Sol, see holiday-rentals.com; there is a search option in the left-hand column for wheelchair-accessible properties. I have seen quite a few places that may be suitable for you and your family. Many are apartments, either on garden level or with lifts. You would have to liaise with the owners about specific facilities.
There is a hotel in Torremolinas that caters solely for people with disabilities. It is a small hotel with a pool, and they arrange collection from the airport and outings to various places. They also have a self-catering apartment. See www.montanasol.com.
The website for Andalusia has a section for wheelchair- friendly accommodation, mostly hotels. You can check it out on www.andalucia.com; search wheelchair, and the list will come up.
Q Four friends and I are heading to Montpellier, in France, in the hope of finding jobs so we can stay there from the start of June until the end of August. We're looking for reasonably priced accommodation – preferably an apartment – near a beach.ED, Cork
As your stay in Montpellier will depend on your getting work, it would be best to begin your stay in a holiday apartment, a hostel or university rooms before committing to longer-stay accommodation. Résidence Consul de Mer offers serviced apartments in the city for about €70 per night. Book on www.eurogroup-holidays. com. You can book for hostels on www.hostelworld.com; for university residences call 00-33-4-67415040.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com