Gourock, Strathclyde

[Ulla]

We have been invited to Scotland to see old friends that moved back to near Largs a few years ago.  Mick (other half) is looking forward to 2 days on the golf course.  Nick and I are going as well and would like something to do other than stay in the hotel.  Don't really want to visit Glasgow this time as I would like a little longer there.

I have looked at Largs online and the Marina looks lovely.  There is something going on during our stay the 21st to the 24th of September but I can't remember exactly what it was.  Something to do with boats 

Our friends live just outside Largs but the nearest hotel we could book into was further up the coast in Gaurock.  We are staying at the Ramada.  They have assured us that they have 2 interconnecting rooms and 1 of the rooms is suitable for a wheelchair user.

As Nicks skin has improved beyond anybodys expectations we are going to see what 3 nights on an ordinary mattress will do to him.  We will turn him every 4 hours during the night.  He has slept in an ordinary bed only for 1 night, when he got stuck in London.  Nick sleeps on an electric mattress at home but is dying to start visiting his friends again and they all live further afield.  I also know we can get an electric overlay mattress if we need one.

What else would be suitable and accessible for us to do?  Is Loch Ness accessible as I belive it is quite near?

Ulla xxx

[Gary Anderson]

NO WAY IS LOCH NESS CLOSE TO GOUROCK!!!

Gourock is on the Clyde and Loch Ness is in Inverness. I think your friends may mean Loch Lomond.

[Gary Anderson]

Ulla

See the 2 pics below one showing Gourock and the other Loch Ness. I am afraid they are miles apart. Unless your friends know something about the area that I dont. Without an aeroplane you would not get there very quickly. Whoever told you that must have a very quick means of transport. Unless you drive at 100mph without obeying speed limits it will take you 4-5 hours to reach Inverness from Gourock.

As regards accessible things to do. I am afraid the area of Greenock and Gourock are not known for their tourist attractions - Largs is a popular holiday town but there is not much going on around it. For tourist attractions you have to go further afield.

[Ulla]

Sorry I ment Loch Lomond!!!!  Shows my lack of sleep!

Thank you for pointing that out for me for me Gary.

Ulla

[Andy]

you might like to consider investing in a pressure relief mattess like these, very portable, inflatable, we use similar on skiing trips with great results

http://www.reposedirect.com/

not sure of prices etc but a great investment for trips

Andy

[Ulla]

Thanks a lot Andy

I will show it to Nick when I get home. I'm leaving Spain early tomorrow morning.

The wedge looks very good as well.  We use pillows at the moment and of course lose the effectiveness of the electric mattress.

Ulla xxx

[Ulla]

We all had a lovely short break in Scotland and none of us really wanted to come back home.
Nick managed really well without his electric mattress and was so pleased that he had a double bed to move around in.
We were not given the rooms we had booked but managed all the same.  Nicks room was across the hall from us.  We have also realised that a disabled room only ment an accessible bathroom not anything else in the room.  Light switches too high, not enough room to wheel between bottom of the bed and tv unit to get to the window.  To get to the room Nick had to go outside and around the whole building as there were steps up to the bedrooms on the ground floor.
Apart from that we enjoyed our stay and would go back as the hotel staff were so friendly and eager to help.
Largs was very good for wheelchairs especially on the beach promenade that stretched for miles and the weather was perfect. 
I will post some pictures when I have resized them.
Love,  Ulla x

[wheels5894]

Glad you had a good time, but I am surprised at the lack of accessibility aprt from the bathroom. We use Express by Holiday Inns when travelling and all the buildings are accessible, (by lift for upper floors) and there is no problem with hight light switches. One needs muscles to open the doors, but someone else can do that small bit.

Add to that the free breakfast as well as these are about the best places to stay around the UK and possibly abroad too though I would have to check that! 

[beeboi]

I'm new to this forum but its good to see constructive holiday complaints which hopefully could make designers of hotels sit up and take notice of the things which really matter. I myself am not in a wheelchair but following my recent spinal injury I am fully sympathetic of those who are.

Lower light switches is something I never thought of but I can see how would make a massive difference to such people! Keep up the good work guys...

[cate]

Ulla, When I ca\red for my mother in law who had MS, she had a ripple bed, which sounds as if it  would be helpful,  I mean mattress,  it run on  air thru some sort of elelctric  generator,  which was very small and easily transportable, sure they have improved on them now days, as this was about 20 years ago,  It certainly helped her, and I did not  need to turn her during the night.  most of the time  .
Cate