A Scottish mountain peak has been declared accessible to wheelchair users, providing a major boost to the outdoor aspirations of disabled travellers.
The mountain in question is Schiehallion in Perthshire, and despite rising to 3,547 feet, qualifying it as one of Scotland’s Munros (Scottish mountains that are over 3,000 feet high), it has paths that can be used by wheelchair users all the way to its peak, from the Braes of Foss car park.
The FieldFare Trust, an organisation that seeks to improve access to the countryside for travellers that are disabled, has endorsed the mountain’s wheelchair friendly status. Fieldfare has confirmed the accessibility of the first third of the track, and is of the opinion that the summit is also accessible, but that individual wheelchair users should make up their own minds if they are prepared to tackle the climb.
The mountain is the first Munro to be deemed accessible to wheelchair users, and Sandy Mitchell of the John Muir Trust, which is responsible for Schiehallion, was quoted in the Daily Mail, saying, ‘Obviously there is a section of society that can be excluded from this type of activity. We have done work to make the paths as accessible as possible and would hope that parts of Schiehallion would become more accessible by people with disabilities.’
The FieldFare Trust director, Andrew Johnson, told the Independent, ‘It’s a positive move because it means that even the most rugged landscapes can provide some accessibility for people of all abilities.’
More details of country destinations that are accessible to wheelchair users can be found on FieldFare’s phototrails website.
