Accessible guide to west Wales

Make a splash into the exhilarating sport of coasteering and discover rocks, water caves and sea jumps, while exploring the coast from a fresh perspective. Celtic Quest Coasteering has kit with extra ‘float’, so beginners and those who are not strong swimmers can also get involved. Offering experiences to all, guides will help to find your safe space and push your limits on the cliffs if you so wish.

Feel the breeze in your hair and salt water against your skin as you ride the waves in Swansea. Located at the Caswell Bay Beach, Surfability UK provide adapted and inclusive surfing lessons all year round to anyone who wants to try. Choose the right surf style for you, with single or tandem, seated tandem or prone surfing – which includes handles on the board for surfers who are unable to stand or kneel but want to surf as independently as possible. Whichever option works best for you, the experienced staff will be there to help. If the winter chill is a bit too much, book indoor skateboarding lessons instead.

Get your adrenaline pumping as you shoot down the slopes with Ski4All at Pembrey Country Park. Led by specialist neurological physiotherapists and trained instructors, lessons are adapted to enable as many people as possible to enjoy skiing. Facilities include adaptive sit-skis, wheelchair hoists, ski pilots and more. Based at the Ski & Activity Centre, which has a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor, adapted skiing lessons can help improve physical ability, balance, coordination, confidence and, importantly, self-esteem. 

Enjoy the paved pathways that cut through the lush green surroundings of the Pembrey Country Park, the perfect location for everyone to enjoy cycling in a safe environment. Run by the charity Cycling 4 All, choose from a selection of specialist bikes, including trikes, hand-cycles, wheelchair bikes, two-seater and four-seater bikes. All ages and abilities can set off for a fun day in the saddle.

Hire a beach wheelchair for free, with a £5 deposit, and chase the waves with eight miles of sand at Cefn Sidan beach in Pembrey Country Park. Access is best through the main entrance by the beach kiosk. While in the park, enjoy a spot of Adventure Golf. Accessible for wheelchair users, the golf course can be accessed via a ramp and includes coloured pathways which contrast with nearby grass surfaces. There are adaptive clubs and extended ball grabbers available as well.

The 870-mile (1,400km) Wales Coast Path route travels past tranquil scenery, cliffs and castles. West Wales has three notable inclusive sections: the four mile (6.5 km) Millennium Coastal Path, St Govan’s Head route at just over a mile (1.8km), and the seven-mile (11km) Swansea Bay to Mumbles Pier section. Amanda Harris has insider tips on navigating the Wales Coast Path by trike and wheelchair. Following a life-changing spinal cord injury several years ago, Amanda vowed to follow her dream of completing as much of the Wales Coast Path as possible. A favourite section so far is St Govan’s Head in Pembrokeshire. Amanda notes, “The scenery is spectacular and it allowed me to really experience the full wild and rugged nature of the Welsh coastline.”

Embrace the sea air and golden sands of accessible beaches in West Wales. Poppit Sands in Pembrokeshire has beach wheelchairs available for hire with a concrete ramp. Whitesands Beach, St Davids, is accessible via a slipway and is one of Pembrokeshire’s most popular beaches, offering views of way-out Ramsey Island. Tenby Castle Beach has accessible toilets and beach wheelchairs to hire. Also check out Tenby North beach next to Tenby town. There’s a concrete ramp to the beach, beach wheelchairs to hire and accessible toilets. For a wheelchair accessible promenade, visit Langland Bay Beach and take a snap of its picturesque beach huts.

With walks for all, accessible beaches and easy access viewpoints looking across the scenic Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, time here is time well spent. With nine easy access walks to choose from – including Newport Town and Estuary, St Govan’s Head, St Davids Airfield and more – the surfaced paths have few gradients, leaving you free to take in the scenery en route. Mobility scooters are available to hire at Carew Castle, Oriel y Parc Gallery and visitor centres in St Davids and Castell Henllys Iron Age Village. They are free to use but donations are welcome.  

Designed to be accessible to all visitors, the National Botanic Garden of Wales offers a vast array of formal gardens, bursting with bright florals. There’s a buggy shuttle that can take guests around this 400-acre site via wildlife meadows, woodlands waterfalls and cascades. It’s sustainable, too, relying on honeybees and wild pollinators to keep the crops going. The sensory garden is packed with colour, texture, and smell. There is a Changing Places facility and assistance dogs are welcome.

The Llanelli Wetland Centre is a wildlife haven and idyllic escape. From flamingos to kingfishers, see how many creatures you can spot in this 450-acre mosaic of lakes, reedbeds, woods, pools and lagoons – the perfect place to unwind. Designed with the intention to get as many people as close to nature as possible, the centre is inclusive with wide accessible paths and step-free hides to help discover your feathered friends. There’s accessible parking close to the centre, accessible toilets, assistance dogs are welcome and you have the opportunity to hire a mobility scooter.

Surrounded by 60 acres of woodland gardens, Picton Castle was transformed from a medieval castle in the 18th century to a stately home. There is accessible parking on site and you can book a castle tour which is accessible to wheelchair users. After, head outdoors to the gardens, most of which are accessible. There are accessible toilets and wheelchairs to borrow free of charge. Head over to the Welsh Owl Garden as well to spy over 25 different types of owls and birds.

Towering over Britain’s smallest city is the mighty St Davids Cathedral. There’s been a church here since the 6th century and it’s where many important figures from Welsh history have their tombs. If you’re accessing the cathedral from St Davids city centre there are steep slopes to navigate, so it’s advised to call the cathedral to see if they have any parking on-site or be dropped off at the Cathedral’s South Porch. There is a wheelchair available for visitor use, an on-site accessible toilet and a hearing loop system in the Nave and Quire.  

Built in the 12th century, this water-powered flour mill has a new lease of life as Gower Heritage Centre (scroll to the bottom for Access for All). Discover the history of this rural region and don’t miss its packed events calendar, with everything from bluegrass music to cheese and cider festivals. Some 95% of the centre is wheelchair-accessible and there are two wheelchairs on-site to borrow. There is accessible parking and visitors can also be dropped off outside the front entrance if needed. 

Overlooking sea-breezy Saundersfoot is the St Brides Spa Hotel, a luxurious seaside retreat. The spa has a chairlift to all levels and accessible toilet and changing facilities on the ground floor. Fancy a treatment? The treatment couches are all fully adjustable, so you can enjoy a dreamy massage. There is access to the Thermal Suite, but the pool can only be accessed via gradual steps with a handrail. Why not make a break of it? Book the hotel’s accessible bedroom and enjoy a meal at the Cliff Restaurant and Gallery Bar.

Swansea’s flagship art gallery, Glynn Vivian, showcases the talents of both local artists and those from further afield. Whether you’re into paintings, photography or sculpture, you’ll have your creative appetite satisfied. Accessible parking is available and all galleries are wheelchair-friendly. You can book a guide to accompany your visit by calling the gallery in advance. While the gallery does not have wheelchairs for hire, you can hire mobility aids from Swansea Mobility Hire, located at Swansea Bus Station.