London Itinerary (Mom in wheelchair) -- Pls Critique First Draft
 

Hello All,

Thanks again for all the wonderful suggestions! I've been busy plotting out where to go and what to do given my Mom's wheelchair limitations. Thanks JanisJ. I did see that thread and found myself a Tesco Express, which I'm sure I will visit for snacks, etc. We'll eat away from the Mint, that's for sure. Kindly comment on the first draft of my itinerary (my Mom doesn't really care for museums or art so if there's ONE place like that we just can't miss please advise so I can add to the list below - British Museum?):

Day 1 arrive at 12:05pm and rest.

Day 2 (Wednesday, September 7th)
+ Westminster Abbey (morning)
Walk past the following:
+ Houses of Parliament
+ Big Ben
+ 10 Downing Street
+ Trafalgar Square

Then do:
+ London Eye

Day 3 (Thursday, September 8th)
+ Changing of the Guard at 11:30am - how early should we
get there to have a chance at seeing it pretty closely?
+ Buckingham Palace at 2:45pm - already bought my tix and
reserved our spaces. They were so great about
accommodating my Mom. I get in free just because I'm her
caretaker. Imagine that?

* Can you recommend a low-key place for lunch around
Buckingham. Nothing too unreasonable?

Day 4 (Friday, September 9th)
+ Tower of London – Jewel House only (in the morning)
+ Buy 1/2 price tix at Leicester at Tkts and go to matinee
or evening show

Day 5 (Saturday, September 10th)
+ St. Paul’s Cathedral
+ Not sure where else to go, is Covent Garden to far or
too busy?

Day 6 (Sunday, September 11th)
+ Explore one of the parks (Hyde, Kensington, or St.
James)
+ High tea somewhere we don't have to dress up
(Orangerie?)

Day 7 (Monday, September 12th)
+ Fly from Heathrow at 11:30am

Is this too much? Or too little? Should I do a boat cruise? If so, will we get seasick? Thanks for any comments you can give so I can re-tool. After I've nailed down the sights, I'll start asking for restaurant recommendations in each area...

Most gratefully,
Melissa

I'm trying to imagine doing this with my parents when my father was in a wheelchair, and it all seems very doable to me, provided you're confident about the issue of transport between A and B, and your mother's general stamina and enthusiasm is up to it.

On the whole, there are bus routes that will fit this plan. A couple of additional tips: for getting between Trafalgar Square and the London Eye, I <i>think</i> there is reasonably easy - if circuitous - access from the bus stop (routes 139 or176) on Waterloo Bridge down the riverside level, and you have a nice walk from there along the South Bank to the Eye. An alternative, if you're both up to it, is to cut through Charing Cross station, take the exit at the left-hand corner of the departure indicator bords - this takes you along an upper walkway out on to the wide pedestrian bridge (with splendid views) over to the South Bank, where there is a lift down to riverside level. However, there are a lot of cobbles in the entrance courtyard to Charing Cross station, and I'm not sure if there's a smooth pavement path into the entrance.

Likewise, I seem to remember rather a lot of cobbles in the Tower, but I would hope they would by now have thought out ways of ensuring level and smooth access for wheelchairs.

On Day 5, there are plenty of buses from St Paul's that will get you near Covent Garden in about 20 minutes. Be aware, though that areas of it are covered in cobbles too. Another option might be to walk across the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's to the South Bank: the pathways to the east become narrower the nearer you get to Borough Market, which will be very crowded on a Saturday afternoon, but you could get an exterior look at the Globe and then walk west a bit to enjoy some people watching, maybe dip into the Tate Modern entrance hall (it's free, and just the building is a sight), and on towards Waterloo for the booksellers, skateboarders and culture vultures (plenty of places to stop for refreshment en route). If you've time enough and energy, you could go through to Southwark St and take the RV1 bus straight to Covent Garden as well.

As for a sea-sickness on a boat cruise, how susceptible are you in general to motion sickness? You don't get much more than the occasional slight up-and-down going over other boat washes - to me, it's no more variable than any bus or car ride. There might be an issue as regards ease of access and comfort on some older boats, but the more modern boats run by City Cruises and the Thames Clipper river-buses (the latter don't have a commentary, by the way) are fine for wheelchairs. I'm not sure how convenient the piers are, but TfL has put a lot of money in to upgrade them so they should be accessible: but be aware that at low tide the access ramps will be a lot steeper than at high tide!

I should have added, Waterloo Pier by the London Eye is very accessible for wheelchairs.

Patrick's point about the South Bank is excellent. This isn't just the world's finest urban walk - but, though often crowded, it's the widest vehicle-free walking space in London. The problem with London's pavements ("sidewalks" in some colonial dialects) is that everyone's worried about being forced into the roadway, which is why they can often be stressful to wheelchair users and their pushers. You don't get that on the South Bank

Tate Modern, BTW, has overwhelmingly the most wheelchair-friendly entrance (use the side entrance to the West of the building of any major museum anywhere in the known universe. Gets tricky after the ground floor - but the ground floor's architecturally interesting.

Note that the Mall (the road from Traf Sq to Buckingham Palace) and Constitution Hill (from the Palace to Hyde Pk Corner) are vehicle-free on Sundays. Good opportunity to look at St James's Park, then as far into Hyde Park/Ken Gdns as you're comfortable with.

"* Can you recommend a low-key place for lunch around
Buckingham. Nothing too unreasonable?"

Buckingham is a town about 30 miles north-west of London. I assume you are looking for a restaurant near Buckingham Palace, which is in London itself.

Be careful about the contractions you use, or people will misunderstand you. If Buckingham is too long a word to pronounce comfortably, "Buck House" would be preferable, although it might sound an affectation coming from a tourist.

Looks fine www.eurocheapo.com London other great budget tips

might consider a visit to the world famous British Museum

free for me usually the Tate my fav if u and mom like art

Globe Theater for a vision of what old London used to be like

in the time of the Bard...

As for meals near the Palace, I'm the last person to ask for gustatory advice, but there is a café in St James's Park.
http://www.urbanpath.com/london/brit...n-the-park.htm

Otherwise you'd be looking for something along Victoria Street or in the back streets between there and the Palace.

About the Changing of the Guard - I don't know the answer to this, but I wonder if it would be less crowded/more accessible for the mounted guard at Horse Guards Parade?

We've done afternoon tea at the Wolseley several times and its lovely. Its by Green Park station so if you are done at Buckingham Palace and walk through Green Park (can someone remember if thats easy in a wheelchair...it may be hard sand, not paved...) then its right there. I would make reservations.

There are paved paths through Green Park; but it is slightly uphill to Piccadilly!

I've been to Changing of the Guard a few times, Horses Guard once. The issue with CoG is that you do need to get there quite early. Seeing the Guard march up to Buck House is one thing, but once they enter the gates and are in the front courtyard, doing their stomping of feet and barking commmands...unless you arrived at Buck really early, the people already at the fence will block your view. With a wheelchair you may get some better access. We once stood at the statue in front of Buck and it gave us a bit better view.
Oh, plan on standing for hour +.

Last trip I was doing a London Walk and they timed it so that you were at one of the boulevards as the Guard marched back to barracks, no crowds at all, good photo ops.

Horses Guard had almost no crowd.

Yes, true - it is uphill...good point...

A couple of years ago DW, SIL and I took my 81 year old MIL on a two week trip (London, Ireland, Cotswolds). She was disabled, but we had a portable electric scooter for her. This thing was fantastic, it weighed less than 50 lbs, folded up really small and could travel about 8 miles on its two battery packs. I added some hooks to the back of the seat so we used her as our "pack mule". You had to turn the speed all the way down just so we could keep up. We took her everywhere and it worked out great.

She died about a year ago and we gave the scooter away, but I think it was called an EZ Traveler. Planes loved it, due to how it folded up and was so light. Plus she could drive it literally right up to the plane door.

The only real problem we had was she was so busy looking around that sometimes she'd be a bit dangerous driving down the sidewalk and I must have said "I'm sorry" a million times.

:-)

dave

My post from your other thread:

>>janisj on Aug 26, 11 at 9:39am

just some random comments:

"<i>They were so great about accommodating my Mom. I get in free just because I'm her caretaker. Imagine that?</i>"

You will find that at some other for-pay sites. It is pretty common and is a wonderful help.

Sorry --but I'd really REALLY skip the Changing of the Guard. You will have to get there quite early to get a reasonable view.

"<i>Day 2 (Wednesday, September 7th)
+ Westminster Abbey (morning)
Walk past the following:
+ Houses of Parliament
+ Big Ben
+ 10 Downing Street
+ Trafalgar Square

Then do:
+ London Eye</i>"

Sort of out of order. The Eye is directly across the river from Parliament/Big Ben and close to the Abbey. Trafalgar Sq is in the opposite direction. (BTW -- There is absolutely NOTHING to see at 10 Downing St. Just a couple of cops and an Iron Fence.) So maybe start at Trafalgar Sq, then past Horseguards, into St James's Park to the Abbey, then across the street to Big Ben and across the river to the Eye.

Not sure about just doing the Jewel Tower. It is deep in the interior of the complex so it will be quite a walk to just see one bldg. And most of the route is cobble stones so VERY difficult w/ a chair. They do allow you free admission as a care giver - but it will not be an easy visit.

At St Paul's - again, you get in for free, but only one door is wheelchair accessible. It is on the south side(the side nearest the river)

Westminster Abbey is free admission for <B>BOTH</B> of you.<<

Here is a website from the Mayor of London's office with lots of detail as to accessibility in London including sights, transportation, eating, shopping, toilets, etc. It's pretty new as part of their work making the city more accessible for Royal Wedding, Olympics, etc.(Can't vouch for their accuracy though.)

OH -- BTW -- the "Jewel Tower" is a site near Westminster Abbey/Parliament. The place you are talking about is the Jewel House at the Tower of London.

Dear All,

Thank you SO MUCH for the tremendous suggestions! I've been busy absorbing it all and tweaking my itinerary accordingly. Fodorites are indeed, THE BEST!!!

Most gratefully,
Melissa

Since I made the suggestion above about using the walkway from Charing Cross to the South Bank, I've been past there, and there is of course a smooth pathway into Charing Cross station (but it is slightly uphill).

Hi, Melissa,
I wanted to give you this link to Sage Travel which has a great website for disabled persons traveling abroad, by city; here is London's:
http://www.sagetraveling.com/london-disabled-access
I was all over this site before our trip to Paris this June with MIL who can walk some but no great distance and absolutely needs wheelchair help in any museum. The site is maintained and written by disabled people who know what they're talking about - the advice really saved us!

I'm not sure why you want to go to the eye? I assume you won't go riding on it and it is visible from many other parts of London.

"<i>I'm not sure why you want to go to the eye? I assume you won't go riding on it </i>"

Why would you say that? The Eye is totally wheelchair accessible.

It would be one of the <u>very</u> best sites for someone w/ mobility issues IMO . . .