The UK countryside is opening up, but is it truly accessible for disabled people? From new walking routes to ongoing barriers, here’s what’s changing in 2026.

Some moments change the direction of your life. For me, one of those moments happened in 2012 , when I first discovered the TerrainHopper. The Moment It All Began I was watching television when I saw an interview with Sam Dantzie , who had just won an award for innovation. He was talking about the TerrainHopper – an incredible off-road powered wheelchair designed to tackle terrain that most mobility devices simply couldn’t. I remember feeling giddy with excitement  seeing foo

Tucked away in the heart of North Yorkshire, the Nidderdale National Landscape  is one of those places that quietly takes your breath away. While neighbouring national parks often steal the spotlight, Nidderdale offers something wonderfully different: dramatic rock formations, sweeping reservoirs, peaceful abbey ruins, and miles of accessible walking routes through some of Yorkshire’s most varied scenery. From quirky follies and ancient monasteries to family-friendly trails a

There is something quietly powerful about walking in a landscape that welcomes you exactly as you are. In the Yorkshire Dales, gentle paths follow rivers, curve around limestone hills, and lead into wide open spaces where barriers fall away and confidence grows. Through the Miles Without Stiles routes and the carefully chosen walks in Walks Without Stiles, every journey becomes an invitation rather than a challenge.

I am proud to be the founder of Access the Dales, a charity that is working to improve disabled access to the countryside in the north of England