Six accessible fundraising walks
Six accessible walks to go fund-raising for your favourite neuro charity with your walking aid, wheelchair, or mobility scooter
Our neuro occupational therapists (OTs) are nuts about the nature-based health benefits that beckon from the great outdoors. [1]
And they know that if one daily living activity is more accessible to most people than anything else, it’s going out for a walk – and it’s free!
Engaging with others, environments, and experiences can improve mood and boost functional mobility.
But heading out into the open air is even better when motivated by a higher purpose – like wanting to help your favourite neuro charity!
Many UK neuro charities host fund-raising walks annually to bring in much-needed financing for their support services for folks affected by a neuro diagnosis.
And there are many accessible trails across the UK for those would-be charity supporters who use walking aids, wheelchairs, or mobility scooters.
So, we matched 6 of the charity walks with 6 of the trails to help wave you off on your own accessible fund-raising walk, starting with...
National Autistic Society – Spectrum Colour Walks
The awesome National Autistic Society has many bright fund-raising ideas but none more so than their Spectrum Colour Walks.
Participants are invited to walk with colourful kits around 5km courses to raise funds for a wide range of supportive autism initiatives.
Our neuro OTs know [2] that calming sensory experiences can help some autistic people to manage stress and anxiety.
So, we love the sensory additions in our suggested accessible walk for the autism charity...
Blackwater Tall Trees Trail, Hampshire
Blackwater Arboretum is an idyllic setting with a stunning variety of beautiful trees from around the world. 
Travel experts at Rough Guides love this walk too, including it as one of “the best accessible routes” in the UK in a round-up for the mobility schemeMotability.
The 3.2km Tall Trees Trail in the New Forest is aptly named after the towering trees flanking it, including giant redwoods that can grow to be the Earth’s largest living things.
Adding extra walk worth for walkers with sensory challenges, there’s a sensory sculpture trail to follow, plus sensory information boards along the route.
Check out the Rough Guides review here: [4] More information about raising funds for The National Autistic Society here: [5]
Silver Lining Brain Injury Charity – Walk a Mile a Day in May
The challenge here is to ‘walk, cycle, wheel or run’ a mile or more a day in May and get sponsored in support of the inspiring Silverlining Brain Injury Charity.
The charity helps anyone affected by brain injury to take part in enjoyable and purposeful community activities for free or at a low cost.
The aim is to encourage, motivate and facilitate personal and physical growth after brain injury. And here is one accessible walk that will help you do that...
Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire
Be sure not to miss the Strid, a natural wonder, where the river suddenly narrows, forcing the water through at tremendous pressure.
Bolton Abbey Estate [6]
“Delightful” is how the outward-bound and campaigning charity, Disabled Ramblers describe this walk in the Yorkshire Dales, which, at 9.5km, makes it the longest of our six trails.
The return trip from Bolton Abbey near Skipton follows the banks of the winding River Wharfe to ancient Strid Wood, home to deer, otters, and kingfishers.
If needed, mobility help is at hand in the shape of powered wheelchairs available to hire from April to October for £5. Details here: [7]
Head here for more route details from Disabled Ramblers: [8] And discover more about the Silverliners’ walking challenge here: [9]
Dementia: Dementia UK – 31 miles in May
It doesn’t have to be 31 miles or done in May – it’s your walking challenge, your way in this vital fund-raiser for Dementia UK’s specialist Admiral Nurses.
Having said that, the merry month marking the end of Spring can be one of the best times to take an outdoor walk in many parts of the UK, such as...
Anvil Point Lighthouse, Dorset
There are plenty of seabirds to see, and you may be lucky enough to see dolphins and porpoises at sea.
Meadows, woodlands, cliffs, and sea life make this a magical coastal trail to take with walking aids, wheelchairs, or mobility scooters.
And what adds to the attraction of this short walk in Dorset’s 320-acre Durlston Country Park and Nature Reserve [10] is the on-site availability of all-terrain Tramper mobility scooters [11] for hire from not-for-profit Countryside Mobility. [12]
Powered wheels may be helpful for some people as part of the 0.86km route, which ends at the English Channel’s 142-year-old Anvil Point Lighthouse, is “fairly steep”. [13]
Durlston, near Swanage, has three other accessible trails suitable for fund-raising walks. More details from the fab free online resource, The Outdoor Guide and its accessible walks section here: [14]
And sign up for Dementia UK’s 31-miles-in-May 2023 challenge here: [15]
Multiple sclerosis: MS-UK - Big Purple Dog Walk
Take one or more canine companions on a walk to raise funds for the multiple sclerosis charity MS-UK.
The Big Purple Dog Walk is a tail-wagging way to support their work to improve their understanding of MS and empower those affected.
And here’s a bow-wow of a walking route that’s not only accessible for wheels and walking aids – it allows for your four-legged fellow fund-raisers too!
Croome, Worcestershire
16th-century Croome country estate, managed by the National Trust (NT), includes a 3.2km dog-friendly, accessible trail that includes bridges, gates and two hillocks.
And with dog tether points and water bowls provided, it’s easy to take a ‘paws’ for breath along the route to take in some of Croome’s captivating sights, such as the icehouse, lakeside, and Temple Greenhouse.
For folks wanting to explore the trail with more power to their wheels, pre-booked hire of a Tramper mobility scooter [10] is free! (NT donation invited.)
More details on the walk here: [16]; Tramper hire here: [17]; and fund-raising for the marvellous MS-UK here: [18]
Parkinson’s UK – Walk for Parkinson’s
Join one of 15 walks around the UK organised by Parkinson’s UK, plan your walk, or accept the charity’s 66 miles-in-July challenge.
Proceeds from all the events will go towards research into new treatments for Parkinson’s and discovering a long-awaited cure.
Here’s one of those organised walks, accessible to wheelchairs, mobility scooters and walking aids, and scheduled for September…
Marbury Country Park, Cheshire
The walks and trails take visitors through the historical landscape, including the magnificent lime avenues and the arboretum.
The ancient parkland at Marbury in the Northwich Woodlands is home to spectacular rare wildlife species, making this walk extra special.
And the welcome you’ll get will be unique if you join other Parkinson’s UK supporters along the 2.7km trail while wearing a Walk for Parkinson’s t-shirt!
However, if you prefer to go it alone, how about an orienteering fund-raiser around Marbury instead? Not-for-profit Go Orienteering has set up designated wheelchair courses. More details here: [20]
And more about walking around Marbury for Parkinson’s UK can be found here: [21]
The Stroke Association – Walk Your Marathon
When a fund-raising walk with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or walking aid is not enough, why not make it a marathon?
You could complete it to aid stroke survivors as part of the Stroke Association’s #TeamStroke!
You can walk your accessible 42km anywhere and anytime within two weeks and at your own pace. Every penny you raise will go towards a 2023 fundraising target of £27,500 for stroke research and support.
So, to ensure you have enough exciting locations to help those marathon miles fly by, here’s our 6th accessible walk idea...
Lydford Gorge, Devon
The gorge is an amazing place to visit at any time of the year. The wildlife, river, plants, and trees provide a stunning show every day.
It’s the South West’s deepest river gorge with the wondrous 30-metre Whitelady Waterfall and a ‘Devil’s cauldron’ to behold.
One of the trails is accessible to all abilities, but you may need the powered assistance of a pre-booked all-terrain mobility scooter to take on the steep route to the bottom of the waterfall and back.
From March to October, the National Trust offers pre-booked Tramper scooter hire from not-for-profit Countryside Mobility. Details can be found here: [22]
And sign up for the Stroke Association’s Walk Your Marathon challenge here: [23]
Access other walks
The accessible walking initiatives cited here are all doing extraordinary things to open up the UK’s public spaces to everyone.
But what if you want to go abroad to do your walking fund-raiser with a walking aid, wheelchair, or mobility scooter?
Exploring the hundreds of wheelchair-friendly trails curated by global routes guide, AllTrails could help to set you on the right path. Locate them here: [24]
More neuro charities
Unsure of which neuro charity to choose for an accessible fund-raising walk? Find links to over 90 neuro charities via the UK’s Neurological Alliance here: [25]
Stay safe
Our neuro OTs are not the only experts who can offer personal safety advice before you embark on your accessible walk with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or walking aid.
Campaigning UK charity, Disabled Ramblers co-ordinate over 30 rambles a year and has produced an in-depth ‘Rambling in Safety’ guide on essential topics such as:
- Protective clothing and first aid kits
- Safe scooter use
- Lone rambling
- Emergency essentials
- Supportive technology
Find this little charity’s great rambling guide here: [26]
Further reading
When the fit is right, a wheelchair or mobility scooter can be your best friend. But which one would you chum up with? Meet some of the latest models here: Mobility matchmaking!
Recently on talking heads...
