Enjoy Dartington Hall by scooter

There’s a new way to get about Dartington Hall Gardens – an all-terrain mobility scooter known as a Tramper is available to hire from the Visitor Centre, thanks to the Friends of Dartington and Devon based charity Living Options Devon.

The Tramper provides safe, enjoyable and easy access to the Dartington Hall Gardens for anyone who has difficulty walking. The Friends of Dartington are providing the scooter for an initial period of a year in partnership with Devon based charity Living Options Devon. It is the latest addition to Countryside Mobility South West, a scheme to open up the countryside to people with limited mobility which has introduced scooters to more than 30 sites across the region.

Dartington’s Property Director Jo Talling said:

"We’re very grateful to the Friends of Dartington for their generosity helping us to offer a mobility scooter to our visitors. We really want to make the estate and gardens at Dartington as accessible to as many people as possible but due to slopes and challenging terrain of the site this has proved difficult."

Jo continued:

"The scooter we now have based here changes all that and means people who have difficulty walking can explore much more of the gardens when they visit. This is the latest development in improving access for visitors and complements other projects, including the Gardens Bridge by Peter Randall-Page which opened in 2011."

The Trampers can go up and down slopes, over bumps and tree roots, through shallow puddles, mud and soft ground and are for use by anyone aged 14 or over who has a permanent or temporary condition that affects their ability to walk. With a top speed of four miles an hour they can keep pace with the briskest walking companion.

James Maben from Countryside Mobility explained:

"Trampers are for everyone who wants to enjoy the countryside but can’t manage much walking. You do not have to be registered as a disabled person, or have a Blue Badge. Many people have found that Trampers have given them back their freedom, enabling them to enjoy time outdoors alone, with their partner or on a family outing."

To use the Trampers, people simply choose a site and arrange their first visit, joining as members of Countryside Mobility on arrival - costing £10.00 per year or £2.50 for 4 weeks. Training is provided on how to use a Tramper lasting approximately 10 minutes along with maps and guidance on where the Tramper can be used, before they are then given a membership card, which enables them to use a Tramper at any partner site without the need for further training.

The scheme will operate on designated routes around the Gardens and will be managed from the Visitor Centre. Find out more or make a booking by calling Dartington Visitor Centre on 01803 847 514 or email them at visitorcentreinfo@dartington.org.

Full details about Countryside Mobility and a list of the other Tramper locations available can be found on the website www.countrysidemobility.org or by calling 01392 459222. You can also find out more by following them on Twitter @CMSouthWest or Facebook CountrysideMobility.