The Blue Star Scheme is the leading ratings scheme for disabled friendly hotels in the UK. The scheme provides simple and objective details about accessibility, and the disabled friendly facilities that are available.Address
Disabled Travel GuideQuayside Business Centre
Ouserburn Building
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE6 1LL
Contact
info@disabledtravelguide.com
Tel: 0191 275 50 00
Disabled Travel Guide
Locations
Galway
Galway
Added by david shaun
August 09, 2011
703
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Reviewed by david shaun August 09, 2011
Galway isn't exactly an easy city for wheelchair users to get around. The most annoying problem is the widespread absence of lowered curbs. If you, accidentally, find one on your side of the street, chances it's missing on the opposite side are close to 100%! Moving around in Galway with a manual wheelchair therefore resembles a slalom between sky-high sidewalks and congested streets, in the midst of double-parked cars, potholes and building-site fences. Galway is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in Europe, so there's plenty of building sites and roadworks around. Anything you don't want in your way -- believe me, it's going to be there!
So you might say "well, I'll just take my car to get me where I want!" Which gives me the opportunity to confront you with the other 500 problems: Forget using your car within Galway's inner city. Your car might have taken you from Germany to Galway, but it's not going to take you from one side of Eyre Square to the opposite one. O.K. it's going to take you there, but these 150 m will cost you half an hour and you won't find a space to park in, anyway! And if you frustratedly return to your old parking space, that one will be gone as well and you'll be forced to drive through the city for at least another 5 hours, until you are so fed up that you either park your car in Clifden (only 76 km away), travel back to your home country, or drive your car into one of these overpriced car parks! The latter option is to be preferred, not only because it allows you to stay in Galway, but also because it very effectively prevents you from driving home drunk after hitting the pubs. This is due to the car park's closing at 8.00 PM in the evening, thereby locking your car away from you for the rest of the night! Be sure to visit a bank machine and take your heart pills before bailing out your vehicle on the following morning...
One truly positive aspect which can be mentioned is the closeness of everything. While the inner city isn't exactly a model for accessibility, at least the distances are quite manageable. It is a bit hilly there, but nothing really impossible. Once you've found a space to park your car (congratulations!), it's both possible and advisable to leave it there as long as you are in the city centre. The above map shows the disabled parking bays I discovered during my stay. I found Irish motorists to be very tolerant and polite towards my erratic slalom between the sidewalk mountains. They expect chaotic things to happen on their streets anyway, so you perfectly fit in there! :-)
If you're looking for a truly accessible place, head for the beach promenade at Salthill. Ample parking opportunities, fresh air, flat and paved surfaces, accessible restrooms nearby and, above all, beautiful scenery (and people) to look at!