Most of us are able-bodied and reasonably fit, so a walk to the top of a hill in the Lake District is no great problem beyond a bit of huffing and puffing. However, for those who have limited mobility, access to the countryside can be difficult if not impossible. Never mind the more challenging hikes to the tops of mountains like Blencathra or Scafell Pike, it is difficult for some people to take even short trips on relatively level paths along which the rest of us walk without giving it any thought.
The Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) published a book in 1996 called Countryside Access for People with Limited Mobility, featuring 21 routes. It was publicised in the local press, and people latched on to the headline ‘Miles without stiles’ to such an extent that the title of the book was changed. There are now 39 routes across the National Park suitable for people with limited mobility. We naturally think of wheelchair users, but there many others with limited mobility: families with pushchairs, dog-walkers with less active dogs, visually impaired people, and those who can walk but not very easily, very far and who cannot climb over stiles.
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