Wheelchair Friendly Moray Speyside Itinerary

[This blog post was created as part of a paid promotion with Visit Moray Speyside]

If you’re looking for wheelchair accessible things to do in Moray Speyside, look no further. If you’ve been keeping up-to-date with all things Wheely Braw on Instagram and Facebook, you’ll have seen we were invited to explore the area recently by Visit Moray Speyside. We had an amazing time and did a little bit of everything. Here’s an exciting three-day wheelchair friendly itinerary that takes in the best that the area has to offer. Watch the video or read the blog - and don’t forget to save it for your next trip to Moray Speyside!

Day 1

Wheelchair Accessible Glamping

Our base for our Moray Speyside holiday was The Loft Glamping and Camping. We stayed in one of their fantastic wheelchair accessible wigwam glamping pods. The pods have ramped access, sleep up to five people, have a wet room with a shower chair, plenty of grab rails, and a kitchen with wheel-out units. We booked a goat-feeding experience for our last day too which was just brilliant!

Helen, a wheelchair user, sitting on the decking of a wheelchair accessible wooden glamping cabin

I’m all about doing everything I can to take out the hassle of a holiday (disabled people, you know where I’m coming from!), so the hampers we got from Brodie Countryfare were ideal. Brodie Countryfare cater to various dietary needs, so our vegan friendly hampers were packed with handy ingredients and snacks. In the shop itself there’s a deli, plus a wide selection of gifts, homeware, and clothing.

Fantastic Foraging

Our first adventure was a foraging experience with Wild Things! They are an environmental action charity, providing outdoor adventures and learning opportunities for people of all ages. Jamie took us to the all-abilities path at Muiry Community Woodland. Together, we wandered through native trees while learning all about the creatures that call the woodland home. We tried out bug catching with big nets, and after that had a cup of tea made with leaves from the silver birch tree.

Helen, a wheelchair user, is on a forest path next to Jamie who is gesturing towards some leaves on a tree

The path is unpaved and therefore a bit bumpy in places with some short steep sections. Because of that, for wheelchair users it’s more suited to dry days.

The Famous Findhorn

I don’t think you can visit Moray Speyside without heading to Findhorn. We took a lazy stroll along the coastal path. It’s a short, gentle path that starts opposite the Kimberley Inn and runs all the way to The Captain’s Table café and ice cream parlour, although if you need somewhere to park you can always do it the other way around. We also popped into The Park EcoVillage to pick up some supplies from the Phoenix Shop. They’ve got wholefoods, unusual gifts, and every items. There’s also the Findhorn Foundation who run heaps of workshops you can get involved in.

Helen is in her wheelchair on a path in Findhorn by the water. Kirsty is crouched by her side. They are with their two chocolate labradors

Day 2

Archery

Kirsty and I kicked off our second day with an archery experience at House of Mulben. Regular readers might remember that we’ve been to House of Mulben before. I’m pleased to say that we were even better this time! Kirsty immediately got into full Robin Hood mode, and I think that makes me Maid Marian! Archery sessions take place in a rustic shed, making it an activity suitable for all weathers.

A quick note - There’s a short bumpy grassy path into the shed where the archery takes place. Once inside, everything’s fairly smooth, but do let the folks at House of Mulben know you’re a wheelchair user when you book.

Aberlour Hotel

For lunch, we stopped in at the Aberlour Hotel. They have gluten-free options, a vegetarian and vegan menu, and their afternoon teas can be adapted to dietary requirements too. If you’re lucky enough to have good weather, there’s also a relaxed outdoor dining area. It’s a lovely hotel and the staff were all really helpful.

Cardhu Distillery

It was time for me to make Kirsty go on a distillery tour again. She is not an avid drinker of any alcohol but, as I’m the only driver, she always ends up taking part in the tasting sessions (remember that time at Kintyre Gin?). First though, we had a guided tour of the famous Cardhu distillery to find out all about the two generations of pioneering women who ran Cardhu. The tours are informative, hands on, and a total sensory experience. Some parts of the tour aren’t wheelchair accessible, but the folks at Cardhu have used tech to work around that! They’ve created a video tour of the inaccessible area that I could watch, so it was almost like experiencing it first-hand. Plus, I had my own personal guide to answer my questions before I rejoined the tour group. Kirsty was totally converted by the way, and we didn’t leave without buying a bottle from the gift shop!

Mosset Tavern

Kirsty needed to soak up some of that whisky so we headed for a lovely evening meal at the Mosset Tavern. The Mosset Tavern serves modern pub-grub in a family-friendly restaurant. There’s also a pet-friendly bar area if you have your four-legged friend with you (Millie and Kimber stayed at home, I don’t think Millie could control herself around so much tasty food!) The Mosset Tavern sits beside the Mosset Burn which has a path running alongside it, so we took a short after-dinner wheel-along to end the day.

Day Three

WDC Dolphin Centre

The Moray Firth is home to around 200 bottlenose dolphins, and where better to spot them than at the Scottish Dolphin Centre in Spey Bay. You might also spot seals, ospreys, and otters. Sadly, we visited on a very, very misty morning, so we didn’t get chance to see anything. We still had a great time though and used the interactive cameras inside the centre to explore the coastline. The camera controls are on a long arm that can be easily adjusted to different heights, and I found them easy to use from my wheelchair. There’s a small exhibition, plus a café serving home-cooked food (with vegan and gluten-free options). Throughout the summer, wheelchair accessible tours of the Icehouse are on offer – I definitely want to go back and experience that because you learn all about the bay’s fishing heritage and get to see some real whale and dolphin bones!

Helen sits in her wheelchair with Kirsty standing just behind her. They are at the Scottish Dolphin centre posing near a dolphin statue

Gordon Castle Walled-Garden

Time to break for lunch at the beautiful Gordon Castle Walled-Garden and Café. The almost-eight-acre kitchen garden is wheelchair accessible, with something to see all-year round including herbs, vegetables, and fruits. You can sample some of the produce in the café, like we did, or pick up a treat from the shop. They have some lovely gins!

Windswept Brewing Co.

We received a big warm welcome from the folks at Windswept Brewing. Bert took us on a relaxed but informative tour of the growing brewery. Windswept Brewing is a small business with a focus on the environment, and they really encourage their team to be creative. As part of the tour, you can taste several of their creations in the Tap Room, which is exactly what Kirsty did next. More alcohol, bless her. She absolutely loved it though, and we came home with various bottles beer, from their Coastal Haze IPA to their Bear imperial stout. Throughout the summer they hold events with local food and live music, and of course, their award-winning beers.

Helen and Kirsty propping up the bar at Windswept Brewing

Elgin Ghost Tours

To wrap up our final day in Moray Speyside, we took a spooky tour through the streets of Elgin with the Whyte Witch! She told local ghost tales and delighted us with snippets of history too. It’s a brilliant way to experience the area. The Whyte Witch brought our attention to details in our surroundings that we’d otherwise have missed, and she knows the stories behind them.

Helen sits in her wheelchair listening to a ghost story from the tour guide who is dressed in Steampunk fashion

Well, that was an action packed three days of wheelchair friendly adventures in Moray Speyside. We didn’t want to leave! It’s a stunning area, the perfect balance of countryside and coast.

These are just a few examples of the fantastic things you can find to do as a wheelchair user in Moray Speyside. The area has something to suit everyone! Let me know in the comments if there’s anywhere else you’d recommend in the area.

Extra Information

Changing Places Toilets are available at the following locations:

Moray Sports Centre, Elgin

Cedarwood Day Centre, Elgin

Dr Gray’s Hospital, Elgin

Christie’s Garden Centre, Fochabers

Burnie Day Centre, Buckie

See https://www.changing-places.org/find for more information.

Standard accessible toilets can be located at https://www.toiletmap.org.uk/

3-Day Moray Speyside Wheelchair Accessible Itinerary