The Wheelie Good Walk making countryside accessible

12 hours ago

Edward Saultin Alton

News image — Sally Stoodley and her daughter have created the Wheelie Good Walk in Hampshire

BBC An elderly woman in a wheelchair gives a thumbs up as she goes through a gate on a rural path. she is wearing a tan patterned summer hat, a pink jacket and blue trousers. — Sally Stoodley and her daughter have created the Wheelie Good Walk in Hampshire

A new accessible walk has been created for people who use wheelchairs.

The Wheelie Good Walk was launched as part of this year's Alton Walking Festival in Hampshire and follows a path through the village of Holybourne, along which gates and stiles have been adapted or removed and the ground made even.

It was created by mother and daughter Sally and Jannine Stoodley after Sally had a stroke in 2023 and could no longer enjoy her love of walking.

"Once you're in a wheelchair, the world is not accessible to you anymore," said Sally. "Everywhere you go, you have to think about it."

But Sally decided she would not be beaten and has recently completed a pilgrimage along England's St James' Way and the Camino Ingles in Spain, all done in her wheelchair.

Jannine said it made them both determined to make a difference back home in Hampshire.

"We knew this was possible," she said of the new accessible walk.

"We were approached by Walk Alton to find some accessible walks but it was majorly challenging to find an accessible walk, without gates, without stiles, but we found one."

Sinead was one of the walkers enjoying the new route during the festival, along with her baby son Lachlan.

She said: "This is a walk I have been able to do with my baby, with help, and I saw the countryside for the first time in 12 years. So, it's been really nice."

An elderly lady smiles broadly at the camera. She is leaning on a walking stick and a wheelchair can be seen just behind her. Next to her is a younger woman, also smiling into the camera. — Sally and Jannine were inspired by their recent pilgrimage walks in England and Spain

Also on the walk were Panna and Lewis, volunteers from Newbury Building Society who helped to make the walk possible.

"To see the difficulties wheelchair users face on a daily basis was incredibly humbling," said Panna.

"Hearing attendees share their personal experiences of living with a disability and the resilience and positivity they showed was both inspiring and thought provoking.

"It was privilege to be able to support such a meaningful event and great to play a part in helping out our local community."

Down the road in Ropley, the parish council recently won the Hampshire Choice award for their work with landowners to change gates and make paths more wheelchair-friendly.

Catherine Mitchell, from Ropley Town Council, said: "We've replaced more than 35 stiles with gates and kissing gates along our footpaths.

"It now means more people with reduced mobility can enjoy the countryside."

One landowner who has made changes is Louise Jenkins, from Monkwood.

" It makes sense," she said. "Open access for everyone is what it should be."

A young woman with red and brown hair smiles in to the camera. She is seated in a wheelchair is a wearing a dark red long-sleeved top and dark trousers with white trainers. — Daniella Ballard was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a baby

Daniella Ballard has cerebral palsy and loves the outdoors. She said she appreciates the changes already made but said more needs to be done: "I was diagnosed when I was 10 months old. It's all well and good me asking for all these changes but they're not going to happen overnight.

"The hardest thing to overcome is people immediately just saying 'no' because it's too much or too much of a hassle, but it can benefit everyone."

Alton Town Council and Ropley Parish Council have said they intend to publish their accessible walks on their websites.