Accessible Cycling at Green Door, Westport Lake
We’ve been accessible cycling at Green Door before, and decided it was time for another visit to Westport Lake — although, as usual, it didn’t take John very long to cause chaos!
We’ve been accessible cycling at Green Door before, and decided it was time for another visit to Westport Lake — although, as usual, it didn’t take John very long to cause chaos!
Before we had even properly started, he somehow managed to get his finger stuck. Thankfully, one of the lovely Green Door team was there to help, and with John successfully unstuck, we could actually get on with the cycling.
Prices: £7 per hour per adult, with carers going free. We booked a half-hour session, which cost £3.50 per rider.
Carer ticket: Carers go free when accompanying a rider.
Parking: Pay-and-display car park at Westport Lake; parking is free for Blue Badge holders.
How long: Sessions can be booked for half an hour or a full hour; we did half an hour (three laps, about three miles).
Prices and policies as we found them on our visit — always check with the venue before you go.
Accessible cycling at Green Door
Green Door is based at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent and offers accessible activities, including cycling. There are a variety of adapted and non-standard cycles available, so cycling isn’t limited to people who can use a conventional two-wheeled bike.
There are handcycles and cycles suitable for wheelchair users, as well as trikes and companion cycles. We were told that if somebody has particular requirements that aren't met by the cycles already available, it is worth speaking to Green Door to see whether they can help.
For our session, George chose a trike while John and I used a side-by-side tandem. This works particularly well for us because John can pedal alongside me while I take responsibility for the steering — probably just as well!
Parking
There is a pay-and-display car park at Westport Lake, although parking is free for Blue Badge holders.
Do you need to book?
We pre-booked our accessible cycling session, and I would recommend doing this if you want to be sure that the particular type of cycle you need will be available.
You can turn up without booking and see what is available, but there is no guarantee that the cycle you want will be free. With John and me wanting a side-by-side tandem and George using a trike, booking in advance meant we knew we could get what we needed.
How much does accessible cycling cost?
At the time of our visit, the price was £7 per hour per adult, with carers going free.
We couldn't decide beforehand whether we wanted to cycle for half an hour or a full hour. Normally you pay before setting off, but because we were undecided, Green Door allowed us to pay when we finished instead.
In the end, we opted for half an hour. John and George were £3.50 each, while I was free as John's carer, making our session £7 altogether.
Prices can change, so it is always worth checking the current prices with Green Door before visiting.
Cycling around Westport Lake
The route around Westport Lake is approximately one mile per lap, and is mostly flat.
That doesn't mean it's completely smooth. There are places where tree roots have pushed up underneath the path, making parts of the ride rather bumpy. On our side-by-side tandem John confidently pointed out that we were fine because we had our seatbelts.
There was just one slight problem with that statement.
I didn't have a seatbelt - that I noticed.
Fortunately, we survived the tree roots.
There was plenty to see as we cycled, including Canada geese and a swan — although when I pointed out the swan, John somehow heard “sloth.”
Quite where he thought a sloth had come from at Westport Lake, I have no idea.
Three laps this time!
We eventually completed three laps, or approximately three miles.
I was rather pleased with that because on a previous visit, two laps had absolutely knackered me. This time I managed three.
When I mentioned this to one of the Green Door team afterwards, his response was:
“Ah, progress!”
Exactly!
Half an hour also turned out to be the right choice for us. By the end I could certainly feel those three miles in my legs, and the bumpier parts of the path hadn't done my back any favours either.
More than accessible cycling
Green Door isn't just about cycling. They also offer other accessible activities, including canoeing.
One thing that came across during our visit was the emphasis on trying to make activities available to people with different needs rather than assuming somebody simply can't take part.
And apparently they also provide a “nice friendly atmosphere.”
John's response to being told that?
“Can't eat the atmosphere!”
There really is no answer to that.
Did we enjoy it?
Yes. Accessible cycling is something that works particularly well for us because all three of us can take part in our own way.
George can ride independently on a trike, John can cycle with me on the side-by-side tandem, and I get to do the steering while wondering what John is going to say next.
Three miles was enough for this visit, but it was also nice to realise that I'd managed more than last time.
We timed our finish rather well too. We'd barely made it back to the van before it started raining — considerably better than doing our third lap in a downpour!
If you're looking for an accessible activity in Stoke-on-Trent, Green Door at Westport Lake is well worth investigating, particularly if conventional cycling isn't suitable for you or somebody you're visiting with.
🎥 Watch our accessible cycling video
Want to see the side-by-side tandem, George on his trike, John's stuck-finger incident and exactly how “swan” became “sloth”?
Watch our full video on YouTube: Accessible Cycling: 3 Miles on a Side-by-Side Tandem
Planning your own day out? See our full UK carer ticket and disabled admission directory — carer policies, disabled parking and access notes for every place we have reviewed.
