I am republishing this article because it covers the most recent version of the book that I have.  There is a new version available here.  I’ll post an update when I receive my copy!

Updated for 2009

This is the Second Edition of the Rough Guide To Accessible Britain. The first was published in 2008.

There are several striking differences between the two editions. The first is size, the new book being a much more regular A5 and having many more pages (192).

The second is colour. The first book was colour throughout. The second has a coloured introduction and the rest is black and white. This is not a criticism though, the book is well presented and FREE!

New Layout

Probably the biggest difference is the way the book has been split into sections. The first edition

concentrated on the type of activity (Family Fun, Parks and Gardens etc), this time the sections are ordered by Region. Obviously there are pro’s and con’s to both but now it’s certainly easier to find attractions according to where you are in the country.

The Cities and Towns section has disappeared completely. I suppose the section was always a bit of a gamble. There is no way you can describe how accessible Edinburgh is in just 2 paragraphs. A valiant effort was made but it didn’t really work!

What’s New

The emphasis is on attractions with a common style throughout the book. Each attraction gets three paragraphs. The first indicates a geographical location with a fact about the area. The second is more specific giving information about the attraction it’s self and the third comments on disabled access.

Above each entry is a row of symbols giving specific information about on site facilities. This includes whether a wheelchair user will need assistance, is there a hearing loop, are the toilets accessible etc. The key can be found inside the front cover and is easy to use.

There is a good selection of new attractions in this second edition and these are joined by updated versions of reviews from the first. As before, the articles are short but informative and easy to read. As a Rough Guide it is perfect although there may be more specific questions that are not answered.

Worth The Money?

It’s free!! So Yes!!

As with the first edition, the second is free to Blue Badge holders. If you are not a Blue Badge holder, the guide price is £6.99. I’m not sure I would pay the cover price but for free it is a very well presented, good quality guide.

Check out http://www.accessibleguide.co.uk for your copy.

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