Written by Carrie-Anne Lightly, September 27, 2021
I’m cruising along the most beautiful beach, the wet sand is bumpy under my wheels and the seagulls squawk loudly overhead. The smell of the sea and the sound of the waves calm me, as they always do, and I look over to see my little dog Poppy running in big circles, loving the freedom of the beach. I realize that’s exactly how I’m feeling at this moment – free.
I won’t pretend that accessible travel is ever easy, and travelling as a disabled person during a pandemic certainly brings an extra level of things to worry about – but, after an 8-month travel hiatus, I was determined to soak up every moment of this trip. Glorious weather, the friendliest welcome, cosy, accessible accommodation, an amazing new mobility aid, and a stunning accessible coastline all combined to make me fall in love with Seaburn, Sunderland’s hidden gem.
If 2020 taught me anything, it was the importance of appreciating the privilege of travel. When The Inn Collection Group got in touch offering a two-night stay for me to review the accessible facilities at their brand new Seaburn Inn, I happily accepted and extended our stay to truly appreciate everything that this beautiful corner of the North East coast had to offer
Disclaimer: The Inn Collection Group provided accommodation and meals on a complimentary basis for the purposes of this review. This is an honest review and my opinions, as always, are entirely my own. This review is entirely based on my personal experience of staying at The Seaburn Inn, as a manual wheelchair user who is able to transfer and is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to accessibility at the accommodation. I was also gifted a complimentary meal at STACK Seaburn, and cakes from The Little Cakery By The Sea.