Design for Accessibilty

Eildon Holiday Cottages were originally designed from the realisation that it was impossible for families with disabled and severely disabled members to find any suitable self-catering holiday accommodation with facilities for all the family to take a holiday together. The strength of the complex is that able-bodied and disabled visitors can holiday together without differentiation. Alternatively, disabled people can holiday with their carers living in the cottage to provide the necessary support.

The accommodation has been designed to be homely and to have a “cottage” feel whilst incorporating the necessary equipment for the severely disabled in a non-clinical and unobtrusive way. There are five cottages, all of which have at least one downstairs bedroom and bath or shower room and very special kitchens. In addition there is The Granary, a first floor flat, which of course is not suitable for the less able but which nonetheless incorporates many of the special features of the cottages.

Access to the cottages and manoeuvrability within them is ideal for the disabled. Each cottage has its own single car parking space immediately outside the door. There are no steps or ramps throughout. All cottages have 34” doorways and wide passages, accessible plugs and switches at wheelchair height and low windows. All taps (faucets) are lever taps and there are plenty of grab rails and kick plates. There are no cupboard doors.

A two level system has been used in all the kitchens, with sinks, cookers and hob units at wheelchair level. Oven and hob controls are on the front of the units. Cottages with bathrooms have ample side loading to the bath. Cottages with showers have shower rooms – not cabinets.

Two of the cottages have fitted electric hoists with continuous ceiling track to transport from bed to bath (Single Tree Cottage) and bed to shower (Langrig). A portable hoist is available for use in the other cottages, and three of the cottages have a trapeze pull.

We provide all linen and towels, and duvets on the beds. Many of the beds can be adjusted to differing heights. Electricity is separately metered on night storage rates. There is electric heating in all rooms. No gas is used.

We have one allergy-free cottage, Langrig, where there are no feathers and where we allow no smoking and no pets.

We can also provide some other special equipment for disabled guests, as well as cots and high chairs for infants. Click on 'EQUIPMENT' below.

We have a Scottish Tourist Board listing of 4 stars and the highest accessibility grading of Category 1: suitable for wheelchair users travelling independently.

Category 1 Cottages:
Five of the six cottages are graded Category 1.
All have at least one bedroom on the ground floor level,with either a bathroom or wheel-in shower room.
Grab rails in bath and shower rooms and let-down rails beside WCs.
Ample side-loading to WCs.
All doorways at least 780mm wide, most over 800mm.
Low-level switches.
Low windows.
There is one high -level arm chair in each cottage, 22 inches from the ground.
Level throughout the ground floors. No ramps or steps.
Accessible kitchens with some low level worktops.
Accessible sinks and hobs. No low-level cupboards.
All accessible bedrooms have minimum wheelchair turning space.
Overhead electric hoists available in Single Tree Cottage and Langrig; Single Tree Cottage from bedroom to bathroom, Langrig from bedroom to wheel-in shower room. Most downstairs beds have bedraisers.

Awards:
Winner of the Holiday Care Service award in 1991 for the best self-catering accommodation for disabled people in Britain.
Winner of the Tourism for All award in 1991 for the best facilities for disabled people in Scotland.
Scottish Tourist Board 3 star accreditation
Holiday Care Service Category 1 – suitable for wheelchair users travelling independently
Special mention in National Civic Trust awards 1992
Central Borders’ Civic Trust Special Award for Excellence 1992

GENERAL | FACILITIES | ACCESSIBILITY | EQUIPMENT