By Tim Farr - 2010 Winter Paralympian and Wheelchair Adventurer
Like most of the population, people with disabilities like to head to the seaside for their holidays. Unlike most of the population however, we can often end up getting stuck on the sandy beaches or languishing by a hotel pool. Spending your summer holiday high up in the mountains of Austria hardly even crosses your mind if you have a disability. But maybe it’s time for a re-think!
Having been a member of the British Disabled Ski Team for eight years I have spent much of my time in the mountains. To my mind, there is nothing better than spending my winters in the beautiful Austrian Alps, covered in a blanket of snow with towering cliffs pointing me towards the glacier. However, the drama of the Austrian Alps in winter is surpassed by their spectacular beauty in the summer. With snow clinging only to the highest peaks, the valleys are turned to a luscious green, with flower-filled pastures and meadows that truly take your breath away.
The Kaunertal Nature Park and Glacier Region is becoming a top destination for travellers of all abilities. The region’s commitment to accessible holidays allows everyone to get out and enjoy the stunning views and scenic nature with friends and family. You can find adventure in every direction and opportunities to get involved with nature from accessible hiking trails, and handcycling routes, to adaptive snowsports in the winter.
The development of the Kaunertal glacier began in the late 1970s and was just the start for accessible holidays in the Kaunertal. The extremely friendly valley community has really taken to making their home as accessible as possible, and is fully committed to providing holidays that exceed the needs and wishes of mobility-impaired travellers.
The adaptive activity programmes have all-terrain handbikes to rent to get you deep into the wooded slopes on off-road tracks, with many starting from the door of your hotel. The power assist feature on the bikes means all abilities can use them, including those with less strength or bike experience. This allows you to put in as much or as little effort as you want, to get you up the steep tracks and to the top of the hills. For me, power assist was essential as I am certainly built for the downhill rather than some of the steeper ups.
You can also hire Swiss Tracs - motorised wheelchair-tow devices that are a cross between the freewheel and a lawn mower! The Swiss tracs provide powered mobility and are very easy to use on the trails, so wheelchair users can explore many of the Kaunertal’s high-altitude mountain huts that would have been impossible to reach before now.
The commitment that has been made to ensure the whole area is fully accessible means the Kaunergrat Nature Park, and the pristine moorland wilderness have recently had accessible paths added as well, along with two new accessible viewing platforms looking out over the valley.
Of course, you can also just relax and enjoy the beauty of Kaunertal. The hotels invariably offer spas, as well as indoor swimming pools and gyms - all of which are fully accessible. If you want to explore the wider region there are also tours to the picturesque town of Innsbruck or you can head all the way up to the top of the glacier and straddle the Austrian-Italian border at 3,108m!
When the snow does come to the Kaunertal Valley it doesn’t mean the adventure and activities stop. There are plenty of opportunities to take part in snowsports from adaptive skiing on the glacier to exploring one of the many accessible Nordic trails.
One of the real pulls for people with disabilities in this area though is the infrastructure. The multi-award winning Hotel Weissesspitze, was the Alps’ first accessible 4-star hotel and the Haus Renate offers full adapted apartments with accessible features for all mobility needs. All stores, countless restaurants, bars and pubs are also now all wheelchair- accessible. Even the Kalterbrunn pilgrimage church is the answer to a wheelchair user’s prayer.
The Austrian Tirol region and Kaunertal have been rewarded for their commitment to accessibility with the coveted EDEN Award. The Tirol Barrier Free aims to provide equal opportunities for all to enjoy the beauty and benefits of outdoor recreation in unparalleled natural resources.
For more information on accessible travel and activities in the mountains in winter or summer contact ski2freedom.com or email Catherine Cosby. Ski 2 Freedom’s resource of information meets the specific needs and requirements of all disabilities and additional needs, especially if you would like a consultation on your accessible hotel and/or sporting activities in the area.
For more information on the Austrian Tirol visit visittirol.co.uk
