Over Christmas my mum, my siblings, their partners, and all my nephews and nieces (total 27 people!) stayed at a lovely place called Hallsannery House, in Bideford, Devon, for the week. It was great fun. Of course, my X8 off-roader came too.
The whole holiday was fabulous, but this blog is about the trips out on my X8.
On the second evening we went on a short walk along the coast path - it was wet, windy, and fabulous to be out - wrapped up warmly and going places that aren't 'wheelchair accessible' is so special!
In the grounds was a small woodland area, complete with rope swing. So on a drizzly afternoon, with waterproof trousers and coats, and a plastic bag to keep my controls dry, we went off to explore the grounds, going through rough fields with ease - although we didn’t attempt the long flight of stone steps. We spent ages at the rope swing - it turns out that grabbing the rope and driving quickly up the bank until I have to let go makes for fabulous swinging!!
It was raining a bit more than I realised, so we looked like drowned rats by the time we got back. A full set of dry clothes and hot chocolate quickly resolved that. The powerchair was soaked too - but fortunately the slate floored ‘boots’ area of the corridor by the back door was wide and wheelie accessible, so the X8 could dry off in the centrally heated house - and be fully dry before recharging it ready for more adventures. (Generally speaking, electrics and water don't mix!)
The next big use was a Boxing Day walk along the beach - Westward Ho!. Yes, it really could climb up the stone barrier!
But it was pretty tricky driving, and required me to do a fair bit of leaning to keep the balance, and once at the top I realised the downward section there was steeper, so I opted to go back down the way I'd come up, and go for the easier option of the ramp over the stones a bit further along the beach. It wasn’t really wheelchair accessible, but with a few well-placed stones to make the 8 inch initial step "X8 accessible", it was fine.
We then ran around chasing waves, throwing the frisbee, playing with the remote control car that could transform into a boat, and generally ambling along.
(Yes, I did drive into the water - a lake sized car-park puddle was irresistable. I had to be careful because salt water will make things rust quicker - and you can't power-wash an electric powerchair!)
Until it started to rain slightly...then - yells of delight - "It's SNOWING!"
Which lasted all of 10 seconds.
Because the hail arrived. Which sent us laughing, stinging, shrieking and freezing back to the cars, and the warmth of Hallsannery.
It was such a fabulous trip, and it made me fall in love with the X8 all over again.
However, it turns out that my waterproof trousers aren't so waterproof. Having sat in a puddle of melting hailstones for a while....let's just say, I was left with some unfortunate wet patches.
10/10 for the X8.
2/10 for the waterproof trousers - which I will be retiring and replacing with a better pair forthwith.
(For more blogs about the X8, see our off-road adventures page.)
The whole holiday was fabulous, but this blog is about the trips out on my X8.
On the second evening we went on a short walk along the coast path - it was wet, windy, and fabulous to be out - wrapped up warmly and going places that aren't 'wheelchair accessible' is so special!
In the grounds was a small woodland area, complete with rope swing. So on a drizzly afternoon, with waterproof trousers and coats, and a plastic bag to keep my controls dry, we went off to explore the grounds, going through rough fields with ease - although we didn’t attempt the long flight of stone steps. We spent ages at the rope swing - it turns out that grabbing the rope and driving quickly up the bank until I have to let go makes for fabulous swinging!!It was raining a bit more than I realised, so we looked like drowned rats by the time we got back. A full set of dry clothes and hot chocolate quickly resolved that. The powerchair was soaked too - but fortunately the slate floored ‘boots’ area of the corridor by the back door was wide and wheelie accessible, so the X8 could dry off in the centrally heated house - and be fully dry before recharging it ready for more adventures. (Generally speaking, electrics and water don't mix!)
But it was pretty tricky driving, and required me to do a fair bit of leaning to keep the balance, and once at the top I realised the downward section there was steeper, so I opted to go back down the way I'd come up, and go for the easier option of the ramp over the stones a bit further along the beach. It wasn’t really wheelchair accessible, but with a few well-placed stones to make the 8 inch initial step "X8 accessible", it was fine.
(Yes, I did drive into the water - a lake sized car-park puddle was irresistable. I had to be careful because salt water will make things rust quicker - and you can't power-wash an electric powerchair!)
Until it started to rain slightly...then - yells of delight - "It's SNOWING!"
Which lasted all of 10 seconds.
Because the hail arrived. Which sent us laughing, stinging, shrieking and freezing back to the cars, and the warmth of Hallsannery.
It was such a fabulous trip, and it made me fall in love with the X8 all over again.
However, it turns out that my waterproof trousers aren't so waterproof. Having sat in a puddle of melting hailstones for a while....let's just say, I was left with some unfortunate wet patches.
10/10 for the X8.
2/10 for the waterproof trousers - which I will be retiring and replacing with a better pair forthwith.
(For more blogs about the X8, see our off-road adventures page.)
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