27/05/2026
Visual representation is so important.
When CeCe and watched Three Wheel Drive at (the film that and I produced about disability in the outdoors) CeCe saw adaptive cycles like hers on a bothy trip, and she knew that she wanted to do a similar trip with her Mum and friends and her son Atlas.
Vicky contacted me as she knew that as well as being a bikepacking guide I am also a support worker - working with individuals with learning and physical disabilities.
So how do you make bikepacking accessible to those with learning disabilities? With careful planning, a curious and open mind - and a positive attitude!
I picked a route suitable for her and did pre-trip videos showcasing the trails and the bothy so CeCe could visualise where she would be going. We had video chats so she could 'meet' me and ask me about any aspects of the trip. She already knew I had an understanding of adaptive cycles from the film so took confidence in that too.
We created a plan, including logistics and kit lists to make her feel more comfortable for an overnight stay (a portable toilet etc) and blocked a few days off so we could pick the best weather window for the night away.
I sought landowner permission to park vehicles overnight on their ground, to film, and to access the site through gates suitable for the adaptive cycles and trailers.
Making the outdoors more accessible to all just takes a bit more thought, a bit more planning and a bit more kit - but it's all nearly always doable.
And the more that disability - both physical and learning - is represented, the more people can believe that they too can do that adventure that had previously seemed unattainable.
CeCe is brave, determined, creative, fun and has such a positive outlook on life. The trip was an utter joy to be a part of.
