Introducing Richard – from bus, to taxi to Tramper – he has driven them all!

• 

  Richard sitting on a Tramper at Belsay Hall, it's a sunny day and he has a rockface behind him

• 

  A view of the gardens at Belsay Hall

• 

  A picture taken by Richard of a robin on a branch

• 

  A stunning blue vista taken by Richard at Derwentwaterside Park

• 

  A picture taken by Richard of Oscar the dog enjoying Wray Castle

• 

  Richard on the Tramper at Derwentwaterside Park - with beautiful blue water behind him

• 

  A beautiful image of water and greenery taken by Richard on a sunny day at Walltown

• 

  A picture of some ducks taken by Richard at Derwentwaterside Park

• 

  Richard on a Tramper at Wray Castle - it's an autumnal scene with a beautiful carpet of leaves

We’re delighted to introduce Richard, who joined Outdoor Mobility back in June 2024.

A keen bird watcher, Richard always spent lots of time in the countryside.  Unfortunately, he now has a number of health issues including back and breathing problems and anxiety, which have made long walks with his wife very difficult. He found himself always looking for places to rest or if he took his ‘rollator’ walking aid, he couldn’t go far, or fast.

Richard stumbled across Outdoor Mobility online whilst searching for more accessible routes and ‘miles without stiles’. His immediate thought was that the scheme is a ‘wonderous idea’ and he couldn’t wait to give the Trampers a try.

A retired driver, Richard has driven coaches, minibuses and taxis and he was thrilled to add Trampers to the list! He describes his first visit to Whinlatter as ‘phenomenal’ and he absolutely fell in love with the Trampers – in his opinion, they are ‘first class’ vehicles, which is high praise indeed.

Richard has since visited a number of hire sites, including Langdale, Wray Castle, Derwent Waterside Park and Belsay Hall to name a few. Sometimes, he is accompanied on his visits by his daughter, and her feisty miniature daschund, Oscar. Oscar is always on his best behaviour on the Tramper routes as there is so much for him to take in!

Belsay Hall is a firm favourite for Richard and he loves Northumberland in general. He has plans to visit one of our newer hire sites, Howick Hall Gardens and Arboretum, Alnwick. Richard remembers first visiting with his daughter, now nearly 30, when she was only 2 or 3 years old and he can’t wait to go back using the Tramper.

Richard describes the scheme as ‘worth its weight in gold’ and says it has given him back a lot of enthusiasm for life. It has made such a difference to his wife too, as it has given them both the opportunity to get back out in nature and enjoy walks together. Richard’s advice to anyone considering the scheme is simply ‘pay your £15 and you can’t lose’. He has gained so much from the scheme, and he would love to encourage others to experience the same.

If you’d like to feature in one of our ‘Meet a Member’ profiles, we’d love to hear from you. Email your name and contact details to info@outdoormobility.org and we’ll be in touch!