Scotland - East Lothian

Denis Duncan House, Dirleton, East Lothian

 Awarded ‘4-star Self-Catering’ and ‘Category 1 Accessibility’ by VisitScotland

This spacious, well-designed 3-bedroomed property provides self-catering accommodation for both the independent wheelchair user and the assisted wheelchair user.  It sleeps 6 people (up to 2 with disabilities) and is set in half an acre of private garden surrounded by mature trees giving holidaymakers a feeling of complete seclusion whilst being in the very heart of this beautiful conservation village only 2 miles west of the attractive seaside town of North

Berwick on the Firth of Forth and 24 miles east of Edinburgh.  Local tourist attractions include the 13^th century Dirleton Castle, the award-winning 5-Star Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick and the Scottish Museum of Flight which features a Concorde.  North Berwick has a wide range of restaurants, shops and other amenities whilst Dirleton boasts a popular pub, family-run hotel, post-office shop and an art gallery that showcases local talent.

The spacious ground-floor disability bedroom has two electrically adjustable beds with cot sides, lifting poles, grab handles and pressure care mattresses and can be accessed from the en-suite bathroom by an overhead track hoist.  In addition to a spacious wet-room shower with tilt-in-space shower commode wheelchair, height-adjustable basin and hi-lo bath with reclining hoist seat, the bathroom features the UK’s first fully installed Clos-o-Mat toilet that washes and dries and is height adjustable.  Items such as a portable intercom and alarm call to the disability bedroom help to provide peace of mind.

The house has a large kitchen-diner with two height-adjustable units – sink and hob-top, and a range of specialist equipment including a ‘talking’ microwave, side-opening oven, heat-proof mugs and angled cutlery; the whole designed to accommodate a wide range of disabilities.  The kitchen leads to the superbly appointed sitting room and a further dining room and conservatory from which holidaymakers can view the landscaped wild-flower garden and perhaps even spot a deer or two!  Upstairs there are two twin-bedded rooms and a bathroom for family members or carers as well as a second sitting room.

There is level access hard-standing and parking for several vehicles outside the front door as well as a paved terrace that provides a delightful relaxing and alfresco dining area with views of the golf course fairway.

Bedding, heating and electricity are included in the weekly tariff whilst bath towels can be hired at the time of booking if required.  The cottage is open all year and prices range from £410 to £865 per week (2010) for the whole cottage depending on the season.  Care can be arranged through local agencies at an extra cost. 

The property is owned and managed by The Lin Berwick Trust, a registered charity, set up to build exceptionally well-designed and carefully equipped holiday accommodation for all including the most severely disabled holidaymaker.