Carrie-Ann Lightley

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Carrie-Ann Lightley

Award winning disabled blogger, writer, speaker and content creator. Passionate about accessible travel, with 20 years experience in the industry.

03/09/2026

Ad Really lovely to see my story featured by Passenger Assistance 🩷

I’ve been travelling by train independently for years, and while every journey comes with its own considerations, that independence gives me a huge sense of freedom.

In the piece, I share what a good rail journey looks like for me, why I use Passenger Assistance for many of my trips, and the importance of disabled passengers having choice in how they travel - Turn Up and Go is a legal right.

Thanks to the Passenger Assistance team for sharing my experience. You can read the full story via their post below 👇

(Passenger Assistance paid me for my time taking part in the interview featured in their post).

02/09/2026

This one brings back such lovely memories. 🚢

Last year I sailed on P&O Cruises’ Arvia, exploring the ship and its ports from a wheelchair user’s perspective. I wrote about the experience for Travel Without Limits magazine, and I’m so pleased that the full feature is now available to read online.

From my accessible cabin and life on board to shore excursions, port access and a few of the challenges along the way, I’ve shared what the experience was really like and the details I’d want to know before booking.

A huge thank you to Travel Without Limits for giving me the space to tell the story, P&O Cruises Press Office for hosting us, and Limitless Travel for making the trip possible. 🩷

You can now read the full article via the link in the comments ⬇️

And yes, looking through these photos has made me want to get back on a ship immediately. 😍

31/08/2026

✨ A lovely bit of news to start the week! I’m a finalist in the Travel Accessibility Champion category at the 2026 Travel For Every Body Awards.

Proud to be shortlisted! I’m also in some brilliant company, so a huge congratulations to all the other finalists. 💜

Fingers crossed for October! 🤞

28/08/2026

Every so often, I save a message that stops me in my tracks. These are a few of them. 💗

People booking their first trip abroad in years. Someone feeling confident enough to travel again after becoming disabled. Families discovering what to look for when planning a holiday. Readers finding places, resources and possibilities they didn’t know existed.

This is the part of my work that matters most to me.

I love travelling, writing, creating content and getting to call this my job, but the community around it all is my ultimate driving force. Knowing that sharing what I learn might make someone else feel more informed, more confident or simply more able to imagine themselves taking that trip means more than any byline, award or number on a screen ever could.

Accessible travel can still require far too much research, planning and persistence. If something I share makes that process a little easier, or gives someone the confidence to say “maybe I can do this”, then I’ve done what I set out to do.

And to everyone who has ever sent me a message like these, commented, shared your own experience or passed something I’ve written on to somebody who needed it: thank you. You’re a huge part of why I keep doing this. 🫶🏼✨

24/08/2026

Rome taught me a lot about accessible travel ♿️

Some of the places I expected to be difficult were surprisingly straightforward in my wheelchair. Others looked accessible on paper, but crowds, cobbles or awkward routes made the experience much harder.

The Colosseum was easier than I expected. The Roman Forum was the toughest. The Vatican Museums showed me that an accessible route can still feel uncomfortable when you’re moving against the flow of hundreds of people.

And some of the biggest lessons came from the smallest things: a kerb, a smoother patch of cobbles, knowing where the right entrance is, or simply having good information before you arrive 🗺️

I’ve shared 10 things I learned exploring Rome as a wheelchair user, including the places I’d return to and the access details I wish I’d known beforehand.

Save this if Rome is on your list 🇮🇹✨

Have you visited Rome as a disabled traveller? What did you find easier or harder than expected?

19/08/2026

Manchester has been one of my favourite UK city breaks for years, so I loved getting the chance to look at it properly through an accessibility lens for The Independent. ♿️🐝

My latest guide covers how I get around the city as a wheelchair user, from the brilliant Metrolink to the areas where you can explore without having to plan every single stop in advance.

I’ve also shared some of my favourite places to eat, shop and visit, including Afflecks, Manchester Art Gallery and Freight Island, plus two hotels I’ve stayed in and would genuinely recommend for wheelchair accessible stays.

Manchester still has its access compromises, of course. But what I really value is the amount of choice. If one place doesn’t work, there’s often another option nearby, and that makes a huge difference to how relaxed a city break can feel.

My accessible Manchester guide is now live on The Independent. 🩷

🔗 Read the full article via the link in the comments.

Have you visited Manchester? I’d love to know how you found the accessibility.

17/08/2026

Apparently being “cringe” can take you to some pretty incredible places 😂

I loved this reel from so much that I had to borrow the idea. Thank you for the inspo 🩷

Putting myself and my work out there has led to opportunities I could never have imagined, from travelling to some amazing wheelchair accessible places to working with brilliant brands and organisations along the way.

There are still moments when posting, pitching, speaking up or trying something new makes me cringe at myself a little. I’m doing it anyway.

So here’s to being cringe, taking up space and seeing where it takes you ✨

Video description: Carrie-Ann, a wheelchair user, appears in clips from accessible travel and client work. On screen text opens: “Did you see her posts? She’s so cringe.” Client names then appear over scenes of beach access, train travel, adapted accommodation, speaking, filming and exploring destinations.

15/08/2026

A little life lately 📸

Work trips, good food, lovely people, animals, home days and plenty of moments worth keeping. 🩷

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Staveley
LA8 9PL

Website

https://www.carrieannlightley.com/

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