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When I first heard about The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain, I thought "Wow! At last we'll be able to plan weekends away, pub-crawls, or find a cream tea rendezvous without the usual hassles".

However, my initial hopes were somewhat dashed by the guide's by-line of "Great days out for disabled visitors", as it was clear that this wasn't the comprehensive tome I was expecting.

What it actually provides is 100 ideas for accessible days out in Britain. That's why it's only 112 pages long, as opposed to The Rough Guide to Britain - the 2008 version of which will clock in at a whopping 1128 pages. But this is certainly a start, and it is very refreshing to read a book where the whole point is to give proper access information rather than having to trawl through a mainstream guide with a magnifying glass trying to find any notes for disabled people.

The book is divided into eleven colour-coded sections including 'family fun', 'coastal attractions' and 'heritage'. There are maps at the beginning of the book showing where each venue is, and inside the front cover you can find a key to the symbols used throughout the guide. These include 'assisted wheelchair access', 'hearing loop' and 'accessible car parking', amongst others.

Each venue is described in terms of its highlights and pertinent access information, together with practical details and relevant access symbols. The inclusion of small points such as 'smooth paths' and tips on the best entrance to use all give a definite sense that the book has been written by people who know what they are on about.

I was familiar with some entries - Kew Gardens, Beaulieu and Dartmoor National Park - but there were plenty of surprises too. My nose got twitching at the idea of being able to "smell the body part" at the Glasgow Science Centre, I could just imagine my three year-old's face as he took a trip on the 60m high wheelchair accessible water-powered cliff railway at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Powys, and I'd almost be tempted to get on an ice rink using the 'ice chair' at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

If you want to get really active, the 'Sport and Extreme Challenges' and 'Outdoor Activities' sections give details on dog-sledging and skiing in Aviemore, and cycling on the Camel Trail in Cornwall using a wheelchair tandem - a rickshaw contraption where your non-disabled mug of a companion pedals madly behind while you relax and enjoy the scenery.

The book is fundamentally about wheelchair or mobility impairment access, but there are some details on non-mobility access, such as BSL interpreted tours at the National Gallery in London. Apparently, the reptile encounter session at Eagle Heights in Kent "is particularly suitable to someone with a visual impairment" - is that because they can't see that they're about to be handed some sharp toothed beast?

Hopefully, this Rough Guide is the first step towards providing us with our own tome that really will enable us to get out there and explore Britain properly. In the meantime, you could buy a 'mainstream' Rough Guide - get 20% off by using the discount code inside the back cover of the book - and use it in conjunction with this one.

Well, I'm off for a dip in an accessible thermal bath at the Bath Spa to rest my fingers after all this typing. Sounds like heaven.