Accessible Woodlands
5
5
Date of visit: August 2017
I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets, moving around and understanding.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet
Overall Rating
Excellent
They have really thought about trail access here and you can hire bikes here to suit everyone from wheelchair users to those with visual impairment.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
They have really thought about access with push button wide doors to enter the centre and brick paths around. This also leads directly in to the cafe which in turn opens out onto a wide patio area. The trail paths are hard packed gravel so manageable but a little bumpy in a chair.
Parking & Transport
Good
The entrance is down a small country lane so I think you would have a fair walk from the nearest bus stop. Parking is provided in a separate area for the disabled which is brick laid and leads immediately to the brick path to the visitor centre.. The only problem we had is that the brick paving ended exactly where our ramp ended meaning it was hard to push from the gravel.
Accessible Toilets
Average
Access to the toilet could have been better. There was a heavy door , (no button access), and you had to push through that, (no magnet to hold it back). It then immediately sloped up the passage. This was difficult. The toilet was adequate though rather full of bins. The red cord was tied up out of the way and we did mention this to the reception team and attach a card.
Staff
Excellent
The staff were all very helpful. We went to an exhibition they had on and a staff member had parked their car overhanging the path so we had to go round on the gravel. We mentioned this in passing and someone hurried off to get the person to move it forward.
Additional Information
The bikes offer a tremendous opportunity to explore the trails and the hire prices are reasonable. We saw quite a few wheelchair users whilst we were there, which is unusual for a forest centre and indicative of the work that has gone in to making this an accessible venue.
