Berkshire Accessible Countryside
Disabled Access, Wheelchair walks, Easy Access, Access for All, Mobility, Walks on Wheels, Miles without Stiles - whatever the term the following is all about accessibility to the countryside and green spaces of Berkshire.
Walks Greenspaces and Countryside
(For visitor attractions in Berkshire we suggest visiting the Visiting Berkshire UK website which has some basic accessibility info on many of the attraction listings)
Ambarrow Court Nature Reserve - "A disabled access path runs through Ambarrow Court, including handrails and passing places to allow wheelchair and mobility impaired users to access the range of habitats found throughout the site" - from the Bracknell Forest Council website
- there is a copy of a leaflet in our PDF archive
Bowdown Woods Nature Reserve - about 55 hectares (135 acres) - The reserve is made up of three areas - 'Bomb Site': flat and surfaced, and accessible for robust mobility scooters and robust wheelchairs - Bowdown: gentle slopes, soft after rain - Baynes: steep slopes, uneven underfoot, long flight of steps and a boardwalk. - from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust website
Cliveden Blue Walking Trail - (NT) - "The walk is largely level with occasional gentle slopes and follows grass and stone studded footpaths through the woodland of the estate. It's suitable for all-terrain buggies with Play Trail activities situated off the paths" - from the National Trust website
- download a copy of the Trail Map
Cookham (Easy Going Route) - "The majority of the route is flat, and the surface is mainly either grass or tarmac. There are several bridges, the steepest of which has a gradient of 1:4. Benches along the route provide a welcome resting place and refreshments are available both in the village and at The Bounty Cafe and Bar (seasonal) on the furthermost point of the route at Cock Marsh" - "The path is punctuated by swing gates, bridges and RADAR operated kissing gates."- from the Visit Thames website
- there is also a copy of the leaflet in our PDF archive
Dinton Pastures Country Park - We understand that paths are accessible by buggy and wheelchair. Reduced rates and special fishing swims are available for disabled anglers. There is a short waymarked route suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs. Two mobility scooters are available for use on the park after individuals have gone through a short 'driving test' - note this site has a Changing Places facility that requires a radar key (available from the onsite café) - from the Dinton Pastures website
- download the All Access Trail Map
Frost Folly - has "an unsurfaced 2.3 km walking route is provided pleasantly twisting it’s way through the meadows" and "benches are strategically placed around the site as well as several picnic benches around the car parking area" from the Bracknell Forest Council website
- there is also a copy of a leaflet in our PDF archive
Greenham and Crookham Commons - "the largest continuous tract of open heath in Berkshire." "The main tracks across the common are level and accessible for those with limited walking ability, off-road bicycles and off-road mobility scooters. Other waymarked routes are colour coded and cross varying terrain." "There is a café on the site run by Greenham Common Control Tower" - from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust website
Larks Hill - "Larks Hill's hoggin paths are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, although some may become soft in wet weather." "Six pedestrian access points lead onto Larks Hill's hoggin paths which are predominantly suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs (although some may become soft in wet weather)" - from the Bracknell Forest Council website
Longhill Park - The site is generally flat and reasonably accessible for the mobility-impaired. - "The site contains a mixture of woodland and grassland and is generally flat and reasonably accessible, with seating areas dotted around as places to rest and admire the scenery" - from the Bracknell Forest Council website
Maidenhead - (PDF Download) - "A range of paths around this delightful, peaceful, wooded island in the middle of the River Thames." - from the Visit Thames website
Pangbourne Meadows - (PDF Download) - "Walk in meadows next to the river with glorious views of the wooded Chiltern Hills." - from the Visit Thames website
Reading - River Thames Promenade - (PDF Download) - "Walk along a lovely riverside path with a choice of open parkland upstream or urban promenade downstream." - from the Visit Thames website
Shepherd Meadows and Sandhurst Memorial Park - "The site has a network of paths to help visitor access, including tarmac paths suitable for disabled access, hoggin paths along the north bank of the river and cross-field paths to the south of the river. Disabled access paths lead to fishing platforms that are suitable for the mobility impaired. - from the Bracknell Forest Council website
- there is also a leaflet available to download from here
Snelsmore Common - 96 hectares - contains a range of habitats including heathland, wet mires and woodland - "The common is dissected by a number of valley mires so some paths are steep and uneven. A paved circular path 0.75 miles, the Easy Access Trail) is fully accessible by pushchairs and wheelchairs (RADAR key required to fully open gate)." - from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust website
Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre - "The centre, cafe and toilets are wheelchair accessible. The Red Trail around the lake is suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs - from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust website
Westmorland Park - This is an eight-hectare parkland with sports facilities, open grassland, play areas, a pond and mature parkland trees. A surfaced path suitable for wheelchairs runs parallel to the west boundary - also includes Hayley Green Wood Nature Reserve - from the Bracknell Forest Council website