Cambridgeshire 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 Cambridgeshire.
Walks Greenspaces and Countryside
Barford Road Pocket Park - "Barford Road Pocket Park is a 45 acre (18 hectare) site bounded by Eynesbury Manor housing estate and the River Great Ouse. The park has several types of habitat, including grassland, wild flower meadow, woodland, hedgerow, reedbed and flatland" "The park has a number of hard-surfaced footpaths suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs and some benches so you can relax in the lovely surroundings. There is a boardwalk through some of the reedbed around the conservation lake and a woven willow hide where you can observe the wildlife." - from the Huntingdonshire District Council website
Cambridge University Botanic Garden - (charges) - "Most of the Botanic Garden is accessible without steps or stairs, with the exception of some heritage features" "Electric scooters and manual wheelchairs - These are available to borrow free of charge at both the Brookside Gate and Station Road Gate. Pre-booking is recommended. Please telephone 01223 336265 during our Monday-Friday office hours (9am-1pm / 2-4.30pm) or by
Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey - "At the Farmland Musuem and Denny Abbey of course! Here we tell the story of a site that has been farmed for over 2000 years, right up to the 1950s" "Wheelchair access is possible throughout most of the museum, but visitors should be aware that the main access routes around the museum are along gravel paths and grass. Access to Denny Abbey and Walnut Tree Cottage is restricted." - from the Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey website
Ferry Meadows Country Park - "Ferry Meadows is the ideal place for a family day out and one of the largest country parks in the region. Situated less than three miles from Peterborough city centre" "Mobility scooters are welcome on all surfaced paths throughout the Park. Please note that the Riverside Walk is not suitable for mobility scooters or other wheeled vehicles. The Park currently has four mobility scooters and will soon have two Mountain Trikes available for free loan from the Visitor Centre. Pre-booking is recommended" "An accessible changing facility including a height adjustable changing bench, a hoist system and shower is available at Nene Outdoors during the centre's opening hours." - from the Nene Park Trust website
Fowlmere Nature Reserve - "is a well-loved wildlife oasis set within farmland. Its former water-cress beds are now reedbed, fen, chalk grassland and scrub, while the area also holds a small but fine example of a chalk stream, one of the UK’s rarest habitats" "Reception area (on one level) 40 m from the car park. No stiles or steps on trail. Most paths are on boardwalks and hard surfaces, designed to be wheelchair accessible. Other surfaces are uneven and can be soft and muddy after rain. Seats with backs and arms at regular intervals. Drewer Hide, 200 m from car park. Access on level, hard surfaces. Individual chairs. Door latch. Spring Hide, 500 m from car park. Access track less passable in wet conditions. Movable benches. Door latch. Reedbed Hide, 800 m from car park. Access via steep staircase (12 steps) with handrail. Fixed benches. No door." - from the RSPB website
Grafham Water - "Just a few short miles from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, Grafham Water, England's third largest reservoir can be found nestled in 1500 acres of beautiful countryside" "Everything at Grafham Water is wheelchair friendly. The Grafham Water Visitor Centre is all on one level and has a disabled toilet accessed with an abloy key. The Grafham Water Fishing Lodge is on two levels but wheelchair users can access them both, each with its own toilet for disabled users. What’s more, there’s a wheely boat giving disabled access to the water." - from the Anglian Water website
Hinchingbrooke Country Park - "Hinchingbrooke Country Park covers 170 acres of open grasslands, mature woodland and lakes. It is a great place to visit for families, nature spotters, dog walkers and those who wish to enjoy the great outdoors." "We have two Trampers (rugged battery-powered wheelchairs) available for use by our visitors (Please telephone to book)" "A disabled toilet is available that requires a radar key – please ask one of the rangers or cafe staff. A baby changing unit is available in the disabled toilet." - from the Huntingdonshire District Council website
Milton Country Park - "Milton Country Park is located just a few miles north of the city of Cambridge. Created from old gravel pits the park offers a varied natural habitat with woodland, lakes, and attractive pathways suitable for bicycles and wheelchairs. Dogs are welcome and can be walked off-lead anywhere north of the 13th public drain. There is also a visitors' centre, café, two children's playgrounds, and a varied activity and events programme." "Milton Country Park has mainly accessible footpaths which can take a wheelchair. Please note however that paths can get muddy during the winter season, especially the north paths. We have disabled parking nearest the entrance which is free for blue badge holders. Our café has no steps and double doors at entry points and a ramp at the rear of the building to the viewing platform. We have a Changing Places toilet with hoist in the car park accessed with a radar key and a disabled toilet in the café."
Orton Meadows - "Accessible parking bays are available at Orton Mere in the main car park and near the model boat powerboat landing stage on Osier Lake alongside the access road" "Mobility scooters are welcome on all surfaced paths throughout the Park" "The main pathways at Orton Mere are tarmac and relatively flat. Mown grass routes are created around Orton Mere pond. The nearby Thorpe Meadows can be accessed by crossing the Nene Valley Railway and the footbridge over the lock. Please note there is a short ramp with self closing gates to access the railway crossing and a steep section on the path into Thorpe Meadows after the lock on the north side of the River. The paths at Woodston Reach are mostly tarmac but also include firm but muddy sections, a couple of narrow footbridges and significant gradients on the routes between Woodston Reach and Orton Mere and the neighbouring housing estate."
Ouse Valley Way in Huntingdonshire - "Most of the paths along the Ouse Valley Way are unsurfaced so may not be suitable for those with mobility issues. For those with limited mobility, some stiles have been replaced by kissing gates. However, there are hard surfaced paths suitable for wheelchair users at the Riverside Park in St Neots, Paxton Pits Nature Reserve in Little Paxton, Castle Park in Huntingdon and the Thicket in St Ives." - from the Huntingdonshire District Council website
Paxton Pits Nature Reserve - "Paxton Pits Nature Reserve covers 77 hectares of lakes, meadow, grassland, scrub and woodland where you can enjoy a wealth of wildlife all year round. The reserve supports a wide variety of birds, insects, mammals and flora and this variety of wildlife is one of the reasons why Paxton Pits is such a special place. Many different types of dragonflies can be seen around the lakes and ponds in the summer months and Paxton Pits is now nationally recognised as a Dragonfly Hotspot." "There is disabled parking in the car park and wheelchair access to the Visitor Centre and toilets. There is also one disabled toilet. The Heron and Meadow Trails are suitable for wheelchairs via Radar gates (a Radar Key is required). The paths can become muddy during wet weather but the Heron Trail is hard surface most of the way round so is often a preferred route for wheelchairs. Radar keys are sold in the Visitor Centre. There is a ‘Tramper’ electric powered wheelchair which you can book to use during Visitor Centre opening hours." - from the Huntingdonshire District Council website
Thorpe Meadows - "Thorpe Meadows is home to Nene Park’s purpose-built rowing lake, riverside walks and a sculpture collection. Situated to the east of Ferry Meadows Country Park, it is a great place to walk the dog, cycle or jog while enjoying the sculptures" "Accessible parking bays are available in the car park. There is a drop kerb with a slight lip from the car park in this area for access to the path network. Mobility scooters are welcome on all surfaced paths throughout the Park. The main pathway alongside the edge of the rowing lake at Thorpe Meadows is tarmac and relatively flat. The rest of the pathways are uneven limestone and compacted stone surfaces with grass paths mown alongside the river and between some of the sculptures on the south side of the rowing lake." - from the Nene Park Trust website
Wandlebury Country Park - "On the Gog Magog Hills, just south of Cambridge, this beautiful countryside estate offers miles of wonderful walks through woodland and wildflower meadows grazed by Highland Cattle." "The paths immediately around the disabled car park are hard surfaced and there is a disabled toilet. There are no steps or stiles but most paths are unsurfaced." - from the Cambridge Past, Present and Future website
- Download the park leaflet from the Cambridge Past, Present and Future website
Wicken Fen - (NT) - "one of Europe's most important wetlands, supports an abundance of wildlife. There are more than 9000 species, including a spectacular array of plants, birds and dragonflies. The raised boardwalk and lush grass droves allow easy access to a lost landscape of flowering meadows, sedge and reedbeds, where you can encounter rarities such as hen harriers, water voles and bitterns." "Mobility parking - main car park. Adapted toilets - car park and behind the cafe. Grounds - level route from car park along cycle route to Burwell Lode, see property map for details. Sedge Fen - the Boardwalk and Woodland Walk routes are suitable for wheelchair users.
Wort’s Causeway to Horseheath - "The Roman Road from Wort’s Causeway to Horseheath is generally accessible to wheelchairs and mobility scooters but some parts may be muddy in winter or wet weather. Other parts of the route are not readily accessible."