Accessibility
We work hard to provide a friendly, accessible environment for all our visitors and the widest possible access to our buildings, facilities, trails, and events.
Getting here and parking
Moors Valley is easily accessible by car, signposted with brown tourist information signs from the A31 at Ashley Heath or approach roads from West Moors.
There are 13 accessible parking spaces signposted on the main car park signs, near the ice cream kiosk. If your vehicle is exempt from road tax due to disability reasons, that vehicle may park for free. To have your parking validated simply come to the Information Point inside the Visitor Centre with your registration number and one of the following:
- V5 vehicle registration document
- Enhanced PIP (Personal Independence Payment) certificate
- Certificate of entitlement (in the form of Certificate of Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance, An Annual Certificate of Entitlement or a DLA 404 Certificate)
You must be visiting in the car that the tax exemption applies to, for the free parking to apply. For frequent visitors, an annual pass is also available.
Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre is approximately 100m from the car park along a tarmac footpath which is fairly smooth however there are some short sections where the gradient is 10% or more.
Access to the Visitor Centre is through wide, automatic doors. There is a low, accessible section of the main desk area for visitors who may require use of a low, level surface. Chairs can also be provided for comfort when using the desk.
An induction hearing loop is available and we are happy to provide large print leaflets on request. A braille version of the map leaflet is available on request. Please ask a ranger at the Information Point for more information.
Dogs, including assistance dogs, are welcome at the Information Point and retail area. At the rear of the Visitor Centre, there is a patio area for the restaurant which can be accessed via a slope. Wheelchair-accessible picnic tables are provided.
The toilets including a Changing Places standard toilet with a tracking hoist system (Safe Working Load is 200kg / 440lbs maximum) and a height-adjustable changing bed inside a private cubicle can be found on the outside of the building. A RADAR key is required for this Changing Places standard toilet, please ask our rangers at the Information Point for a loan key if you do not have your own.
Additional accessible toilets can be found at Kingsmere Railway Station and inside the Golf Centre.
Getting around
Our friendly rangers at the Information Point in the Visitor Centre are happy to help advise you on the best routes available to suit your needs to make the most of your visit.
There are many paths and waymarked trails at Moors Valley covering a range of terrain and habitats. Some routes are more accessible than others. Please speak to the ranger team to discuss these routes further.
The waymarked routes are marked with posts with a band in the appropriate colour. Visitors with colour vision deficiency might struggle to tell the difference between some of the colours. Please ask a ranger for further assistance. A map showing all the routes is available from the Visitor Centre, priced £1.
These are some of the most popular routes:
Lake and Riverside Walk – 3/4 mile (1.2km)
A fairly flat tarmac path around Moors Lake, waymarked with round posts with brown bands. This route has plenty of resting places however there is one short, steep rise and fall over the railway (1:4 and 1:5 gradient) which might be difficult in a low-powered mobility scooter or manual wheelchair. A handrail is provided on this section. Toilets at the Kingsmere Railway Station can be found halfway along the route’.
A more detailed accessibility map is available to download for this route. A Large Print Guide is available to borrow from the Visitor Centre for this trail giving information about the wildlife you might see or hear. Please ask at the Information Point for a copy.
The Play Trail and Tree Top Trail – 1 mile (1.6km)
Clearly waymarked by fingerposts and with 10 unique wooden play sculptures along the route, the Play Trail is a favourite with families. The trail follows unsurfaced forest tracks so there can be uneven sections and exposed tree roots in places, so if you have anything other than an all-terrain mobility scooter please ask a ranger for suitability. The optional extra route takes you to the Tree Top Trail which is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. However, these can follow the connecting path on the ground. Picnic tables are provided at the Snake Pit and Webs structures.
The Corsican Circuit – 2 miles (3.2km)
Starting at the Visitor Centre this circuit takes you in a loop through the forest along level, wide compacted gravel tracks. This track is also a cycle route.
The Crane Loop – 2 miles (3.2km)
This loop can be accessed from the Corsican Circuit and takes you alongside the Crane Lake and River through the Golf Course. This route consists mainly of tarmac, with some gravel and dirt sections. It is narrow in places with one short hill and is suitable in all weather conditions. There is an additional section that takes you out of Moors Valley into Potterne Park and returns via Potterne Wood.
A map showing the most accessible tracks is available to download or from the Information Point.
Countryside Mobility Scheme
Mobility Scooter Hire
Two ‘Tramper’ mobility scooters are also available to hire as part of the South West Countryside Mobility Scheme. Please see the Countryside Mobility Scheme page for details on how to join and membership fees.
Please contact the rangers before booking if you would like advice on which would be most suitable for your use. Maximum weight 159kg / 25 stone.
Manual Wheelchair Hire
A manual wheelchair is available to hire from the Visitor Centre for up to a maximum of 4 hours per visit. The wheelchair is suitable to use in the area close to the Visitor Centre and the tarmac path around Moors Lake. Off-road access is limited as the wheelchair is not designed for off-road use. If you’d like to explore the forest or gravel trails, a Mobility Tramper may be more suitable.
Deposit and ID
Please note there is no charge, but a £10.00 deposit and photo ID are required before hiring the wheelchair.
Other facilities
Fishing – A platform to enable people in wheelchairs to fish is located on the Moors Lake. At times of particularly high water, this platform may be submerged.
Moors Valley Railway – Seats on the railway carriages must be straddled. Please contact the railway directly to find out about the suitability of the carriages (01425 471415). Unfortunately, the railway cannot accommodate a wheelchair. Steam locomotives emit smoke, steam and ash and also have loud whistles.
Go Ape Adventure Activities – Whilst the courses are designed to be accessible to most people they do offer a degree of physical and mental challenge. For some persons with additional needs, this may mean that additional equipment and/or levels of supervision will be required for safe participation. For others the risks of injury may still be too great despite taking such additional measures, preventing their use of the course. Please contact Go Ape for further information 01603 895500.
Cycling – A fleet of adaptive bikes including hand-powered bikes are available to use at Moors Valley during Accessible Cycling sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please see the events pages for more information, or call the Health and Activity Team on 01425 480811. A fleet of adaptive bikes, including hand-powered bikes are available to use at Moors Valley during Accessible Cycling sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please see the events pages for more information, or call the Health and Activity Team on 01425 480811.
Autism Guide
We have a ‘Visual Story’ of Moors Valley Country Park designed as a guide for people with autism.
British Sign Language Tour
Watch our British Sign Language Tour and learn more about Moors Valley Country Park.
Guided Walks and Events
Moors Valley has a full range of events throughout the year. Most can be adapted to meet individual requirements. If you would like to attend one of our events but have concerns about accessibility, please get in touch so we can discuss how we can best accommodate your requirements.
Mobile Phone Coverage
Free Wifi is available at the Visitor Centre. Mobile reception across the site varies between providers. Emergency calls can be made from the Visitor Centre – please ask the rangers at the Information Point.
Our accessibility promise:
We are committed to inclusivity and work hard to provide a friendly, accessible environment for all our visitors and the widest possible access to our trails, buildings and events.
We promise to:
- Place access and inclusivity at the heart of our operation
- Do everything we can to remove barriers to participation
- Positively encourage feedback on how we can improve
- Work with individuals and organisations that can help us to be more accessible and inclusive
- Invest in access and inclusivity facilities, equipment and processes
- Regularly monitor our progress
