Our top accessible walks

We’ve picked some of our favourite accessible trails to explore. Enjoy richly scented gardens, the feel of salt wind on coastal clifftops, and listen to birdsong in rolling countryside. Well maintained paths and easy terrain make these routes suitable for buggy walks, wheelchairs and mobility aids.

We want everyone to be able to get out into the countryside, and enjoy breathing fresh air and experienceing the sights, sounds, textures, and smells of nature with friends and family. So, we've created multi-use trails that enable people to experience nature and wildlife without having to go off the beaten track.  

In 2020 we also teamed up with our partner Cotswold Outdoor in the TV series ‘Take to the trails’. This series saw wildlife presenter Lizzie Daly join our rangers on an accessible route suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility aids. You can still enjoy the trail and video below.

Choose your walking trail
An aerial view of Blickling Estate

Blickling Estate, Norfolk 

Enjoy getting out in nature with this route across the Blickling Estate in Norfolk. This flat multi-use trail is accessible for people with buggies and young children, as well as those using wheelchairs and mobility aids, and will take you through woodland and across farmland. Take a peak at what wildlife and historical monuments you could discover along the way in the below 'Take to the Trail' video.

Explore Blickling's nature and history
Wildlife presenter Lizzie Daly joins us on a walk to Skirrid Play Video
Video

Take a multi-use trail with Lizzie Daly

Want a virtual tour of Blickling's multi-use trail? Follow Lizzie Daly and our area ranger Bethan as they Take to the Trail, and discover a lake full of wildlife, ancient lime trees, a mysterious landmark, plus walking tips for all the family.

Discover more walks with Lizzie Daly Take to the trails
Children playing in the woodlands at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire, with scooters and a mum with a pram

The Blue trail, Cliveden, Berkshire  

On this circular, family-friendly route, children can discover all the imaginative play the woods have to offer. 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.

Go down to the woods today
Fallow deer in woodland at Dinefwr, Carmarthenshire

Dinefwr Park wildlife trail, Carmarthenshire 

This circular parkland trail takes in some of the estate’s great wildlife-spotting places, as well as a fascinating medieval castle and 17th-century mansion. It is on mostly level ground and the Dragonfly Walk stretch of this trail is fully wheelchair and pushchair accessible.

Wander the wildlife trail
Malham Tarn Tramper

Fountains Fell and Darnbrook View along the Pennine Way Tramper route, Malham Tarn Estate, Yorkshire 

Experience the jaw-dropping vistas, flower-rich hay meadows, and varied wildlife of the moorland uplands landscape surrounding England’s highest lime-rich lake. This circular route is suitable for Trampers and has reasonably level but moderate terrain across roads, fields, and some unmade tracks, becoming more rutted where it joins the Pennine Way. This remote trail is summer speciality only, so pack a picnic and enjoy the beauty of the Dales with your favourite company.

Roam the Dales
Visitor beside the basalt columns at Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Giant's Causeway green trail, County Antrim 

This accessible clifftop trail boasts incredible views of the Giant's Causeway and is suitable for visitors with mobility concerns, as well as prams, and young children. If the weather is clear, Scotland and the Inishowen Peninsula in Ireland are both visible and at Runkerry Head, you might be lucky enough to spot dolphins and porpoises swimming in the bay.

Plan your coastal adventure
Visitors in the grounds outside the Rotunda at Ickworth, Suffolk

Ickworth river walk and cycle trail, Suffolk  

Follow this multi-use trail past Ickworth Lodge and along the River Linnet, meandering through Ickworth's historic estate. The terrain is flat with gentle slopes, and along the way you'll also discover a restored church with a 13th-century altar and a twisted old oak tree, a popular tea-party spot. This trail has firm footing and is suitable for those using wheelchairs and mobility aids, as well as for buggies and young children. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, especially buzzards, kingfishers and deer.

Follow Ickworth's river route
National Trust omega sign at Bembridge Down, Isle of Wight

Bembridge, Isle of Wight 

Although peaceful today, Bembridge and Culver Downs were once a scene of much military activity. This fairly flat route ambles along the top of the downs, giving fascinating insights into the Isle of Wight’s role in wartime defence and intelligence. The walk is suitable for most wheelchairs and offers spectacular views over Sandown Bay, Whitecliff Bay and Brading Haven.

Discover the Isle of Wight's military past
A family visiting Killerton, Devon

Killerton, Devon 

This route takes you through Killerton's park along firm footpaths before heading into the hillside garden. Here the trail follows gravel paths beneath trees that are full of blossom and flowers in spring, lush and shady in summer, and redolent in red in autumn. Keep an eye out for the giant redwood, the tallest tree in the garden. It is fully wheelchair and pushchair accessible, although there are a few ascents and descents along the way.

Meander through Killerton's garden
Oak trees (Quercus ruber) in the garden at Kingston Lacy, Wimborne Minster, Dorset

Woodland trail, Kingston Lacy, Dorset 

Follow this multi-use trail through quiet woodland and historic carriageways with gorgeous views of the house and parkland. The smooth gravel track makes it perfect for family outings as the route is fairly flat and both pushchair and wheelchair friendly. You can also loan off-road wheelchairs from reception. Other highlights include great picnicking spots, native trees and the estate's herd of red ruby cattle.

Plan your outing
Visitor along the Lake Walk on an electric mobility scooter at Mount Stewart, County Down

The Lake walk, Mount Stewart, County Down 

This easy, family-friendly route takes you on level access gravel and lawn pathways around the lake at the heart of Mount Stewart's gardens. Enjoy the colours of the seasons reflected on it surface as little legs explore the giant leaves of the Gunneras, the stone bridge and stream leading to Ladies's Walk, and the many paths on the slopes above Tir N’an Òg, Land of the Ever Young. This route is also accessible to mobility aids.

Have an adventure in Mount Stewart's gardens
Nelly's Moss lakes in the sunshine

Nelly's Moss lakes trail, Northumberland 

This flat family-friendly trail takes you around two of Cragside's lakes, which used to supply power and water to the house and gardens during Victorian times. The route is short and mostly level, though there are some steps. However here, there is an alternate route option for buggies and wheelchairs following the blue waymark discs. The lakes are now a haven for wildlife so look out for frogs, toads and herons.

Take a turn around Nelly's Moss
Roseland, Porth, Porth Creek

Accessible trail, Porth, Truro  

This circular trail, which is suitable for wheelchairs, has beautiful views over the Roseland's landscape of water and woodlands. The route takes you up gentle slopes overlooking Porth Creek and Froe, bordering farmland and meadows and weaving through woodland, before leading you back down along the creek-side to your finish.

Go for a riverside ramble
View from Salcombe Hill looking down to Sidmouth and the Jurassic coastline

Salcombe Hill, Devon 

This short cliff-top trail offers a fantastic introduction to the South West Coast Path, with far-reaching views over Sidmouth, High Peak, Ladrum Bay and more. The well-maintained gravel path is suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs, so everyone can enjoy a bit of fresh coastal air. Bring a flask and pause to the admire the view from one of the clifftop benches.

Breathe in the sea air above Sidmouth
Visitors with a pram walking on the Royal Burial Ground Sutton Hoo, Suffolk

Accessible route to the Royal Burial Ground, Sutton Hoo, Suffolk  

Follow this multi-access pathway to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Sutton Hoo's Orange Route takes you down footpaths and through woodland up to the Royal Burial Ground, where you can discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasured possessions. It is suitable for active families, with buggy and wheelchair access to edge of the Royal Burial Ground.

Discover the path to an incredible discovery
Mother walking with baby in pushchair on the circular route at Tarn Hows near Hawkshead, Cumbria

Circular trail at Tarn Hows, Cumbria 

Admire views of lakes and mountains on this easy circular trail that can be enjoyed by all the family. The route follows an established, level surfaced path suitable for mobility aids and buggies, with an extension leading up to overlook the Tarn available for the more ruggedly equipped. If you're lucky you might spot some fluffy Belted Galloway cows grazing the landscape.

Take in the Tarn

Our work with Cotswold Outdoor

As our exclusive walking partner, Cotswold Outdoor supports our work to look after special outdoor places for everyone to enjoy. Cotswold Outdoor gives us funding to help care for walking trails so more people can access the countryside. A proportion of the discount they offer our members and supporters also goes back into vital conservation work.

We need your support

Footpaths allow us to access the landscapes we love but looking after them is tough and costly work. Remote locations, rough terrain and poor weather conditions often mean that it can take a full day to repair about two metres of stone-pitched footpath in an upland area. And at a cost of up to £180 per metre, it's expensive too. 

  • £4 could repair and maintain one metre of a coastal path
  • £25 could buy a tonne of stone needed to surface paths and prevent erosion from rainfall
  • £50 could pay for two minutes of helicopter flying time to move bags of stones to the paths that need fixing

Your support is more important than ever as we come to terms with the impact of the coronavirus. Thank you.

Help take care of our walking paths Donate now