All-ability Access on the Mosses

Main photo credit: Paul Harris

The Mosses have a number of all-ability access visitor facilities and we’re developing more ways for people to enjoy the open skies and tranquility of the Mosses. Here’s a list of some of the access points:

• Sinker’s Fields bird hide
  • Two Blue Badge parking spaces just off Moss Lane, close to the entrance to the hide
  • All-ability access pathway from car park to hide
  • Wheelchair-accommodating space inside the hide. this is a wide space with a low window overlooking the pools
• Mammoth Tower
  • The canal towpath route to the tower is wheelchair accessible although not properly surfaced for wheelchair users, so it can be difficult going. The towpath is maintained by Canals & Rivers Trust.
  • Several benches along the towpath provide stopping points; they’re about 200 metres apart.
  • There is a boardwalk from the canal towpath to the tower that’s wheelchair accessible, along with a ground-level platform.
    • We plan to widen the boardwalk to accommodate motorised buggies in the near future.
  • There are benches at the platform with viewing out over the Mosses.
  • When the interpretation is installed at the tower, it will include a periscope to give the same birds’-eye view of the Mosses to people who don’t climb the tower steps.
• Disabled mooring for canal boats: There is a mooring near the turning to the Mammoth Tower.
• Trails within the Mosses
  • The trails are marked and the landscape is flat. However, the trails are not paved and can be muddy.
  • There are benches at intervals along the History Trail and one about half-way around the circular trail on Bettisfield Moss.
• Disused railway
  • Again, this is flat ground. It’s raised up a bit above the level of the Mosses, so can be a bit drier than the other trails in wet weather but, again, this can be muddy in rainy weather.

We’re working on providing more all-ability access to the Mosses. We’ll update this page as work progresses.