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Forests with accessible facilities for people with disabilities

There are a range of forests in Northern Ireland which have facilities which are accessible for people with disabilities. These facilities include car parking, toilets, lecture rooms and exhibitions.

Table showing forests with accessible facilities for people with disabilities

Forest name Accessible car parking Accessible toilets Path grade - best available Motability scooter trail Other accessible facilities on site
Ballypatrick No Yes Red No None
Glenariff Yes Yes Red No Café, visitor exhibition, picnic tables
Portglenone Yes (spaces not line marked but cars can park directly beside toilets) Yes Red No Picnic tables
Somerset Yes (three spaces) No White Yes Picnic tables
Garvagh Yes (spaces not line marked but cars can park near to picnic tables) No Red No Picnic tables
Belvoir Yes Yes (but only available to pre-booked groups, eg schools) Blue No Visitor exhibition, lecture room, picnic tables
Castlewellan Yes Yes Blue Yes Café, Grange Hall (lecture room), peace maze, picnic tables
Tollymore Yes Yes Blue No Picnic tables
Gosford Yes Yes Blue Yes Café, education room, poultry and deer enclosures, picnic tables
Slieve Gullion No Yes (located in leased buildings) Red No Café, walled garden, picnic tables

Graded paths

Some forests have paths which are colour-graded, according to the degree of accessibility of the facilities.

White paths

  • universally accessible
  • level
  • edges clearly defined
  • no overhanging branches
  • hard surface with few loose stones
  • rest areas every 100 metres
  • way-finding markers every 100 metres
  • distance to go markers every 100 metres

Blue paths

  • no steps or gullies
  • slight gradient (1:12 max)
  • edges generally defined
  • no overhanging branches
  • firm surface with some loose material
  • rest areas generally every 300 metres
  • way-finding markers every 300 metres
  • distance to go markers every 300 metres

Red paths

  • steps, gullies, tree roots
  • moderate gradient (1:4)
  • generally undefined edges
  • overhanging branches
  • broken surface material
  • some rest areas at irregular intervals

Black paths

  • Steps, gullies, fences, streams, boulders
  • Severe gradients
  • Generally undefined edges
  • Overhanging branches
  • All types of terrain
  • Some rest areas at irregular intervals
  • Way-finding markers at trail junctions
  • Distance to go markers at trail junctions