Accessible Chilterns

The Chilterns can provide a range of accessible experiences catering for different needs, see below for some ideas.

Burnham Beeches Sensory Trail takes visitors on a sensory stroll which incorporates five tactile and acoustic sculptures which you can touch, listen and sit on. Or head to Lindengate near Wendover, a unique 6 acre secret garden with a Nature Reserve, Ponds, Heritage Orchard, Kitchen Garden and Sensory Garden with sculptures and heritage-based art hidden across the site.

There is a wheelchair accessible bird hide at College Lake Visitor Centre a Wildlife Trust nature reserve near Tring, and one of the best places in the region for water birds, with many hides overlooking the lake. Or for other quiet nature-watching locations try the tucked-away Warburg Nature Reserve or one of the smaller Wildlife Trust sites.

There are special attractions combining both heritage interest and countryside providing access to extensive gardens and the wider Chilterns landscape – National Trust sites including Greys Court, Hughenden Manor and Nuffield Place. They have accessible trails around the grounds and some have mobility vehicles you can hire. The Chiltern Open Air Museum has an accessible trail allowing you to see many of the reconstructed historic buildings at this fascinating site with extensive grounds. The Museum also offers Sensory Backpacks and there is an Accompanied Walks programme. Take a look at our Visiting the Chilterns pages for further information to help you plan your trip.

You can borrow Trampers (all-terrain mobility scooters) at a number of countryside sites which enable you to explore more widely, including unsurfaced paths and rough terrain. Sites include the Boxmoor Trust near Hemel Hempstead, Wildlife Trust sites including the Warburg Nature Reserve near Henley and most National Trust sites. Not sure what to expect using Tramper? Watch this video..

We believe that the Chilterns should be accessible, welcoming, and accommodating for all individuals, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. Some of the ways we’re working with partners to do this include:

1.  Accessible Infrastructure – Improving the physical infrastructure of rural areas. This includes creating accessible paths, trails, and public facilities with ramps, smooth surfaces, and adequate signage for individuals with mobility challenges.
2. Transportation – Encouraging transport options which accommodate people with disabilities. Goring-on-Thames is a fully accessible railway station providing an accessible gateway to the Thames Path, the Ridgeway National Trail and wider Chilterns countryside, see Accessible Goring.
3. Information and Communication – Providing information about accessible visiting (Chilterns countryside and wider attractions). Ensuring information is available in various formats to cater to diverse needs.
4. Community Engagement – Encouraging community engagement and participation by hosting inclusive events, workshops, and activities that cater to a broad range of interests and abilities.
5. Education and Awareness – Promote awareness of accessibility and inclusion in the Chilterns, working with communities and local businesses.

We are committed to improving access in the Chilterns AONB. For more information on the work we are doing, take a look at our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Ambition Statement.