Kent Bluebell Wood – ©Fatbirder
Kent Reserves
Each of the following links lead to a BFA assessment of the reserve by BFA members and others, using the BFA form. ALL types of mobility problem are assumed so there are details of path surfaces, gradients and distances as well as benches and hide details.
Dungeness RSPB Reserve (RSPB)
Oare Gunpowder Works Country Park (Swale Borough Council)
Oare Marshes Reserve (Kent Wildlife Trust)
Pegwell Bay Country Park (Kent Country Parks)
Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory (Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust)
Stodmarsh Reserve (Natural England)
Kent Mobility Scooter Provision
The following sites have mobility scooters for hire… it is ALWAYS wise to enquire in advance to ensure one is available:
Bedgebury Pinetum
For wheelchair users, new surfaces and gentler gradients allow better access to new parts of the Pinetum and forest. Path surfaces around the Pinetum and Play Trail are all firm and vary from tarmac to a hardened and compacted surface, some with a sprinkling of fine stones c.20mm. There is one area of boardwalk leading down from the visitor centre to the Pinetum that wheelchair users may find a little bumpy, though there is an alternative route available if this is likely to cause a problem. Some manual wheelchair users may need assistance. They have 1 Tramper (an all terrain personal mobility vehicle) is available for hire by visitors. Please contact their visitor services team at the visitor centre for more information – 01580 879820 or E-Mail
High Elms Country Park Local Nature Reserve London Borough of Bromley
High Elms Country Park, Shire Lane, Orpington, BR6 7JH offers 250 acres of countryside to explore combined with a 150-acre golf course. The estate is 15 miles from central London, located on the ridge of the North Downs on the rim of the Thames basin. Visitors to the estate can enjoy the woodlands, nature centre and wildflower meadows. The site is also home to BEECHE (Bromley Environmental Education Centre at High Elms) which is a sustainable education and visitor centre. High Elms is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve, enjoying the support of local environmental groups as well as the Friends of High Elms, Natural England and the Forestry Commission. There are chalk meadows and woodlands that support a variety of wildlife including species that are rare in London. Telephone 01689 862815 or EMail They have 2 Trampers for hire and their contact number is 020 8313 4851.
Knole Park National Trust
Kent’s last medieval deer park is home to a 350-strong wild deer herd. They’re descendants of those hunted by Henry VIII and roam the 1,000 acres of parkland year-round. Knole’s parkland is exceptional in its vast size and unmanaged landscape. Expect trees fallen and left to nature and bracken thick with protected wildlife. Knole is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which means they have to work hard to ensure the park remains a thriving habitat for its range of wildlife. The park is made up of many different areas – acidic grassland, parkland, woodland and ponds – and each is home to a range of flora and fungi as well as a clutch of rare invertebrates. They have 1 Tramper for hire and their contact number is 01732 467175.
Shorne Woods Country Park Kent County Council
Easy Access Trail for those less mobile – also see Archive PDF download and Shorne Woods Country Park The park has easy access features and facilities. Paths are largely suitable for electric scooters. They have 3 Tramper mobility scooters available for hire. It costs £2 for a 2 hour session. Before hiring a Tramper for the first time, you will need to complete a 25 minute practical induction session. You can pre-book your training session by calling 03000 414747. You must be able to get onto and off the Tramper unaided, as our staff are not trained to help with this.