Helping you to plan your visit
Path accessibility rating guide
Our path accessibility rating system is designed to give you a clear understanding of the difficulty level you can expect when exploring our nature reserves. The system is divided into four categories, each with its own set of characteristics and challenges, based on the criteria outlined by the Disabled Ramblers Association Ramble difficulty grading. This grading system helps ensure that the paths are accurately described, so you can choose the most suitable route for your abilities and preferences.
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Category 1: This represents paths with generally high-quality surfaces. The route will mostly be smooth and all-weather, with tarmac or good-quality crushed stone as the dominant surface. While there may be short stretches of rougher terrain, such as grass or compressed earth, the path will remain adequately wide (usually 1.5m) with minimal cross slopes (up to 1 in 12). Steep hills will be rare, and the total height climbed will not exceed 30 meters.
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Category 2: Paths in this category will still have good surfaces, but may include longer stretches of stony paths, beaten earth, or grass. The width will generally remain around 1.5m, but some narrow sections down to 1.2m may occur. You might encounter small steps (up to 40mm), and occasional stretches with cross slopes of up to 1 in 8. There could also be short sections with soft going or ruts (up to 40mm), which are usually bypassable. Hills will generally be no steeper than 1 in 10, with a total height climbed of up to 150 meters.
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Category 3: This category covers paths with longer stretches of rough terrain, including stony tracks with larger stones (up to 100mm), wet sections, or some ruts (up to 100mm). You may encounter steps up to 100mm and steeper cambers, sometimes exceeding 1 in 8. Hills may be long and steep, with stretches up to 1 in 5 or occasionally 1 in 4. The total height climbed during the day could be as much as 300 meters.
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Category 4: Paths in this category cover those that fall outside the criteria of the previous categories. They may include very challenging terrain, such as significant steep inclines and difficult surfaces that may present considerable obstacles for visitors. The difficulty level here is the highest, requiring more advanced planning and preparation.
This system is intended to help you plan your visit and understand the physical demands of each path. We have included descriptions for each category to provide you with a clearer picture of what to expect. Please note that the height assessment in this system is based on identifiable hills, not minor ups and downs, to account for the impact of sustained climbs, particularly for those using battery-powered mobility devices.
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