Places to visit for all abilities

Overview

Many of our woodlands and National Nature Reserves can be enjoyed by everyone whatever their ability.

Some of our walking trails follow wide trails that are wheelchair and pushchair-friendly and there are accessible cycling trails and boardwalks at some of our sites.

All of our visitor centres, cafes and toilets are accessible and some sites also have accessible play areas.

Read on for an overview of our accessible facilities at the woodlands and National Nature Reserves we look after across Wales.

Then follow the links to the web pages about each woodland or National Nature Reserve to find out more and decide which one is right for you.

Places with barrier free walking trails 

There are walking trails suitable for all abilities in our woodlands and National Nature Reserves all over Wales. 

All our trails are waymarked from the car park and some have sections of boardwalk.

Follow the links to the web pages about each site where you will find more details about the facilities to help you decide which trail is right for you.

Places with barrier free walking trails - north Wales

Cadair Idris National Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre, near Dolgellau

For grandeur and rugged beauty, few locations can equal the National Nature Reserve at Cadair Idris, a spectacular mountain in the south of Snowdonia National Park.

• Dol Idris Lake Walk
• Parkland Circuit
• Accessible visitor centre, toilet and car parking

Find out more about Cadair Idris National Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre

Coed Moel Famau Forest, near Mold

Moel Famau Country Park is at the heart of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

• Clwydian Range Accessible Trail

Find out more about Coed Moel Famau Forest

Coed y Brenin Forest Park, near Dolgellau

Coed y Brenin Forest Park offers visitors the total woodland experience within Snowdonia National Park.

• Glasdir Accessible Trail (from Pont Llam yr Ewig car park)
• Forest Garden Trail (from Forest Garden car park)
• The King’s Guards Trail (from Ty’n y Groes car park)
• Afon Eden Trail (from visitor centre car park)
• Accessible visitor centre, toilet and car parking
• Accessible play area

Find out more about Coed y Brenin Forest Park

Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve

A native woodland and a dramatic waterfall in a spectacular mountain setting.

• path from car park to waterfall (challenging route wide enough for wheelchairs with compacted surface, gradual and continuous climb and kissing gates with RADAR locks). Please note: there are some steeper sections and loose and exposed stones in some places
• Reserved disabled parking space (Bont Newydd car park)
• Accessible toilets (Natural Resources Wales car park)

Find out more about Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve

Llyn Crafnant, Gwydir Forest, near Betws y Coed

Llyn Crafnant lake is three quarters of a mile long and lies in a beautiful valley where the northern edge of Gwydir Forest meets the lower slopes of the Carneddau mountains.

• Afon Crafnant Amble
• accessible toilets and blue badge parking (next to the Afon Crafnant Amble)

Find out more about Llyn Crafnant

Morfa Dyffryn National Nature Reserve, near Barmouth

Sand dunes and seashore in a coastal landscape of unrivalled beauty and variety.

• Boardwalk

Find out more about Morfa Dyffryn National Nature Reserve

Newborough National Nature Reserve and Forest, Anglesey

Discover this unique landscape shaped by wind and sea.

• Two wheelchair-friendly trim trail exercise stations (from Cwnhingar car park)
• Red Squirrel Walk – the section to viewpoint over lake (from Llyn Park Mawr car park, Newborough Forest)
• Accessible bird hide (from Llyn Rhos Ddu car park)

Find out more about Newborough National Nature Reserve and Forest

Places with barrier free walking trails - mid Wales

Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre, near Aberystwyth

Well-known for its daily tradition of feeding red kites, Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre sits at the head of a dramatic valley with views of Cardigan Bay and the Cambrian Mountains.

• Barcud Trail
• Accessible play area
• Accessible visitor centre, toilet and car parking

Find out more about Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre

Coed y Bont community woodland, near Tregaron

Coed y Bont is a community woodland situated on the edge of the village of Pontrhydfendigaid in Ceredigion made up of two adjoining woods. The community association has developed a range of facilities for local people and visitors including two level accessible walking trails with several benches along the route.

• Aspen Trail
• Birchwood Trail

Find out more about Coed y Bont community woodland

Cors Caron National Nature Reserve, near Tregaron

An untamed mix of raised bog, reedbed, wet grassland, ponds, streams and patches of woodland.

• Cors Caron Walk
• Old Railway Walk

Find out more about Cors Caron National Nature Reserve

Cors y Llyn National Nature Reserve, near Rhayader

A small and peaceful spot with one of the best wildflower-rich meadows in mid Wales and a woodland of unusual stunted trees.

• Cors y Llyn Walk

Find out more about Cors y Llyn National Nature Reserve

Dyfi Ynyslas National Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre, near Aberystwyth

A stunning landscape of estuary, sea and mountain which is home to a remarkable range of habitats.

• Dune Trail (400 metre accessible section)
• Accessible visitor centre, toilet and car parking

Find out more about Dyfi Ynyslas National Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre

Hafren Forest, near Llanidloes

Hafren Forest takes its name from the Welsh for the River Severn which passes through the forest and drops into the dramatic Cascades Falls.

• Cascades Walk

Find out more about Hafren Forest

Places with barrier free walking trails - south Wales

Brechfa Forest, near Carmarthen

Brechfa Forest is the modern name for part of the ancient Glyn Cothi Forest.

• Gwarallt Walk (from Gwarallt car park)

Find out more about Brechfa Forest

Coed y Cerrig National Nature Reserve, near Abergavenny

Lying in a small deep valley shaped by glaciers, Coed y Cerrig National Nature Reserve is hidden away in the southern part of the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

• Alder Tree Boardwalk

Find out more about Coed y Cerrig National Nature Reserve

Cwm Rhaeadr, near Llandovery

Cwm Rhaeadr, which means “valley of the waterfall” in Welsh, is a remote woodland and picnic area situated in the upper Tywi valley in Carmarthenshire.

• All ability trail

Find out more about Cwm Rhaeadr

Dinas Rock, Brecon Beacons National Park

There is nowhere in Wales with as many spectacular waterfalls in such a small area as Waterfall Country and Dinas Rock car park is the starting point for a short, all ability walk to the spectacular Sgydau Sychryd cascades.

• Sgydau Sychryd Trail (suitable for more robust wheelchairs and buggies)

Find out more about Dinas Rock

Garwnant Visitor Centre, near Merthyr Tydfil

This beautiful woodland and visitor centre is the southern gateway to the Brecon Beacons.

• Willow Walk
• Accessible play area
• Accessible visitor centre, toilet and car parking

Find out more about Garwnant Visitor Centre

Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve, near Newport

One of the best sites in Wales to see wild birds, reedbeds, saltmarsh and saline lagoons.

• Orchid Trail
• Woodland and Estuary Trail
• Wetlands Experience (combination of the Orchid Trail, the Woodland and Estuary Trail and part of the Wales Coast Path)
• Accessible visitor centre, toilets and car parking

Find out more about Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve

Pant y Sais National Nature Reserve, near Swansea

Pant y Sais and nearby Crymlyn Bog are wetland sites with boardwalks through the heart of the fen.

• Pant y Sais Walk

Find out more about Pant y Sais National Nature Reserve

Spirit of Llynfi Woodlands, near Bridgend

This community woodland is located on the site of a former colliery.

• All ability route

Find out more about Spirit of Llynfi Woodlands

Places with accessible play areas

The play areas in these woodlands make the most of their natural setting and are a great place for little ones of all abilities to let off steam.

Follow the links to the web pages about each woodland where you will find more details about the facilities to help you decide which one is right for your visit.

• Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre, near Aberystwyth
• Coed y Brenin Forest Park Visitor Centre, near Dolgellau
• Garwnant Visitor Centre, near Merthyr Tydfil

Accessible visitor centres

Sometimes you just want a day out somewhere with a few home comforts.

Our visitor centres have all you need to make your visit an easy one.

From shops selling ice cream to accessible cafés and toilets, we’ve got all your needs covered.

Follow the links to the web pages about each visitor centre where you will find more details about the facilities to help you decide which one is right for your visit.

• Afan Forest Park, near Port Talbot (privately run visitor centre adjacent to starting point for our walking and mountain bike trails)
• Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre, near Aberystwyth
• Cadair Idris National Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre, near Dolgellau
• Coed y Brenin Forest Park, near Dolgellau
• Dyfi - Ynyslas National Nature Reserve, near Aberystwyth
• Garwnant Visitor Centre, near Merthyr Tydfil
• Llyn Alwen and Llyn Brenig, Hiraethog Forest, near Denbigh (visitor centre run by Dŵr Cymru)
• Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve, near Newport (visitor centre run by RSPB)

Our work to make our sites more accessible to all

This web page is just one aspect of the work we are doing to make our sites more accessible, inclusive and welcoming so that everyone can enjoy the outdoors.

Read our blog to find out more about our work to improve access for all.