Countryside with Easy Access

Places to visit in the Scottish Borders with some access for wheelchair users.
The following web pages provide information on some good places to visit and enjoy wildlife in the countryside of the Scottish Borders. It is hoped that this will be of some assistance to wheelchair-users and others with limited mobility to plan a visit to the countryside.

For many of the sites there is a contact telephone number of a Manager or Countryside Ranger who could give further details.

This list is not comprehensive and is meant as a guideline only.

The accessibility of a location in the countryside is liable to change with the weather and to be dependent on the physical ability of the wheelchair user, the assistance they have available and the type of wheelchair.

A number of publications are available from Tourist Information Centres. Tourist Information Centres welcome local residents as well as visitors.

Scottish Borders Council Countryside Ranger Service wishes to thank the Ability Centre, Galashiels for their assistance in the updating of this information. A group from the Ability Centre surveyed a number of the sites mentioned in this guide during the years between 2002 and 2007 and sometimes in poor weather. Some of the photographs taken on these visits have been used in this publication. Here are a couple of quotes from the Ability Centre’s Outdoor visit diary:

“We have enjoyed the visits. I didn’t realise there were so many places to visit on our doorstep.”

"Visit enjoyed by group. Hope to return next year in better weather"

The Ability Centre continue to update this information with outdoor visits to countryside locations planned throughout 2008
Scottish Borders Council Countryside Ranger Service produced this information. The Rangers can give further information on general countryside access in the Scottish Borders Area. They would welcome comments on the usefulness of this information, and any suggestions.

A free booklet is available listing many of the locations found on this website. It is called Countryside Visits- Places to visit in the Scottish Borders with some access for wheelchair users.
For a copy please contact
Scottish Borders Council Countryside Ranger Service Harestanes, by Ancrum, JEDBURGH TD8 6UQ
Telephone (01835) 830281
E-mail rangers@scotborders.gov.uk

or Borders Disability Forum, Roxburgh House Court
Roxburgh Street, GALASHIELS TD1 1NY
Telephone (01896) 668578
E-mail enquiries@bdf.demon.co.uk

Note there is information on routes available in other parts of Scotland in a book and also a website as below
Book- "50 wheel-chair friendly trails in Scotland"
with further information on the website: www.walkingonwheels.org