Accessibility Guide for Carsington Water

Welcome

Located on the edge of the Peak District, Severn Trent's Carsington Water will provide you with a wonderful day out where you can explore stunning countryside and nature at its finest.

Whether you want to explore our wonderful routes and trails, visit our shops, learn about water or enjoy an afternoon tea overlooking the UK's ninth largest reservoir, there is something for everyone.

The Visitor Centre is fully accessible for wheelchair users and can cater for a variety of access requirements individuals may have.

Please contact us for further information regarding accessibility or if you need any support planning your visit. 

We hope you have a wonderful experience! 

At a glance

  • There are three accessible toilets available at the Visitor Centre plus a Changing Place. There is also an accessible toilet available at Millfields car park.
  • Some staff have disability awareness training. 

 

There is level access from the main entrance to:

  • Watermark Cafe 
  • Mainsail Restaurant & Terrace
  • Splatz Ice Cream Parlour 
  • Reception Desk 
  • Courtyard Toilets & Baby Change 
  • Visitor Centre Toilets 
  • Changing Places 
  • RSPB Shop 
  • Clothing at Carsington 
  • The Henmore Room 
  • The Hays Room

There is level access from the car park to:

  • Sheepwash Car Park 
  • Millfields Car Park 
  • Millfields car park toilets
  • Courtyard 
  • Children’s play area
  • Wildlife Centre 
  • The Carsington Sailing Club
  • Lane End Hide
  • Paul Stanley Hide 
  • Sheepwash hide
  • Carsington Sports and Leisure

 

There are steps from the main entrance to:

  •  First Aid Room

 

  • We have a hearing loop at the Reception desk. 
  • The walls and the doors have high colour contrast. 
  • Some parts of the venue have low lighting. 

Getting here and arrival

  • Accessible parking is less than 50 metres from the main entrance.

  • There is a drop-off point in the public bus stop. There is a dropped kerb available.

  • From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

  • There are 23 Blue Badge parking spaces available at the main Visitor Centre car park. 
    Automatic number plate recognition is in operation at the site. Charges apply for Blue Badge holders.

  • You can get to Carsington Water by bus.

  • The nearest bus stop is located at the front of the main entrance to the Visitor Centre providing connections to Ashbourne, Wirksworth and Matlock (110). The bus stop is 78 metres from the Visitor Centre entrance.

  • From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.

  • The path is sloped.

  • The main entrance has level access.

  • The door is 1470mm wide.

  • The main door is sliding and automatic.

Getting around inside

  • The walls and doors have high colour contrast.

  • Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

  • We have 1 lift.

  • You can get a lift to all floors.

Main Visitor Centre Lift

  • The lift door is 750mm wide.

  • The lift is 1080mm wide. The lift is 1300mm deep.

  • The lift buttons have raised numbers or letters.

  • There is a maximum weight capacity (4 people) Emergency bell available 

Reception Desk

  • From the main entrance to the reception desk, there is level access. The route is 1470mm wide, or more. 
  • There are automatic doors to reach reception.
  • The desk has a low section. 
  • At reception you can speak to the team about the mobility trampers, wheelchairs and all terrain mountain trike that are available to use free of charge.
  • Distance from the visitor centre entrance to the exhibition is 14 metres. 
  • The main route through the exhibition is 1330mm wide or more. 
  • Level access throughout.
  • Some low light areas throughout the exhibition with spotlights pointing down at displays. 
  • Distance from the start of the exhibition to the exit is 31.5 metres.

Courtyard Toilets

  • There are two accessible toilets and one baby changing facility.
  • From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. The route is 1470mm wide, or more.

  • The toilet door is 850mm wide.

  • There is 1000mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 495mm high. The toilets have handrails. 

Visitor Centre Toilets

  • There is one accessible toilet available on the first floor of the visitor centre
  • From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. There is a lift.

  • From the lift to the public toilet, the route is 750mm wide, or more.

  • The toilet door is 800mm wide. 

  • The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the left.

  • There is 200mm at the side of the toilet. There is 1000mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 495mm high. The toilets have handrails.

Courtyard changing place

  • There is a Changing Place available in the courtyard.
  • From the main entrance to the changing place there is level access. The changing place is 45 metres from the main entrance. 
  • The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the right. 
  • The toilet has handrails.
  • There is a fold down changing bed with adjustable height, shower, hoist, toilet, sink with adjustable height and hand dryer. 
  • The door to the changing place is a manually operated door, 905mm wide. 
  • A RADAR key is required to open the door. If you do not have a RADAR key but require use of the facility one can be borrowed from reception.

RSPB Shop

  • From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The route is 800mm wide, or more.
  • Hearing loop available.

Courtyard

Carsington Clothing

  • From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The door is 850mm wide.

  • The route through the shop is 800mm wide, or more.

Louise Janetta Art Gallery

  • From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The route is 1450mm wide. 
  • The distance from the main entrance to the shop is 34meters (34000mm).
  • The width of the route through the shop is a minimum of 780mm wide.

Freddie & Co

  • From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The route is a minimum of 1450mm wide. 
  • The distance from the main entrance to the shop is 144.5meters (144500mm) long.
  • The width of the route through the shop is a minimum of 690mm. Wheelchair access may be limited.

Watermark Cafe

  • From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. The route is 1400mm wide, or more. To get to a table, there are no steps.

  • The route through the dining area is 800mm wide, or more.

  • There is no background music.

  • The table and plates have high colour contrast. 

  • The New Leaf catering team cater for sugar free (diabetic), vegetarian, gluten free (celiacs), lactose free (dairy free), nut free, low fat and vegan specific diets.
  • Both indoor and outdoor seating are available with wheelchair access.

Splatz Ice Cream Parlour

  • From the main entrance to Splatz ice cream parlour, there is level access. The route is 1400mm wide, or more. There is no indoor seating available at Splatz. Outdoor seating is available with level access.
  • There is no background music.

Mainsail Restaurant

  • From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. There is a lift. From the lift to dining area, the route is 1400mm wide, or more. To get to a table, there are no steps. 
  • The route through the dining area is 800mm wide, or more. 
  • There is no background music. 
  • The table and plates have high colour contrast. 
  • The New Leaf catering team cater for sugar free (diabetic), vegetarian, gluten free (celiacs), lactose free (dairy free), nut free, low fat and vegan specific diets.

First Aid Room

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is 1 step. There is no lift and no ramp.
  • Access is provided by speaking to the site team. 

The Henmore Room

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a lift.

  • From the lift to this area, the route is 900mm wide, or more. The door is 1500mm wide.

Hays Room

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a lift.

  • The door is 750mm wide.

Getting around outside

Thistley Hollow

  • Thistley Hollow is the large grass are located between the playground and Visitor Centre.
  • There is a permanent ramp. The path is 1500mm wide, or more.

  • Some tables have space for wheelchair users. You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

  • Please note: There are a limited number of picnic benches available of which are wheelchair accessible. Not all wheelchair accessible benches are accessible via pathways. 

Millfields Car Park

  • From the car park to the picnic area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The path is 1700mm wide, or more.

  • Some tables have space for wheelchair users. You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

  • Please note: Not all picnic tables are accessible by pathways.

Sheepwash Car Park

  • From the car park to the picnic area, there is level access. Some tables have space for wheelchair users. You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

  • Please note: There are three picnic benches that are accesible for wheelchair users.
  • Not all picnic tables are accessible by pathway

Visitor Centre

  • The picnic benches are located behind the Visitor Centre.
  • From the car park to the picnic area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The path is 1470mm wide, or more.

  • You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

Lane End Hide

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. The entrance is 900mm wide.

  • Access via compacted Limestone gravel track. 

Paul Stanley Hide

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The entrance is 1000mm wide.

  • Access via gravel/ dirt path.  

Wildlife Centre

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The entrance is 1000mm wide.

  • Access via compacted Limestone gravel track. 
    Access to building via manually operated door. 

Sheepwash Hide

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The entrance is 320mm wide. 
  • Access is via compacted Limestone gravel track.
  • From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. The route is 1470mm wide, or more. 
  • The route through the shop is 800mm wide, or more. 
  • Inclusive cycle equipment is available to hire, booking in advance required. 
  • Two wheelchair accessible boats available to hire for fishing, booking in advance advisable.
  • For more infromation contact 01629 540478 or email enquiries@carsingtonwater.com

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

  • Carsington Sailing Club has specially designed fleet of boats designed for those with limited mobility including Hansa dinghies and a R S Venture Keel.  
    The club offer a range training events and racing opportunities throught the year.  
    For further information please contact 01629 540609.

Millfields Car Park - Toilets

  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.

Children's Play Area

  • There are several accessible pieces of play equipment including swings, sensory boards and a wheelchair accessible roundabout. A harness for the swing are available from the Visitor Centre reception.
  • From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The entrance is 2400mm wide.

Customer care support

  • Wheelchairs are available free of charge. Please provide proof of ID when borrowing a wheelchair. 
  • A hearing loop is available in the Visitor Centre. 
  • Two Trampers are available to hire from reception free of charge, with a two hour use limit in place. The Trampers are hired on a first come first serve basis.
  • Please provide proof of ID when hiring the Tramper. Please note to operate the Tramper you are required to twist the right or left handle and hold it to move.
  • One Mountain Trike is available to hire for free from reception. We have two two-hour time slots available a day, booking is advised. Please provide proof of ID when hiring the Mountain Trike.

 

  • We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors. 
  • In the event of an evacuation the Ranger Team will proceed to evacuate the buildings and the public are asked to reconvine at the fire evacuation point located in the Main Visitor Centre Car Park. 
  • There is a refuge point located on the restaurant balcony on the first floor. 

 

  • Some staff have disability awareness training.

PDF version

If you'd like a PDF version for printing you can find this below.

Carsington Accessibility guide PDF