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Accessibility
Car parking
The car park is tarmac. There are three disabled bays 30 m from the visitor centre.
There are no kerbs - all is at the same level.
Visitor centre and toilets
The visitor centre is all at ground level, with no steps or kerbs. The centre is accessible to all, paths and facilities around the visitor centre are classified as Zone A.
There is a bird feeding area viewable from a classroom (when not used for teaching), and monitors showing live views from the reserve.
Toilets are at the back of the visitor centre and include an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities.
Wheelchair loan
A robust wheelchair is available for visitors: there is no charge for this.
Access to trails
Access to the nature reserve is through the visitor centre via a hard path. Paths linking the hides are flat with some grass areas, and mostly conform to Zone A, although, the path surface has not yet been laid and therefore are classified as Zone B. Some parts of the paths are narrow, but passing places are provided. Paths are level and low gradient ramps are provided for bridges.
A RADAR key may be borrowed, from the visitor centre, for access to the Otter trail (locked gate next to turnstile - see below). Along the Otter Trail, which starts 900 m from the visitor centre, there are three hides all with adapted viewing places, managed by the Herts Middlesex Wildlife Trust.
Beyond the Otter hide, the paths are hard-surfaced. Access back to the visitor centre is via the Toll Road, a quiet road that currently has no path along the whole length.
Along the Kingfisher Trail, which starts 480 m from the visitor centre, there are three hides and several viewpoints, all accessible to wheelchairs.
Along the Moorhen Trail, which starts at the visitor centre, there are three hides. Draper hide is 300 m from the visitor centre, the path classified as Zone A; the viewing area is accessed via a short ramp. A raised pond, 500 m from the visitor centre, gives excellent views of pond life.
The whole site would be accessible to tramper or powered buggies.
Hides and viewpoints
Ashby hide is 600 m from the visitor centre; there are two wheelchair bays at ground level, the upper part of the hide is only accessible by steep steps. Moorhen hide is 550 m from the visitor centre; access is across a bridge then up a small flight of steps.
Lapwing hide is 40 m from disabled bays in car park, via a hard path. The hide has wheelchair bays throughout, and the seating, chairs and benches, are not fixed and may be moved aside for wheelchairs. The path to this hide is classified as Zone A also.
The Tern hide and Gadwall hide back on to each other looking over different lagoons, 700 m from the visitor centre both are accessed via a ramp; there is one adapted viewing place in each hide, but manoeuvring a wheelchair may be difficult.
The Kingfisher hide is 750 m from the visitor centre; there is a purpose built ground floor hide, which takes two wheelchairs; the upper part of the hide is accessible up a steep flight of stairs.
The Warbler hide is 1,300 m from the visitor centre and is accessed via a ramp. The other two hides are accessed through a one-way turnstile: there is a locked gate beside it, which may be accessed using a RADAR key (one is available from the visitor centre if needed). Once through the turnstile, the route back to the visitor centre is 1,500 m.
The Otter hide is 100 m from the gate/turnstile, and 1,450 m to the visitor centre; it is accessed by two sections of boardwalk. The Water Vole hide is 550 m from the gate/turnstile, and 995 m to the visitor center, and accessed by a boardwalk.