Black Mountains Cross Border
Demonstration Project

Improving Access Opportunities in the Black Mountains

For many disabled people, the past few years have seen significant improvements in the provision of better access to the wider urban community; and the implementation of the final stage of Part 3 of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) will, hopefully, bring about further improvements. However, improvements to provide better access to the wider countryside have only recently started to be made - partly due to the requirements of the DDA and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW 2000) - and partly due to the increasing public awareness that disabled people want to enjoy the same quiet environment of the countryside that is experienced by able-bodied people. Legislation now requires that the needs of disabled people be taken into account by those organisations and individuals with a responsibility for providing access to the countryside - with reasonable opportunities being provided for disabled people. Clearly, changes made to improve access for those with mobility or visual impairments will inevitably improve access for a large number of other people too.

The Black Mountains is an area of beautiful and rugged landscape that many disabled people may not have considered visiting before because it could be thought of as inaccessible. Like most areas of upland countryside, the terrain of the Black Mountains imposes limits on how much of it can be made accessible - steep gradients, cross-slopes and track surfaces all adding to the problem. Also, the area is a vibrant working community, with many landowners raising sheep and cattle - which have to be controlled by secure boundary barriers of some sort. However, despite these constraints there are areas that are accessible, and part of the work of the Project Steering Group is to provide sufficient information so that visitors can decide for themselves what may be suitable for them.

Within the area covered by the Black Mountains Cross Border Demonstration Project, four primary access points have been identified. These are at Hay Bluff, Llanthony Priory, Cats Back (Black Hill) and Red Darren. A further five secondary access points have been identified at Gospel Pass, Capel-y-Ffin, Cwmyoy, Black Darren and Longtown - although these particular locations have extremely limited access opportunities for people with a mobility impairment! Of the four primary access points, the most viable location for disabled people to access the countryside is Llanthony Priory, because it has a reasonable access road to the site from Llanfihangel Crucorney, a good-sized car park, a disabled toilet and a refreshment facility nearby.

There are also disabled toilet facilities at: Hay on Wye, adjacent to the main car park (RADAR key operated); beneath the Town Hall in Town Square, Talgarth and at the bus station/tourist information centre in Abergavenny (RADAR key operated). The only accessible accommodation that has been identified so far within the project area is at New Inn Farm near Partrishow - it has one ground floor bedroom.

As is so often the case, wheelchair users have more limited access opportunities than users of powered scooters and other mobility vehicles, simply because the latter are battery powered, and many have been designed to negotiate quite rugged terrain over significant distances. Over the coming years, it is hoped to provide sufficient information on the project website (as well as in brochures) for visitors with mobility and visual impairments to be able to decide which routes are likely to suit their own particular circumstances. Usually, circular routes starting from a car park are preferable to linear routes because the user does not have to retrace the journey or arrange for someone to pick them up (and their wheelchair/scooter) at the other end. Finding such a route in the countryside near to an accessible car park, with a nearby disabled toilet is often very difficult. If the visitor has to rely on wheelchair accessible public transport, then the problem is often further compounded.

Whatever your circumstances, it is hoped that the project website will keep all visitors to this part of the Black Mountains fully informed about what you need to consider before making a visit. If you have a disability and would like to visit the Project Area - or you know someone who else who does - we would be happy to hear from you. Perhaps you are able to provide information on accessible routes that we can pass on to other disabled users, or have experienced problems of access that we need to know about - or you might like to be involved in future consultations on access issues in the project area of the Black Mountains. If so, please contact :

What do you need to consider before visiting the Black Mountains ?

Photos by 'Disabled Ramblers'
e-mail Us <info@blackmountains-access.org.uk>