Accessibility at Ferry Meadows

Toilets

There are two public toilet blocks within the Park, one next to the Discovery Den and one alongside the car park at Lakeside. There is an accessible toilet at each block which includes the baby changing facility. These toilets are opened and locked with the opening hours of the Park.

Toilets are also provided for customers at Lakeside Kitchen & Bar, Nene Outdoors, and Ferry Meadows Café with separate accessible toilets at each location. At Ferry Meadows cafe and Lakeside Kitchen & Bar there is also a dedicated accessible baby changing facility, which can also be used as a quiet space.

An accessible changing facility including a height adjustable changing bench, a hoist system and shower is available at Nene Outdoors during the centre's opening hours. Users are required to provide their own slings. For more information on using this facility, please get in touch with the Nene Outdoors team on 01733 234193.

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Food & drink

The Park has a range of options for food and drink during your visit. Contact details, opening times and other information can be found on our Where to eat page.

Lakeside Kitchen & Bar

The Lakeside building has stepped and ramped access from the pathways opposite the car park to the main entrance which has automatic sliding doors.

The main counter is at a lower level and hearing loops are available at the main and bar counters as shown by the T and ear symbol sign. There is also a room loop within the furthest section of the seating area which can be separated off for functions.

Covered outdoor seating, heated with a woodburner, is provided welcoming all dogs, however assistance dogs are welcome throughout.

Lakeside Kitchen & Bar offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. If you have any dietary requirements please speak to the café staff.

Ferry Meadows Café

The main entrance is set back from the main pathway at the rear of the covered seating area. This is a paved area that includes moveable outdoor tables and chairs with a slight slope up to the power-assisted push button opening double-doors with the push button to the left of the doorway. On warmer, still days the doors are held open but may be closed on colder, windier days.

A drinking water tap is fitted to the outside wall, to the left of the main entrance, for all visitors to access for water bottle top ups using a push button at approximately 137cm from the floor. 

The toilets and baby changing facility can be found to the left of the entrance lobby and the café to the right through a power-assisted, push button opening door with the push button to the left of the doorway.

The main counter is at a lower level and a hearing loop is available at the till as shown by the T and ear symbol sign.

Ferry Meadows Café offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. If you have any dietary requirements please speak to the café staff.

BBQs

Fixed BBQ stands are available on the grass bank on the opposite side of the path to the public moorings on Overton Lake, along the edge of the Coach Car Park and next to the play area at Lakeside on a first come, first served basis. A number of picnic tables in the Park also have pull out trays on the end for holding disposable BBQs.

Picnics

With a vast area of meadow land and good numbers of accessible picnic tables, Ferry Meadows is the perfect place to bring a picnic.

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Play Areas

Ferry Meadows has three play areas providing a range of equipment and surfacing, creating different experiences for a variety of ages, abilities and interests:

Otter Play Area
Located next to Ferry Meadows Café and designed with younger children in mind, this fenced play area incorporates natural features such as sand, water, rocks and trees. A small wide slide, cradle seat swings and small raised platform with log tunnel underneath are all set into sand. A concrete path with self closing access gates from the paved seating area next to Ferry Meadows Café takes visitors through the play area and rejoins the main path opposite the boat trip and duck feeding platforms via large flat paving stones set in the grass. Seating is provided in the sand area set slightly back from the concrete path.

Badger Play Area
Located along the pathway between the Visitor Centre and Ham Bridge, this unfenced play area utilises the neighbouring wooded area for den building and exploration along with created swales (a series of mounds and ditches designed to collect water) with accessible crossing points to bring nature into play. The built play structures include climbing towers, raised tunnels to tube slide, swings including basket swing and in-ground trampoline. These are situated in areas of bark chippings with a limestone path through the built play area linking to the main footpath.

Fox Play Area
Located between Lakeside car park and the miniature railway station, this unfenced play area is the biggest of our play areas, aimed at slightly older children, but offers play opportunities for a wide range of ages and abilities. Natural sensory materials such as water, sand, stone and wood are used throughout the playground. The built play structures situated in grass include a climbing tower and crawling net, climbing net, a double zip line, a 6-tyre swing set, a balance beam, toddler and upright bucket seat swings, and a tunnel. A climbing rock stack, four seater seesaw, and bouncing buoys are all set in sand. The water forest is set in concrete with a seesaw pump and a hand pump that is at child and seated height.
Fox Play has a limestone path throughout which connects to the wheelchair accessible wobbly bridge and towards the top of the wide embankment slide before a final section of wooden steps take you to a wooden platform at the top of the slide. The bottom of the slide is set in sand. The limestone path also connects into the wider path network of the Park and the miniature railway station.
A range of seating is provided with some alongside the limestone path and concrete surface. Fox Play is close to Lakeside car park and toilets, including the accessible changing facility at Nene Outdoors.
Please visit our Play Areas page for more general information and images of the play areas or contact us.

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Nene Outdoors

Nene Outdoors runs various water and land based events for a range of ages and abilities from the Lakeside centre. The Lakeside building has stepped and ramped access from the pathways opposite the car park. Please visit our Nene Outdoors page for details of activities and contacts to discuss any specific access requirements.

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Campsite

There are two campsites available for general public use at Ferry Meadows. They are both located near to Nene Outdoors (see Ferry Meadows map for location) where access to toilets and shower facilities are provided, including an accessible changing facility (see the Facilities and Services at Ferry Meadows section for more details of the accessibility of toilets and Nene Outdoors). Parking for both campsites is at Lakeside car park but vehicle access for dropping off and collecting equipment is permitted. Benches, fixed bbq stands, fire pit, wash stations with sinks attached to a wooden frame at approximately 1m high and a drinking water tap at approximately 1m high are available on both sites to be shared by campers. Dogs are welcome at both campsites.

Please be aware both campsites are located next to Gunwade Lake with direct access to the water’s edge.

Lakeview

This area is home to 8 pre-erected bell tents on grass area and a permanent covered weather shelter which has a raised concrete floor with concrete slope entrance. Each tent is set on a raised wooden decking platform creating a step from the surrounding grass surface. The tents sleep up to 6 people and are furnished with just floor matting and LED lighting.

The Glade

This is our pitch only campsite, closest to Nene Outdoors, and is a grass area.

Please visit our Campsite page for details and contact us to discuss any specific access requirements.

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Duck feeding

The duck feeding platform is located near to the Visitor Centre. A sloped path leads down to the platform which is a wooden decked, metal framed platform on floats to enable it to move with the water level. Wooden handrails surround the platform which forms a T shape over the water. The duck feeding area is on the right hand side of the T and boat trips operate from the centre through a gate which is locked shut when the boat is out on the water or when trips are not operating. The left hand side of the T is for staff access only with a locked gate in place across this section. 

We encourage the safe and healthy feeding of birds in the Park so please only feed the ducks and geese pellets available from the Visitor Centre. General information on how visitors can help us keep the ducks and geese healthy can be found on our Feed the ducks page.

Educational facilities

From the Discovery Den Education Centre at Ferry Meadows we offer a range of educational activities. The room is level access and has an accessible toilet. This facility is also used to host a range of family friendly events and activities. See our Education pages for details of the offer for schools and groups.

Lynch Lake Community Hub

The Hub is located 400 metres from the Visitor Centre car park along surfaced paths. It is used for a range of activities and is available for public hire offering a unique accessible space for small group meetings and events. The room is accessible via a ramp to the front door and there is an accessible toilet. There is a washbasin at approximately 887mm from the floor in the main space for washing equipment and materials. A drinking water tap is fitted to the outside wall for all visitors to access for water bottle top ups using a push button at approximately 137cm from the floor.  Two picnic tables can be found in the grass area near the building including a wheelchair accessible picnic table linked to the main footpath via a short tarmac path. See our venue hire pages for more details.