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Accessibility Guide for RSPB Scotland Balranald nature reserve

Contact for accessibility enquiries: Jamie Boyle

email addressbalranald@rspb.org.uk phone number07768042547 websitehttps://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/balranald/
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Guide last updated: 16 June 2022

  • At a glance
  • Getting here
  • Arrival
  • Getting around inside
  • Getting around outside
  • Customer care support
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Welcome

Explore a wildlife-rich grassland haven on the beautiful Scottish island of North Uist. This stunning Hebridean nature reserve has sweeping sandy beaches, a rocky foreshore, wild marshes and sculpted sand dunes. It's the perfect place to learn about traditional crofting agriculture, corncrakes and other wildlife.

Balranald visitor centre is small white-washed blackhouse surrounded by wild flowers.
  • Level access icon Level Access
  • Visual icon Visual
  • General icon General

Level access

The main entrance has level access.

There is level access from the main entrance to:

Balranald Nature Reserve toiletAlternative beach access

Visual

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

General

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.

Getting here

For further information on accessible travel in Scotland, go to Transport Scotland.
Hougharry
Isle of North Uist
HS6 5DL

Travel by public transport

You can get to RSPB Scotland Balranald nature reserve by bus and boat or ferry.
• There is a bus service which runs across the Outer Hebrides, although these do not always stop at Balranald. Contact Grenitote Travel on 01876 560 244 on the morning of desired travel to ensure the bus will stop at Balranald. The bus stop is 0.50 miles / 1.6 km / 1.6 km from RSPB Balranald Nature Reserve. The bus stop is 0.5 miles / 0.8 km from RSPB Scotland Balranald nature reserve.
The nearest port is Lochmaddy. The port is 16 miles / 25.8 km from RSPB Scotland Balranald nature reserve.

Situated on North Uist, either a ferry or a plane will need to be taken to reach the island. Ferries for Lochmaddy leave from Uig on Skye, but the reserve can also be reached via ferries from Mallaig and Oban which berth at Lochboisdale in South Uist.
The ferries run throughout the year, and more details can be found at www.calmac.co.uk

Travel by taxi

You can get a taxi with Alda's Taxis / Minibus by calling 01876 500 215. You can get a taxi with A1 Taxi's by calling 07769 637755.

Parking

We have a car park. There are accessible parking spaces. The parking is less than 50 metres from the main entrance. Parking is free.
There is a drop-off point at the main entrance. The drop-off point has a dropped kerb.
From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. The route is 1200mm wide, or more.
A wide wooden gate with a two-way opening hinge is the opening between the parking area and the visitor centre.

Arrival

Path to main entrance

From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.
The path is 1200mm wide, or more.

Main entrance

The main entrance has level access.
The door is 830mm wide.
The main door is side hung and manual.
Access door with 830mm access Path access

Getting around inside

Visual Impairment - General Information

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.
Gap in wall 850mm wide - this divides the visitor centre room in two. Wider gap of 870mm

Public toilet

Balranald Nature Reserve toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. The route is 900mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 900mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the left.
There is 600mm at the side of the toilet. There is 1350mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 400mm high. The toilets have handrails.
A white tiled bathroom showing rails near the toilet and a wall hung sink.

Getting around outside

Designated Walking Trail

Balranald Nature Trail

The trail is 4500metres long. Some of the trail has a loose surface. Some of the trail has cobbles.
• The middle section of the path is blocked by a kissing gate, and beyond the path is very variable in quality. The trail is sloped. The trail has seats.

•             The first part of the path follows the crofting road, which is partially tarred and the rest is made up of compressed sand and soil. The middle section is blocked by narrow kissing gates and the track becomes a narrow path through the vegetation. This has had no management on it, and is a natural path. This crosses boulder beaches and some steep areas, which are not recommended for anyone of limited mobility. The latter part of the track again joins the road, or follows easy walking paths along the top of the beach.

Wide sandy track, also used by vehicles Bench located at a viewpoint Faint worn grass track over rough terrain A closer view showing the path through the boulder field, which is easier to traverse as the large rocks have been removed. A smaller boulder field which is made mainly of small rocks. There is no path. A small watercrossing, which is almost dry in summer - photo shows winter conditions, after several days of heavy rain. Photo shows the widest boulder beach, which is strewn with boulders of varying sizes. A faint path has been created for ease

Beach

The beach access point is 10.00meters from the nearest car park.

The path to the beach from the lower car park (photographed) is steep and on loose sand. 

Lower carpark with beach views

Alternative beach access

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access.

The beaches associated with Balranald Nature Reserve do not have any infrastructure associated with them. The access in places is steep, but there is a gradual gradiant at the access from Hougharry township.

Easy beach access via Hougharry township

Customer care support

Accessibility equipment

Dogs have full access to the nature reserve. Ensure all excrement is picked up and removed from the reserve. There is a bin provided by a local crofter. This is situated on the fence outside the visitor centre.
Guide info
Any information, comments and views made available to users via this Accessibility Guide are provided directly from third party business operators. VisitEngland and VisitScotland do not endorse or validate this information. Any reliance on this Accessibility Guide is at your own risk. This guide is not intended to be a substitute for users making their own checks, inquiries and investigations directly with the business operators prior to making any booking or visiting the venue.
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