Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- Amenities in this area include: a beach and sand dunes.
- The most accessible entrance has a steep ramp/slope and a gate.
- This entrance is at the top left of the car park.
- There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
- Staff/volunteers can describe the layout and access around the site.
- The following are also available: seating, a large map in the car park and an information board in the car park.
- This site is not part of the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
- Toilet and changing facilities available include: a toilet with some adaptations and step free standard toilets.
- The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found within the toilet block near the picnic area.
- The standard toilets surveyed can be found within the toilet block near the picnic area.
Admissions
- At this location the following are free to access for all visitors: all areas of the site.
- Parking is free for National Trust members but chargeable for all other visitors.
Public Transport
- There is not a bus stop within approximately 150m of the site.
- The nearest bus stops are Mourneview Caravan Park.
- The nearest train station is Belfast Central.
- Belfast Central Station is approximately 25 miles away.
There are regular buses running from the station to the Mourneview Caravan Park bus stops near the site. - For the latest travel options and information you can plan your travel using Translink (opens new tab).
Parking
- This site has a car park.
- The vehicle route from the main road to the car park includes: uneven surfaces and potholes.
- This is an open air car park with a block paved and grass surface.
- Parking is free for National Trust members, but charges apply for all other visitors.
- There are clearly presented payment signs.
- Maps and information boards are available.
- There are 5 Blue Badge parking bays.
- Obstacles from the car park include: uneven surfaces, grass and a lack of pedestrian walkways to cross the car park.
- There are not parent and child parking bays available.
Picnic Area (Car Park)
- The following information describes the picnic area located in the car park area.
- There is step-free level access into the area.
- There are picnic tables.
- No chairs have armrests on both sides.
- Adapted picnic tables are available.
- The distance between the floor and the underside of the lowest picnic table is 77cm.
- The distance between the floor and the underside of the highest picnic table is 77cm.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: all of the chairs and all of the tables.
- There is step-free level access around some of the area.
- The surface in the picnic area is not smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to grass.
Toilet with Adaptations (Car Park - Ambulant - Left Hand Transfer)
- This toilet is located within the toilet block in the car park area.
- Access into the toilet is via a steep ramp/slope.
- The ramp is between 75cm and 150cm wide, with no handrails.
- There is pictorial signage on or near the door.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the toilet door opening is 84cm.
- The door has a locking handle.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 150cm x 195cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
- There is a lateral transfer space to the left of the seat but it is obstructed.
- The lateral transfer space is 88cm from the side of the toilet pan to the wall.
- There is a lever flush on the transfer side.
- The following grab rails are available: a horizontal grab rail on the non transfer side.
- There is a dropdown rail on the transfer side.
- The following fixtures can be reached from the toilet seat: toilet roll holder, wash basin, soap dispenser and hand dryer.
- The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 47cm.
- The height of the toilet roll holder is 111cm.
- The wash basin tap type is twist/turn.
- The height of the wash basin is 73cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 107cm.
- The height of the hand dryer is 112cm.
- There is no emergency alarm.
- There is not a shelf.
- The cubicle has: a waste bin with lid, a nappy/incontinence items bin and a sanitary bin.
- The cubicle does not have a mirror.
- The height of the coat hook is 159cm from the floor.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: all grab rails, the internal door and the floor.
- The following have a less clear colour contrast with their surroundings: the toilet seat and the dropdown rail.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Standard Toilet (Car Park)
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The door is manual, permanently held open and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 84cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the doorway with a height of less than 1.5cm.
- The male and female standard toilets were surveyed.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 85cm.
- The wash basin tap type is push.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.
Outdoor Spaces
- This information is for the access point located at the top left of the car park.
- Access into the area is via a steep ramp/slope.
- The slope is between 75cm and 150cm wide.
- There is a gate at the surveyed access point which opens towards you (pull).
- The gate is not self-closing.
- The width of the gap is 110cm.
- The following outdoor facilities are available: parkland.
- The outdoor spaces include the following surfaces: grass, gravel and wood.
- Footpaths are available in all of the outdoor space.
- The majority of the paths are not wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is no step-free level access around the area.
- There are slight ramps/slopes without handrails and steep ramps/slopes without handrails in the main areas.
- After approximately 40 metres there are slight and steep slopes through the dunes all the way to the beach.
- There are bench seats situated along the paths for people to rest.
- The paths have gates which may create obstacles for some users.
- There is a gate to access the beach. The width is 110cm and it opens towards you.
Hikes and Trails (Sand Dunes - Grace's)
- The trail is approximately 1 mile.
- Enter the sand dunes trail via the outdoor spaces access point at the top left of the car park.
Turn left and follow the boardwalk, keeping to the right when you come to any path options.
Go through another gate and continue down the boardwalk.
The boardwalk will end just ahead of the beach. The surface turns to sand.
Turn around and re-trace the route back.
You can also continue down the boardwalk, past the gate and go in that direction until you reach the beach and turn around to come back. - The trail is not open 24 hours.
- None of the paths are lit at night.
- The route includes the following surfaces: loose chippings, grass and wood.
- Some of the route contains steep gradients.
- These are found in the following areas: approximately halfway to the beach.
- There are no alternative routes to avoid these areas.
- The route is not clearly signposted.
- The route has information boards without maps.
- Seating is available on the route.
- There are no toilet facilities along the route.
- There is also sand along the route.
Beach
- Access to the beach is via a steep ramp/slope.
- The slope is over 150cm wide.
- Access to the water is via a slight slope.
- The slope is over 150cm wide.
- There was not a lifeguard for the beach at the time of the survey.