Days out are always a bit of a struggle when you have problems getting around. There are lots of potential pitfalls and choosing where to go is something to consider very carefully. Accessibility and appropriate facilities are a must for a stress-free visit and if you want to just go for a nice drive and find a picnic spot, it's not always easy to find out what's there in advance. So, when we recently discovered a beautiful picnic spot on the edge of the River Severn, in the Forest of Dean, I thought it would be a good idea to share it here, as it's got great disabled access and has the best views and offers an excellent viewing point for the Severn Bore.
Newnham on Severn is situated on the A48, between Chepstow and Gloucester. It's about 12 miles from Gloucester and 16 miles from Chepstow and it's a lovely drive from either direction to get there. The village in which the picnic area is situated has its own website and comprises of a few little shops, a library and a cafe. We didn't get a chance to venture into it for a look around, but it looks very picturesque when you drive through. The picnic area is on the edge of the village, adjacent to the river and has its own car park and public toilets. The disabled toilet is accessible using an NKS Radar key and has a shallow ramp and railings for ease of access. It is very close to the car park.
You will see from the photograph above that, despite the necessary facilities, it's very much in keeping with the natural surroundings. The best bit though, is that a small distance from the car park is this rather fabulous view...
It's not a great photo, my camera isn't very good at landscapes, but you get the idea. In the next photo, you can see how close the river is to the car park and toilets, which is perfect if you have small children or can't get around very easily.
As well as having strategically placed benches along the river bank and a very handy telescope to view the other side of the river, there is also an area of picnic benches in the shade of some trees, a little way back from the bank, if you would prefer a table. It can be accessed via the car park or the riverbank and, again, there are no steps.
This area is also an excellent vantage point to view the Severn Bore at various times during the year and more details can be found on the website, by following the link in the second paragraph. I hope you've enjoyed this photo post and it has been helpful for your travels. We would love to hear if you have managed to pay a visit to this spot and what you thought.
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