Darwin Forest Accessibility Statement
Introduction
Despite being high up on Darley Moor, Darwin Forest is a relatively level park with tarmac or tarmac chippings on the roadways and a 5mph speed restriction in place. The buildings and lodges are generally single storey and so provide good access to less able people. Some accommodation is specially adapted for wheelchair access and we welcome parties which include a wheelchair bound individual.
At Pinelodge Holidays we strive to make all of our facilities available to persons of all needs/requirements. We hope you find this Accessibility Statement useful both before and during your stay with us. As with all other aspects of you holiday, if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact a member of staff who will gladly offer their assistance.
Pre-Arrival
All of our Pinelodges are of a single storey nature. For specific details of the lodges, please see the information given later in this document. For availability of specially equipped lodges, or further information on any of the details given in this statement please contact us by:
- Telephone: 01629 732428
- Fax: 01629 735015
- Email: admin@pinelodgeholidays.co.uk
- Internet: Please feel free to complete the contact form on www.pinelodgeholidays.co.uk
Our reception team are always happy to accept Type Talk calls.
Arrival and Car Park Facilities
- Upon arrival to the park, after a short distance along the 5mph driveway, the reception building appears on your right hand side. Continue until you reach a right turning where you will find 5 parking spaces on your left and 5 parking spaces on the right, adjacent to the main building, which include designated disabled spaces
- Please register at reception where you will be given any further information required and staff members will provide directions or assistance to locate your holiday accommodation
- Throughout the park there are speed bumps, highlighted with yellow markings.
Reception Area
- The reception area can be accessed by mounting a dropped curb and following the 180cm wide pathway to the ground level door
- The main doors to enter the reception area are PULL doors (105cm). A staff member will help if assistance is required (the reception doors are glass).
- Within reception there is a lowered section of the counter should this be required
A ground floor toilet is suitable for disabled use - Computer access is also provided at a desk with under space
- The floor space within reception is ample and allows for ease of wheelchair manoeuvrability
The Woodlands Store, shop
- The shop can be accessed by mounting a dropped curb and following the 180cm wide pathway to the ground level door
- The entrance/exit doors are PULL doors (110cm wide). A staff member will help if assistance is required (the doors are glass).
- The shop is on one level constituting 4 isles, the narrowest of which is 130cm wide
- The counter is 93cm high
- Some items may be stored on higher shelves, and should customers require assistance the shop attendant will gladly help
The Foresters Inn, bar and restaurant
- Access to the bar is gained either at road level or by 3 small steps
- The narrowest point upon entering the bar is 90cm
- The height of the bar is 100cm
- Plenty of room is available in the bar area to manoeuvre a wheelchair, and easy access to tables with a choice of benches, chairs and chairs with arms. These can be moved/removed on request.
- To the rear of the bar there is a level exit (90cm wide) leading to the games room, soft play area and laundry.
- Toilet facilities are accessed via an 85cm wide door, and include a disabled toilet with grab rails and added space for manoeuvrability.
- There are level outdoor seating areas situated both at the front and rear of the bar, with tables and benches/chairs that can be moved if necessary
Arcade/Pool Room
- Situated behind the Forresters Inn, with level entry doors (80cm wide)
- A clear path has been left to gain access to all areas of the rooms, the typical width being 70cm
- A doorway joins the arcade and the pool rooms (70cm wide)
- The pool tables are 85cm high
Public Laundry
- The laundry can be accessed either from the outdoor seating area behind the Foresters Inn, following the level path in front of the soft play area, or by a 1in8 slope across the car park by the reception building
- The entrance to the laundry is 90cm wide
Upon entrance there is a toilet to the right, which has a level entry shower as well as grab rails at the toilet/sink - Within the laundry there are two washing machines and two tumble driers, with approximately 120x140cm to manoeuvre in the centre of the room
- The height of the machines is approximately 90cm
- The sinks within the laundry room are 95cm high and have under space
Soft Play Area
- Accessed from the outdoor seating area behind the Foresters Inn via a level path.
- The soft play area has been designed for children of the age 5 and under
- The entrance to the soft play area has a raised door, 20cm off the ground
- Within the soft play room there is seating and a large open space for manoeuvrability of wheelchairs
- Some of the soft play equipment can be accessed with ease from the carpeted viewing area, however, in some areas, safety padding may prove unsuitable for those with wheelchairs/walking aids
Snooker Room
- Behind the soft play area, accessed by a 64cm wide path
- The snooker room is accessed by 2 steps with a handrail, staff members will happily assist any users who require help gaining access to the room
- The snooker table is 88cm high and has at least 160cm of space around it
Outdoor Play Area
- This area has a variety of structures designed for use by children over the age of 5 and has soft bark flooring
- Entrance to the area is gained by a 20cm high curb
- The area can be supervised from a paved seating area situated adjacent to the facility. Bench seating and tables are situated here.
Evolution Health & Fitness, leisure building
- Entrance to the leisure centre is ground level and 100cm wide
- There is a large entrance area which provides easy manoeuvrability, and a reception area with low level tables (45cm high) and easily moveable chairs
- There is a pool spectators area, accessed from the entrance lobby/seating area, through a ground level door (95cm wide)
- The majority of the counter is 105cm high with a lower level area at one side of 80cm with under space
- The changing room can be accessed through a level entry door and has a specialised wheelchair accessible changing area/wet room.
- This includes a disabled toilet with grab rails for the sink/toilet, a shower area and seat, as well as a cord pull alarm system
- The disabled toilet may be locked and used for changing/showering
- Ordinary changing cubicles are typically 65x160cm, with family cubicles being 120x165cm
- A choice of high or low level lockers is provided for ease of use
- A 95cm wide door which provides access to the pool area
- Upon entrance to the pool, users can either use the ladder steps with grab rails, situated around the pool, or use the low level entry, which comprises three long low steps leading into the pools shallowest point (50 cm)
- Staff members are available to assist in manual raising/lowering of persons at poolside and wheelchairs are permitted at poolside on request
- The spa area is accessed at ground level, with the steam room/sauna having 85cm wide doors
- There is a rail to assist entry/exit into the spa pool, and if required staff members may be able to assist users gain access
- The gym can be accessed via staircase with handrails or by using the special stair lift – please ask staff for assistance
- Some of the ‘Pulse’ fitness resistance machinery has been designed to allow use with wheelchairs
- The typical ‘pathway’ width around the equipment is 80cm
- Fitness Instructors are available to assist with the use of equipment, or advise suitable exercises to those with specific needs
Beauty Therapy Rooms/Treatments
- There are a variety of treatments available that the therapists will be able to advise upon
- Entrance to the beauty therapy rooms is ground level (door width 90cm)
- Within the rooms there is plenty of room to manoeuvre
- Treatment beds include height and backrest adjustment
Other Information
- Mobile phone reception is generally poor on the park. However payphones are provided adjacent to the Foresters Inn, one of which has ground level access and is positioned so that the handset is 110cm high
Pinelodges-Useful Information
The following tables summarise the lodges which are available at Darwin Forest Country Park - sorted by number of berths. Please note the information and measurements presented in the tables are taken from a sample of lodges and may not be totally accurate for all lodges, especially with respect to the height and number of steps to access entrance doors. If you have any specific needs or concerns about your accommodation please do not hesitate to contact a member of staff so that we may ensure that facilities are suitable.
2 Berth Lodges
| Lodge Details | Hideaway | Elvaston |
| Pathway Step Height | 18cm | 18cm |
| Pathway Width | 128cm | 64cm |
| Steps on Lodge Entry | 3 | 2 |
| Narrowest Point of Veranda | 110cm | 110cm |
| Handrail to assist access to lodge | Yes | Yes |
| Main doorway width | 78cm | 160cm |
| Typical internal doorway width | 56cm | 60cm |
| Kitchen worktop height | 93cm | 90cm |
| Worktop under space | No | No |
| Kitchen table height | 80cm | 80cm |
| Bed height | 60cm | 60cm |
| Typical bedside width | 55cm | 80cm |
| Shower entry height | 60cm | 20cm |
| Bathroom grab rail | No | No |
4 Berth Lodges
| Lodge Details | Haddon | Haddon (Wheelchair friendly) | Riber | Riber (Wheelchair friendly) | Riber Skyline |
| Pathway Step Height | 18cm | 0cm | 18cm | 0cm | 18cm |
| Pathway Width | 64cm | 120cm | 64cm | 128cm | 64cm |
| Steps on Lodge Entry | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Narrowest Point of Veranda | 110cm | 105cm | 105cm | 105cm | 140cm |
| Handrail to assist access to lodge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Main doorway width | 150cm | 140cm | 145cm | 145cm | 75cm |
| Typical internal doorway width | 60cm | 70cm | 60cm | 60cm | 65cm |
| Kitchen worktop height | 95cm | 70cm | 90cm | 90cm | 90cm |
| Worktop under space | No | No | No | No | No |
| Kitchen table height | 80cm | 80cm | 80cm | 80cm | 80cm |
| Bed height | 60cm | 60cm | 60cm | 60cm | 60cm |
| Typical bedside width | 65cm | 85cm | 60cm | 60cm | 45cm |
| Shower entry height | 60cm | 25cm | 60cm | 60cm | 40cm |
| Bathroom grab rail | No | For toilet | No | No | No |
6 Berth Lodges
| Lodge Details | Hardwick | Peveril | Peveril (Wheelchair friendly) |
| Pathway Step Height | 10cm | 18cm | 0cm |
| Pathway Width | 64cm | 64cm | 120cm |
| Steps on Lodge Entry | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Narrowest Point of Veranda | 105cm | 105cm | 140cm |
| Handrail to assist access to lodge | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Main doorway width | 140cm | 80cm | 85cm |
| Typical internal doorway width | 80cm | 70cm | 82cm |
| Kitchen worktop height | 90cm | 90cm | 95cm |
| Worktop under space | No | No | No |
| Kitchen table height | 85cm | 80cm | 80cm |
| Bed height | 60cm | 60cm | 60cm |
| Typical bedside width | 50cm | 50cm | 80cm |
| Shower entry height | 60cm | 60cm | 0cm |
| Bathroom grab rail | No | No | Yes |
8 Berth Lodges
| Lodge Details | Hartington | Hartington Skyline |
Hassop |
| Pathway Step Height | 20cm | 18cm | 12cm |
| Pathway Width | 64cm | 64cm | 64cm |
| Steps on Lodge Entry | 2 | 3 |
2 |
| Narrowest Point of Veranda | 105cm | 105cm | 105cm |
| Handrail to assist access to lodge | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Main doorway width | 80cm | 80cm | 75cm |
| Typical internal doorway width | 65cm | 70cm | 70cm |
| Kitchen worktop height | 90cm | 90cm | 95cm |
| Worktop under space | No | No | No |
| Kitchen table height | 80cm | 80cm | 80cm |
| Bed height | 50cm | 60cm | 60cm |
| Typical bedside width | 60cm | 50cm | 50cm |
| Shower entry height | 60cm | 60cm | 25cm |
| Bathroom grab rail | No | No | No |
Other Useful Information
We hope you find the following information of added value during your stay;
Nearby Towns/Villages
Matlock - 3.7 miles - 10 minutes
Chesterfield - 8.3 miles - 15 minutes
Bakewell - 7.4 miles - 15 minutes
Two Dales - 1.2miles- 5 minutes
Transport
At the nearest town (Matlock), you will find a train station and bus station, as well as all other amenities inclusive of supermarkets, cafés, banks and post office.
Chesterfield, although a little further to reach, is the largest of the nearby towns, and has many different shops, retail outlets and restaurants. Chesterfield is also home to the main hospital for the area (Chesterifeld Royal Hospital, Calow).
Two Dales has all of the essentials such as petrol station, post office, chemist and also the closest cash machine to Darwin Forest.
Useful Contacts
Darley Dale Medical Centre (Doctors) - 01629 733205
Veterinary Surgery (Matlock) - 01629 582844
Chesterfield Royal Hospital - 01246 277271
Whitworth Hospital (Matlock) - 01629 580211
Chemist (Two Dales) - 01629 733375
K.E.M.S Auto Garage (Nr. Two Dales) - 01629 734714
Post Office (Two Dales) - 01629 733520
Matlock Taxis - 01629 584195
DJ Taxis - 01629 822072
MJ Taxis - 01629 826060
