Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory.

On Tuesday, 1st April 2003 I visited the Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory and stayed two nights in the accommodation provided. The visit was at the behest of Bo Beolens of the Disabled Birders Association and Kevin Thornton - the Observatory manager.

The purpose of my visit was to make an assessment of the observatory and its facilities as it may affect physically disabled people. I was able to provide a very relevant "hands on" assessment as I am a permanent wheelchair user and I carried out the assessment unaided.

The bird observatory is situated a few miles out of the town of Sandwich and is located within the grounds of the privately owned Sandwich Bay Estate, and is also adjacent to the Royal Sandwich Bay Golf Club. This situation has resulted in a toll charge of £1 being levied on visitors to the observatory by the estate owners.

Car Park.

On passing the toll barrier the bird observatory is located a short distance on your right where you then enter a large car park in front of the main observatory building. There are two disabled parking bays. One located directly in front of the main entrance, and the other is close to the ground floor flat, which is incorporated in the main building.

The car park surface, though flat, was hard to negotiate because it was constructed of a course material and it was quite difficult to push over a surface where the small front castors of the wheelchair were continually being impeded by stones and grit.

Work was in progress to improve the surface of the parking bays.

Main Observatory Building

The observatory building has a large main hall for meetings etc., a laboratory, a library, various types of accommodation, kitchen, toilets and an office.

The main entrance has wide doors that are easy to negotiate. All areas are at ground floor level except for a small step (no more than 2- inches) on the way to the connecting door to the ground floor flat.

The accommodation within the main building is very flexible as there are bedrooms for up to two, four or eight people, as well as a ground floor flat. There is also a large disabled toilet.

The Ground Floor Flat.

The flat - which costs £30 per night - consists of a fully fitted kitchen, a bathroom, one bedroom with two single beds, a sitting room with a settee, a small dining table, sideboard and television. There are no specific disabled aids fitted anywhere in the flat. Surprisingly, though, all the plug sockets are placed at a good height for wheelchair users and for people unable to bend low.

The main entrance to the flat is straight off the sitting room. Entry is gained via a newly constructed concrete slope onto a level base large enough to turn a standard-sized wheelchair. I was able to get up and down the slope quite easily.

There are two connecting doors to the main hall of the observatory and these can be locked. If entering the flat through this door it is necessary to go down the small step already referred to and then through a staff sitting room.

All the doorways in the flat are very wide with plenty of turning space at each door entrance.

The kitchen is fully fitted with plenty of kitchenware, crockery and utensils supplied.

The bathroom has a washbasin, sink and bath. Access is o.k. but tight.

The bedroom was roomy and the two single beds comfortable and at a good height for wheelchair user.

Full central heating is provided.

Suggestions for improving facilities in the flat for disabled people.

Many suggestions have been made to improve the facilities for disabled and these will be monitored to ensure improvements occur.

Bird Watching facilities.

When leaving the observatory building to go bird watching it is first of all necessary to negotiate the car park (already described), but once this is achieved you then get onto a metalled estate road that continues beyond the observatory area across flat countryside. This road is flat and easy to push along in a wheelchair. Because it is a busy estate road one should be aware of traffic hazards at all times.

The bird watching is primarily looking over farmland and marsh but after a few hundreds metres from the observatory there is some woodland to add variety. The tiny woodland is a natural migrant trap and plans are in hand to create a boardwalk within the wood and to provide benches - this will make it wheelchair accessible and much better for those whose range is limited. If you push beyond the observatory area there is varied habitat where there are great opportunities to see a variety of birds according to season.

At the moment a wetland area is being created that will include a fully accessible bird hide together with a gradually sloped, fully wheelchair friendly path. It is also hoped that occasional seating is placed along the way to assist those who can only manage short distances. What is more there is a plan to provide a raised viewing ramp which will afford views across the scrape, marsh and surrounding fields. The ramp will be fully wheelchair accessible.

Email : Kevin Thornton