Walking with Wheels - Information for routes without stiles or barriers

Walking with Wheels is a grading system developed by Disabled Ramblers that gives an idea of the degree of difficulty of routes, rights of way or tracks and provides the information needed to access wonderful views, amazing habitats, quiet and tranquil areas and historic sites. The grading is based on gradient and surface conditions. The grading is a guide only so please weigh up route choices carefully. The grading - CATEGORY 1 (GREEN) - Generally high quality surface along the route. The surface will be for the most part, smooth and all weather such as tarmac or crushed stone. Ocassionally there may be short stretches of rougher path and some seasonal surfaces such as grass or compressed earth. The path will be adequately wide, with a normal standard or 1.5m, though 'pinch points' may occur, for example through gates. Cross slopes will be normally very small, say up to 1 in 12. Occasionally cross slopes may be steeper, but there will usualy be ways around such sections. There will be no steep hills greater than 1 in 12, except perhaphs for very short stretches and the total significant height climbed during the route will not exceed 30 metres. CATEGORY 2 (BLUE) - Generally good surfacs, but allows longer stretches of stoney going (stones up to 40mm) beaten earth or grass track-ways. The path will be adequately wide , generally of the order of 1.5m, though a number of narrow stretches down to 1.2m may be present as well as 'pinch points' through gates etc. Small steps not higher than 40mm may be encourntered. Cross slopes will generall be very small, but sections of camber, say up to 1 in 8 , may occur for short stretches. Small stretches of soft going or stretches involving ruts (up to 40mm) will occasionally be encourntered, but usually these may be bypassed. Hills will generally by no more than 1 in 10,, with occasional steeper stretches up to 1 in 8. Total significant height climbed may be up to 150 meters. CATEGORY 3 (RED) - longer stretches of rough going, with side slopes and some rutes (max depth 100mm). The paths may well be stoney tracks with quite large stones (some stones max 100mm) or there may be very west and soft sections. Occasional steps up to 100mm may be encourntered. Cambers may also be correcondinly steeper, sometimes in excess of 1 in 8. Hills may be long and steep, with some stretches even up to 1 in 5, or very occasionally 1 in 4. Total significant height climbed may be up to 300m. These routes and tracks have been graded by Disabled Ramblers and will continue to be updated and added to.