Three Sisters Access for All

C4FlashesVisitorExperience.pdf (carbonlandscape.org.uk)

Working with local schools and the community, the Three Sisters Access for All Gateway Project has transformed a local nature reserve into an interactive, educational site. We have added interpretation to tell the story of the Carbon Landscape and interesting and fun activities for the whole family to enjoy!

The improvements that have been made at the Three Sisters gives everyone access to their local wildlife site and provides them access to the heritage, culture, wildlife and wellbeing benefits that the site has to offer!

The target was to deliver some interpretation and this project has significantly overachieved!

Achievements:

• 5 AO lectern boards - Introduction to the Carbon Landscape, willow tits, Garswood Hall Colliery, pond creatures and minibeasts
• 1 braille lectern including site map
• 1 oak monolith to start the Augmented Reality Trail
• 30 waymarkers
• We have worked with 24 disability organisations. Notable disability organisations Leonard Cheshire Disability, The Hamlet, Thrive CIC who installed the gabion hare, More Than Words CIC who did the original access audit.
• 3km of new wheelchair accessible paths including bridges over a brook. This is a huge asset to the community of people living with disabilities including profound disabilities as there is a hoist accessible toilet.
• 5 Trails – Lakeside, Wildlife rubbing, Enchanted tree trail, Wildlife and Heritage Audio Trail, Bird Hide and Wetlands.

Joy Winstanley, Secretary of Friends of Three Sisters.

“The Friends of Three Sisters are delighted with the work carried out on the site. The resurfaced paths are saving us lots of heavy maintenance work. The trails around the site are encouraging visitors to use and see more of the site... Thank you to all involved.”

Into the future       

All of the trails, audios and booklets are available to download from our resources centre and are completely free to anyone who wants to explore the Three Sisters Gateway for themselves!

Legacy resource links

Wildlife Rubbing Trail up and around Arena Hill (one of the previous coal spoil heaps) www.carbonlandscape.org.uk/brass-rubbing-trail

Enchanted Tree Trail enabled young children ID and to learn about the folklore of trees: www.carbonlandscape.org.uk/enchanted-tree-trail-stories

This starts with a large xylophone to “call the fairies and goblins”.

The Wildlife and Heritage Audio Trail brough local re-enactments, a guided meditation around the secret life of willow tits and a child’s view as to why she loves three sisters.

Heritage Booklet Three Sisters Heritage Booklet | Carbon Landscapes

Timewalk of Three Sisters www.carbonlandscape.org.uk/three-sisters-timewalk

Women and Children in the Mines Early Victorian Re-enactment | Carbon Landscapes

A Day in the Life of a Miner and a Pit Brow Lass Mines | Carbon Landscapes To accompany this video https://youtu.be/D581TDHFpmE

Mining Explosion Re-enactment www.carbonlandscape.org.uk/explosion-re-enactment

Iconic wildlife species - Willow Tit Guided Meditation Willow Tit | Carbon Landscapes