Wet-Weather Accessible Travel: Rhinos, Rain, and a Little Bit of Magic
Easily Accessible Activities around Hertfordshire For All Weather
You know that time of year when winter and spring are fighting over the thermostat, and you can’t decide whether you need sunglasses or thermals? We’re not quite there yet. It’s early March as I’m writing this, and winter isn’t ready to relinquish control, giving us a seemingly-endless supply of bitterly cold wind and rain.
Despite this, having had our caravan laid up in storage for almost four months (a record, for us!), we were eager to get back out exploring. Whatever the weather — It was time for our first trip of 2026!
Choosing a Winter Campsite
There are three main things we look for in a winter campsite.
Wide, hardstanding pitches (so I can use my ramps without going up a muddy verge — we always go for “awning” pitches as they are naturally wider)
16A electric hookup (so we can have the heating and hot water on the highest setting if needed)
Within reaching distance of indoor attractions (in case the weather isn’t on our side)
There are plenty that fit this criteria across the country, but our choice for this trip was Ashridge Farm Caravan and Motorhome Club Site. A cosy site that ticked all of the above boxes and more! Based in the peaceful Hertfordshire countryside, it gave us a real sense of escapism, while still being close to amenities. Not only is the picturesque village of Ashwell just a 10 minute walk away, but Milton Keynes, Cambridge and North London are all reachable in less than an hour too. Plenty to see and do!
One of my favourite things about having a caravan is that, no matter how long it’s been, the moment you set up on site, it feels like home. That was as true as ever when we pitched up at Ashridge Farm. The steadies went down, the kettle went on, and before we knew it we were watching the birds soar across the pink sky, looking forward to the week ahead.
A Touch of Magic
Waking up to gloomy skies the following morning didn’t dampen our spirits, as we’d already got tickets for a mostly-indoor attraction that we’d been wanting to visit for a long time — The Warner Brothers Studio Tour, where the Harry Potter films were created!
After a 50-minute drive from the campsite, we enthusiastically presented our tickets to the friendly car park attendant, who, after noticing my wheelchair, directed us to the Blue Badge parking spaces right by the entrance. Already, we could hear the iconic Harry Potter theme tune, beckoning us inside.
At first, we were in a bit of a stunned silence. The whole place was infinitely bigger than we had imagined, with a life-size dragon overhead and a variety of mystical eateries around us — and we hadn’t even begun the tour yet.
Setting off, we didn’t know what to expect. We started in a cinema room, then once the short film had finished, the screen disappeared to reveal the grand entrance to Hogwarts’ Great Hall. Making our way inside, we were no longer at a tourist attraction, but fully immersed in the set of a film. Fireworks and other special effects had us awe-inspired. And it only got more magical from there!
Each section of the tour transported us to a different land. From the eerie Forbidden Forest, which felt as though we were lost in woodland during a nighttime thunderstorm, to the Hogwarts Express, where Harry Potter’s journey to wizardry began. It was all so immersive, we forgot we were essentially in a big warehouse, with rain pouring on the metal roof overhead.
We’re not exactly super-fans of the franchise (Stephen got called a “muggle” for admitting he didn’t even know how many films there were), but we absolutely loved the whole experience, and learnt so much about all the hard work and creativity that goes into filmmaking.
Often when an attraction recommends an amount of time to spend there, we find we don’t need as long. This is partly due to the fact that Stephen power-walks everywhere (seriously — doing the food shop with him is like an Olympic sport), and we’re not particularly big on dilly-dallying. However, when the Warner Brothers Studios recommend at least 3.5 hours… they absolutely mean it! We spent upwards of 4 hours soaking everything in and enjoying a bite to eat, and left feeling very sleepy-but-satisfied after a fantastic day.
Top Tip: Book your tickets in advance if you can. It’s a highly popular attraction, with people visiting from across the world. However, we noticed they do seem to release more tickets at the last minute, if you’re happy to hold your nerve.
Wheelchair Access at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour London
Overall, I found the accessibility virtually faultless. From the moment we arrived, we were treated with great care from the attentive staff — with some making a special effort to ensure I was in a good position to see everything.
As I touched on earlier, there’s a large amount of Blue Badge parking spaces by the entrance, and you can collect a free carers ticket on your arrival. There are also a number accessible toilets located throughout the tour, including one humongous Changing Places facility, complete with a ceiling-track hoist and height-adjustable changing table. This is located in the entrance/exit foyer, so while there are a couple of smaller “standard” accessible toilets during the tour, if you need more advanced facilities I’d recommend using it before you start (or risk holding it until the end, which could be about four hours later).
In terms of getting around in my wheelchair, the site is large but mostly level-access, so there were very few places I couldn’t go. Just make sure your batteries are fully charged!
Going Wild at Woburn
After fully recharging our own batteries, we were ready for another day of fun — this time, at Woburn Safari Park. The weather may not have improved much, but that didn’t matter when the majority of our day would be spent in the car.
We could always imagine we were somewhere more exotic, right?
It had been such a long time since we’d visited a safari. We drove the last one in our previous vehicle—a Peugeot Partner, which we haven’t had for almost 10 years now—so we couldn’t wait to get started. Especially now our current vehicle, a VW Transporter, has an upfront wheelchair position, which gives me a significantly better view.
Arriving under threatening skies, we passed through the ticket kiosk and, without having to get out, headed straight onto the safari route.
Top Tip: Don’t be afraid to drive the safari at your own pace. The road at Woburn is plenty wide enough for people to overtake you, so there’s no harm in going slowly (or even pausing) for some wildlife-watching.
Taking it slow, we looked on to some of the world’s most spectacular animals in complete wonder. From rhinos, elephants and zebras, to lions, tigers and bears, no matter how old you get, there’s something so thrilling about seeing these spectacular beasts with your own eyes.
We’d never seen black bears before, so they were perhaps the most exciting for us, and we couldn’t help but stop for a while to take in these adorable creatures. Not literally, sadly. There are strict rules against this. Although I would’ve happily smuggled one home with us if that wasn’t so frowned upon!
Emerging from Carnivore Kingdom we reached a dilemma. Monkey enclosure? Or no monkey enclosure? Past experience tells us it’s a bad idea (RIP parking sensors on our old Peugeot), but our sense of YOLO had us driving straight through the entrance, ready to be pounced on. It didn’t take long before one spotted us and sauntered over, jumping onto the bonnet to inspect us through the windscreen.
After a staring competition that lasted an eternity (he won), and… relieving himself… on our wing mirror, the monkey casually wandered off and we continued on our way. Thankfully we left with everything fully intact this time, which is more than can be said for the car in front of us, which had its rear wipers hanging on by a thread.
Woburn’s Foot Safari
We had hoped that by the time we’d completed the Road Safari (which took about 90 minutes), the weather would have improved enough for us to explore the “Foot Safari” that makes up the other half of the park. Alas, it had not. In fact, it was now raining heavily. To give it a bit more time to sort its attitude out, we stopped in the restaurant for some fish and chips (highly recommend!), and thankfully by the time we had finished, it had reduced to a light drizzle.
Coats on, we explored the rest of the zoo, doting on the smaller animals as much as we did the big beasts. Being a miserable day during low season certainly has its perks — the main one being that we virtually had the entire place to ourselves! We were able to wander at our own pace, and had some really interesting conversations with the zoo keepers. In particular, we enjoyed learning about the red panda, who, despite their best efforts to find her a mate, prefers a solitary life, having chased off every suitor they offered. I don’t blame her one bit.
Note: Some enclosures shut an hour earlier than the park does, so make sure you plan your visit accordingly so you don’t miss out!
Accessibility at Woburn Safari Park
Since you stay in your own vehicle from your arrival until the end of the Road Safari (which takes roughly 60-90 minutes), it’s as accessible as your car is. There are toilets at the start of the driving route (including a basic accessible one), and a fantastic, spacious, clean and warm Changing Places toilet at the end, by the entrance of the Foot Safari. This is next to the Blue Badge parking bays and includes a ceiling-track hoist, adult-sized changing table, height-adjustable sink, and even a shower.
Accessibility varies in the Foot Safari, with some paths being a bit steep. However, there is plenty of access information available, both before you go and during your visit, including maps and signposted wheelchair-friendly routes. Discounts are also available for disabled visitors and their carer.
Despite being rather soggy by the end of the day, we had so much fun. Like the Harry Potter Studios, visiting Woburn Safari brought us back to our childhood selves, where everything is full of wonder. Sometimes when the forecast isn't looking great, it can be tempting to stay home. But we're so glad we made the effort to get out and about! We had a great time exploring somewhere new, and loved trying different things.
I’d say our first trip of 2026 was a resounding success!
