There are few better ways to spend a Saturday than a few hours on a country path — the click of a gate latch, the smell of wet leaves, a flask of tea on a bench with a view. But a route that is a gentle pleasure on foot can become an exhausting struggle the moment you are pushing a buggy or travelling in a wheelchair. The encouraging news is that accessible walking in the UK is improving year on year, and with a bit of homework you can find routes that genuinely work for everybody in your group.

What "accessible" really means on a country path

There is no single national standard for a countryside path, so "accessible" means different things to different people. A route that suits a sturdy all-terrain buggy may be hopeless for a lightweight chair, and a surfaced trail that is fine for a mobility scooter may be too steep for someone pushing a double buggy uphill. Before you set out, think about four things:

• Gradient: how steep, how long, and whether the slope is a short ramp or a sustained climb.
• Surface: tarmac, compacted stone, rolled gravel, grass or mud, and whether it drains after rain.
• Obstacles: stiles, narrow gates, steps, cattle grids, roots and overhanging branches.
• Facilities: parking, toilets, benches and somewhere to shelter or buy a cup of tea.

Gradients, cambers and surfaces

As a rough rule, aim for paths with a gradient gentler than about 1 in 12, and ideally nearer 1 in 20. Short bursts of 1 in 12 can be manageable, but they become hard work when sustained over a quarter of a mile. Do not forget camber: a path that is level along its length but tilts sideways will pull a wheelchair downhill and tire the person pushing a buggy surprisingly quickly.

Surfaces matter just as much. Tarmac and compacted limestone are the gold standard for wheels. Rolled gravel is usually fine, though loose gravel on top of a hard base can drag. Rough grass is workable in a dry summer and miserable by November. Clay soils hold water and turn slick, while chalk and limestone paths tend to drain faster. Boardwalks and old railway paths are often excellent choices, offering level gradients and firm, well-drained surfaces over long distances.

Gates, stiles and everything in between

Stiles are the traditional enemy of wheels. Wherever you see them listed in a route description, assume you will need a companion to lift a chair or buggy over — or plan another way round. Kissing gates are better, but quality varies enormously: some are wide and easy, others are narrow, sprung and awkward to hold open while manoeuvring. Bridle gates and farm gates are generally the most generous, with plenty of width for a wheelchair, a buggy or a mobility scooter, though a heavy gate on a slope can be tricky to manage one-handed.

Watch out for cattle grids, which sometimes have a side gate for walkers that may or may not be wide enough, and for steps cut into a bank beside a gate. Some countryside gates are fitted with a universal access lock; the key is available to disabled walkers and is worth carrying if you use routes regularly.

How to read published access information

Route descriptions are your best friend, but read them critically. Words like "easy", "gentle" and "family-friendly" are used loosely, and a route written for walkers may not mention a single obstacle that matters to you. Look for phrases such as "surfaced throughout", "no stiles", "gentle gradients" and "suitable for wheelchairs and buggies".

Useful sources include national park offices, local authority rights of way teams, and the access pages of larger countryside estates. Detailed maps show bridleways, byways and permitted routes, which often have better gates and firmer surfaces than public footpaths. If in doubt, telephone the estate office or visitor centre and ask specific questions: how wide is the gate, what is the surface, is there a step at the entrance, and are there benches along the way.

Planning the day: distance, timing and facilities

Distances feel longer with wheels. A mile that takes a walker twenty minutes may take an hour or more with a buggy or chair, especially on gravel or a slight climb. Plan shorter routes than you would on foot, and build in extra time for gates, photographs and impromptu stops.

Check facilities before you leave. Is there a car park with a hard-standing or blue badge bay? Are there accessible toilets nearby, and do they have a key scheme? Is there a pub or café at the halfway point? Benches are worth their weight in gold — a level, well-placed seat every half mile turns a slog into a pleasure.

Weather, kit and building confidence

British weather decides which paths work. After heavy rain, low-lying riverside trails and clay farmland become impassable for wheels, while higher chalk and limestone routes often remain firm. Winter mud is the single biggest obstacle to accessible walking, so favour surfaced trails between November and March and save the rough stuff for a dry summer.

Pack a small kit bag: a lightweight waterproof for the person pushing, a spare pair of gloves, a cloth for muddy wheels, and a torch in winter. A basic repair kit for a puncture is sensible if you use pneumatic tyres.

Above all, start small. Pick one short, well-surfaced local route, walk it in good weather, and note what worked and what did not. Build a mental list of routes that suit different seasons and different members of the family, and you will soon have a reliable repertoire for every kind of outing — muddy wellies, tired toddlers and all.