🧑🦽 Accessible campsites for everyone
An inclusive holiday is when you can walk to the water and kitchen without steps, showers without sides, and the playground is visible from the terrace. In Norway, it is increasingly common to find threshold-free (terskelfri) layouts, family showers, gently sloping ramps, HC parking at the entrance, and promenades with handrails. Below are practical selection criteria, interactive checklists, and templates for requests to hosts.
🔍 What to consider "accessible"
● Entrance and movement: level access, threshold ≤ 2 cm, doors ≥ 90 cm, turning space Ø 150 cm.
● Bathroom: shower without sides, folding seat, handrails, space for an assistant, sink with ramp.
● Kitchen/room: table without cabinets under the countertop, sockets at a height of 40–120 cm, passageways ≥ 90 cm.
● Parking: HC space ≤ 30–50 m from the door, covered drop-off area is welcome.
● Embankment/pier: ramp ≤ 5% (or up to 8% with "shelves/platforms"), non-slip surface, handrails, edge guard.
● Sensory comfort: "quiet" areas, uniform warm lighting, visual alarms, induction loop at reception.
● Families with children/prams: "trillevennlig" (pram-friendly) paths, lekeplass (playground) within sight, familierom/stellerom (family cabin/changing room).
✅ Accessibility checklist — interactive assessment
🚪 Threshold-free layout: what is important to check
● Doors and thresholds: entrance/bathroom ≥ 90 cm, threshold ≤ 2 cm (bevelled), lever-type handles.
● Turning space: minimum Ø 150 cm circle in bathroom and kitchen areas.
● Furniture: ≥70 cm of free space under the table, bed height 45–55 cm.
● Surfaces: non-slip (R9+), anti-slip mats.
● Sockets/switches: 40–120 cm from the floor, no "low" extension cords across passageways.
📏 Door opening and swing calculator
🌊 Access to the promenade and pier
● Route: solid decking, slope ≤ 5% (or ≤ 8% with intermediate platforms every 9–10 m), width ≥ 120 cm, edge ≥ 5 cm at the edge.
● Pier/bridge: non-slip surface, handrails, benches every 50–80 m, glare-free lighting.
● Weather: in case of splashes and wet stones, priority should be given to decking and bays rather than open headlands.
🧮 Slope and travel time to the water — calculation
🧒 Family areas and "trillevennlig" routes
Important for families: a playground (lekeplass) within sight, family showers (familierom), a nappy-changing room (stellerom), pram paths to the waterfront, tables under a canopy, and a drying room (tørkerom) for wet clothes.
🧸 Filter by age and family needs
🔔 Comfort for hearing/vision impairments and sensory sensitivity
● Hearing: display board at reception/kitchen, induction loop (teleslynge), visual fire alarm, SMS notifications.
● Vision: tactile and contrasting markings on steps/pier edges, large pictograms, even lighting without glare.
● Sensory comfort: "quiet" areas away from the kitchen/entrance, request to neighbours to observe quiet hours, blackout curtains.
🅿️ Parking and entrance
HC parking at the door, marking width ≥ 3.6 m, solid surface without puddles, drop-off area under a canopy and a short barrier-free path to the cottage/bathroom/kitchen.
✉️ What to clarify with the hosts before paying
● Door/passage widths (≥ 90 cm), threshold height (≤ 2 cm), turning circle (Ø 150 cm).
● Shower: no rim? Is there a seat and handrails? Is there space for an assistant?
● Parking: HC space at the entrance? Distance (in metres) and slope (in %)?
● Embankment/pier: ramp, handrails, lighting, benches, curb.
● Family options: family room/stellarom, kitchen with children's tableware, playground within sight.
● Hearing/vision: induction loop, visual alarms, contrast/tactile markings.
📨 Template message to the administrator
📨 Accessibility questions
Hello! We are planning to stay from __ to __ (guests: __). 1) Entry / doors / thresholds: Are door widths ≥ 90 cm and thresholds ≤ 2 cm? Can you share photos? 2) Bathroom: Is there a shower without a curb, a fold-down seat and grab bars, and a Ø150 cm turning circle? 3) Parking: Is there an HC parking space at about __ m from the door and what is the slope __%? Is there a covered area for drop-off? 4) Waterfront / pier: Is there a ramp with handrails and resting platforms? Is the edge secured (guardrail/curb)? 5) Family facilities: Family room / changing room, playground within sight, kitchen with child-friendly dishes / high chair? 6) Hearing / vision: Induction loop (hearing), visual fire/alarm signals? Thank you!
💸 Booking and cost
● Front row cabins often have an additional charge for final cleaning and bed linen — please check in advance.
● During "peak weeks," request a quiet area and parking at the entrance.
● If availability is critical, choose rates with free cancellation and confirmation of parameters in correspondence.
📚 Mini-glossary (in Norwegian)
● Terskelfri — no threshold.
● HC‑toalett / HC‑parkering — accessible toilet / parking for people with disabilities.
● Rullestolrampe — ramp for wheelchairs/wheelchairs.
● Universell utforming — universal design (for everyone).
● Tilrettelagt — "adapted/equipped" (e.g. trail/beach).
● Lekeplass / familierom / stellerom — playground / family shower room / changing room.
● Brygge — pier (look for references to sides and railings).
✅ Check-in checklist (quick check)
❓ FAQ
Both parameters are critical. A narrow door will not allow you to pass through at all, and a high threshold will make each passage uncomfortable and unsafe. Consider doors ≥ 90 cm and thresholds ≤ 2 cm to be the basic minimum.
It is a spacious cabin where the sink and shower are in the same room. Often there is a changing table (stellerom), a bench/seat and a place for an assistant — convenient for both people with disabilities and families with small children.
Yes, if there is a ramp ≤ 5% (or ≤ 8% with rest areas), non-slip surface, handrails and a side rail. Check with the host for the slope and photos of the route from the door to the waterfront.
Wide markings (≈ 3.6 m), solid, even surface without puddles, short barrier-free path to the entrance. Ideally, a canopy for getting out in the rain and a designated area for wheelchairs.
The loop does not replace headphones, but it makes speech clearer by transmitting the signal "directly" to the hearing aid/cochlear implant. This is very helpful at the reception desk and information stands.
Look for the lekeplass markings and a location within sight of the house, soft ground cover, perimeter fencing and a well-lit path. A bonus is a covered "rest room" in case of rain.
No. Choose decking and bay embankments, take a membrane and gloves with a non-slip coating. Piers with railings and a rim are safer than open stone slabs.
Ask to rearrange some of the furniture, turn the table or remove a free-standing cabinet. Sometimes 10–20 cm of "air" solves the problem.
Ask for photos and a short video of the route from the car park to the door/bathroom, and specify the width of the doors and the height of the threshold in centimetres. Save the correspondence together with the booking.
Yes: stay away from the edge, especially in spray and rain, do not leave wheels/ropes across the passageway, and observe "quiet hours" — sound on the water can be heard by all neighbours.
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