The National Trust has improved accessibility across sites in West Dorset and has introduced a Tramper scooter at Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock.

This follows last year's success at reintroducing an all-terrain mobility scooter offer on Golden Cap.

The service at Hive Beach and Golden Cap will be available seven days a week, weather permitting, from April to October.  

The new Hive Beach routes start and end at the National Trust welcome hut, with a short route heading east up the South West Coast Path to give a viewpoint to the west, where you can see the Burton Cliffs, Golden Cap and beyond.

The second route heads west from Hive Beach along the Burton Cliff walk on the South West Coast Path.

At the high point there is a marvellous panorama where further to the west you can see Golden Cap, and to the east is the yellow stretch of Chesil Beach to Portland Bill.  

The National Trust operates with the charity Living Options Devon that works with outdoor attractions across the region to open the best of the South West's coast and countryside to people with limited mobility and health conditions that make walking difficult.

Hive Beach, managed by National Trust, is one of more than 50 sites in the award-winning Countryside Mobility scheme.  

Scott Welland, the National Trust's visitor operation and experience manager for North and West Dorset, said: "The National Trust is for everyone. We want our visitors to have a great experience with us, and we are always working to improve the accessibility of the places we care for.

"In Dorset we are continually developing improvements for accessibility which are creative and sensitive to our surroundings and welcome comments from our visitors to assist our further improvements.

"We have been looking to launch these Tramper routes at Hive Beach for nearly three years so we are so pleased that our visitors who would not have previously been able to access these sections of the coast path will finally be able to do so.

"We are so lucky to have such beautiful sites in our care and we are so happy to be able to make one more just a little bit more accessible."

Neil Warren, Countryside Mobility project manager, added: "We're delighted to add such a beautiful and popular location to the network of hire locations and are grateful to the National Trust for their ongoing commitment to improve access.

"Time and again we hear how this transforms the experience, not only for the person using the Tramper – who may otherwise stay behind in a café or car park – but also for the friends or family who they can now join to explore these special places."

The Tramper can go up and down slopes, over bumps and tree roots, through shallow puddles, mud and soft ground and are for use by anyone who struggles with walking.

With a top speed of four miles an hour, they can keep pace with the briskest walking companion. 

On arrival at Hive Beach (or Golden Cap), those wishing to use the Tramper become members of Countryside Mobility, which costs £10 per year or £2.50 for two weeks and commences with introductory training on how to use a Tramper, lasting approximately 10 minutes. 

The membership then acts like a driving licence giving access to Tramper hire at all the other locations that are part of the Countryside Mobility network. 

Booking is advisable – visit www.countrysidemobility.org/locations/national-trust-hive-beach for full details or contact the National Trust at [email protected] for Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock, or [email protected] for Stonebarrow, Golden Cap.