The Green Thread

Accessibility

I have disabilities myself. That’s why this page exists, and why it says what isn’t done as well as what is.

This site aims to meet WCAG 2.2 level AA throughout, and level AAA for the contrast of body text. If you find something that doesn’t work for you, it’s a fault worth fixing, not an edge case — please tell me.

On a walk or at a talk

  • BSL interpretation on request — ask when you enquire so there’s time to arrange it.
  • Routes adapted for different mobility needs where the ground allows it.
  • Honest access notes on every route: the surface underfoot, the gates, where the benches are, and what the toilet situation actually is.
  • Large-print handouts as standard, not on request.
  • £20 concession rate, no questions asked and no proof required.
  • Ask before you book. If a route won’t work for you, I’d rather tell you than have you find out on the day.

On this website

  • Every page works with a keyboard alone, in a sensible order, with a visible focus outline on everything you can reach.
  • A “skip to content” link is the first thing you reach with the Tab key.
  • Body text is dark green-black on warm white at a contrast ratio of about 15:1 — comfortably past the strictest WCAG level, not just the minimum.
  • The typeface used for all body text is Atkinson Hyperlegible Next, designed by the Braille Institute so that letters which normally look alike stay distinguishable.
  • Nothing is explained by colour alone. A full walk says “Full”, a cancelled one says “Cancelled”.
  • Every form field has a label that stays visible while you type. Error messages say how to fix the problem, are attached to the field they belong to, and are announced by screen readers.
  • The site works at 200% zoom and at 320px wide with no sideways scrolling, and it is still readable with stylesheets switched off.
  • Buttons and links are at least 44 by 44 pixels — larger than the WCAG minimum of 24.
  • Images that carry meaning have written descriptions; decorative ones are hidden from screen readers.
  • Animation is limited to short fades, and there is none at all if your device is set to reduce motion.
  • The site was tested with VoiceOver, including sending an enquiry from start to finish.
  • There is no cookie banner, because there are no cookies and no third-party tracking to consent to.

What isn’t done yet

  • Checking the image descriptions. The written descriptions of the photographs were drafted by whoever built the site, not by Willem. They need checking against what each picture actually shows.
  • Testing with more screen readers. Tested with VoiceOver so far. NVDA and JAWS testing is planned but has not happened yet.
  • BSL video. Interpretation is offered on request for walks and talks, but there is no signed version of the website itself.
  • An audio version of the handouts. Handouts are available in large print. An audio version has been asked for and is on the list.

Telling me about a problem

Email Willem.Eric.ball.97@outlook.com and say what happened, what you were using, and what you expected. You don’t need to know the technical name for it.

I read these myself and I’ll reply within a few days. If something is stopping you booking, say so and I’ll take the booking by email instead.

This statement was last reviewed when the site was built, and applies to https://the-green-thread.co.uk.