Open Country
Open Country is a Yorkshire charity founded in 1990 that helps disabled people access the countryside through tandem cycling clubs, conservation groups, accessible trail guides, and audio walks, serving approximately 500 active members annually across hubs in Harrogate, Wakefield, and Teesside.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersHarrogate, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Open Country does
Open Country is a registered charity (Charity No. 1107331, Company No. 5155859) founded in 1990 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, that enables people with disabilities to access and enjoy the Yorkshire countryside. It operates three regional hubs — Harrogate (headquarters at Community House, 46 East Parade), Wakefield, and Teesside (established 2025 with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust at Margrove Heritage Centre) — delivering 26 weekly outdoor activity sessions including seven tandem cycling clubs, conservation groups, countryside walks, and weekend outings. The organisation reaches approximately 500 active members annually (around 577 individuals in FY2023-24) through nearly 10,000 outdoor activity sessions per year.
The core product portfolio combines direct service delivery with a substantial digital accessibility content library. Service products include Tandem Clubs, Conservation Groups, Countryside Outings and Weekend Activities, and the Countryside Advice Service providing training and access audits. Content products include 50+ Audio Walks recorded by Countryside Activities Officer Tom Marsh and hosted on the website and YouTube, Breakfree Packs covering Harrogate District, Leeds, Wakefield, Wharfedale, York, and Nidderdale, and Accessible Countryside Directories for West and North Yorkshire. Adjacent programmes include the Good Access Scheme Award, the Gold Standard for Access accreditation, and Bluespace (water-access initiative). Member outcomes reported include 100% reporting fun/safety, 98% feeling fitter, 97% spending more time outdoors, and 87.5% feeling less alone.
Open Country's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams comprise individual donations (Givey, JustGiving, community fundraising), charitable grants from DEFRA (£83,000 for the Nidderdale Access for All project), the National Lottery Community Fund, Wakefield Council, City Connect, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire Councils' Inspire Fund, North Yorkshire Council UKSPF, and Postcode Neighbourhood Lottery, plus a £10 booking fee on weekend trips. Membership and digital resources are free. Delivery is enabled by 170+ volunteers donating 12,951 hours annually. The charity is governed by a board of trustees chaired by Richard Firth, with David Shaftoe serving as Chief Officer and Company Secretary.
Open Country firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open Country
- Legal name
- Open Country
- Website
- https://opencountry.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Open Country is a Yorkshire charity founded in 1990 that helps disabled people access the countryside through tandem cycling clubs, conservation groups, accessible trail guides, and audio walks, serving approximately 500 active members annually across hubs in Harrogate, Wakefield, and Teesside.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Open Country industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability and Accessibility Services
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accessibility & Inclusion Services (ADA Access, Adaptive Programs, Multilingual Support) (THAAAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), Equipment Rental & Outfitter Services (Camping Gear, Boats, Bikes, Mobility Aids) (THAAAGAG), Transportation & Access Services (Shuttles, Ferry Access, Scenic Drives Permits) (THAAAGAC)
Keywords
Where Open Country is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Harrogate
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Open Country business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: The charity relies heavily on public donations, individual fundraising efforts, and community fundraising events. They have a JustGiving page and accept donations through Givey. A 9-year-old supporter once raised £177 through selling bookmarks.
- Charitable Grants: Funding from government and lottery sources including DEFRA (£83,000 for Access for All project), National Lottery Community Fund, Wakefield Council, City Connect, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire Councils' Inspire Fund, and Postcode Neighbourhood Lottery.
- Activity Participation Fees: Weekend trips require a £10 booking fee. Some activities may have nominal costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free membership with optional activity fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Open Country product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open Country is a Yorkshire-based disability charity that enables disabled people to access and enjoy the countryside through outdoor activities such as tandem cycling, conservation groups, countryside walks, and weekend outings. The charity also provides accessibility information resources including Breakfree trail guides, Audio Walks, and Accessible Countryside Directories, alongside a Countryside Advice Service that offers training, access audits, and consultancy to organisations on inclusive outdoor access.
Product overview
Open Country offers a comprehensive suite of services helping people with disabilities access and enjoy the countryside. The core offerings include Tandem Clubs for accessible cycling, Audio Walks for virtual countryside experiences, Breakfree Packs as accessible trail guides, Accessible Countryside Directories for planning visits, Conservation Groups for practical outdoor work, and Countryside Outings for weekend adventures. Supporting services include the Countryside Advice Service providing training and access audits, the Good Access Scheme Award recognising accessibility excellence, the Gold Standard for Access accreditation, and Bluespace for water-based activities. The charity delivers nearly 10,000 outdoor activity sessions annually through hubs in Harrogate, Wakefield, and Teesside.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tandem Clubs
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of members report having fun and feeling safe, supported, and respected
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use Open Country
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Open Country technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Open Country partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.
- Tees Valley Wildlife TrustcorePartnership to establish a new Teesside hub at Margrove Heritage Centre. Open Country delivers services from this location including tandem club, nature and conservation group, weekend walks and outings. This is a key expansion of services into a new geographic area.
- Yorkshire WaterkeyYorkshire Water contributed to accessibility improvements at Nidderdale sites as part of the Access for All project. Improvements include new path surfacing at Timble Ings, wheelchair-accessible picnic table at Thruscross Reservoir, new benches at Scar House Reservoir, and disabled access viewpoint at Angram Reservoir.
- Nidderdale National LandscapecoreCollaborative Access for All project funded by DEFRA (£83,000) to improve accessibility in Nidderdale. Includes strategic mapping, practical access improvements, Breakfree pack creation, audio walks, training courses, and establishing an all-terrain power chair hub.
- National TrustminorParticipated in disability empathy training session in Nidderdale alongside other organizations including National Trust representatives.
- The Skell Valley ProjectminorParticipated in disability empathy training session in Nidderdale along with representatives from this project.
- Yorkshire Dales Millennium TrustminorParticipated in disability empathy training session in Nidderdale.
- Experience Community CICminorOrganization represented at Good Access Scheme conference discussing accessibility best practices.
- The Land TrustminorOrganization represented at Good Access Scheme conference discussing accessibility best practices.
- Christ Church CentreminorVenue provider for Annual General Meetings at High Harrogate location.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Open Country competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA): UK charity providing riding and carriage driving for disabled people across hundreds of centres. Comparable as both deliver supported outdoor activity programmes for disability segments through trained volunteers and group session models.
- Sensory Trust: UK charity improving accessibility of outdoor spaces for disabled and older people through consultancy, training, and resources. Directly comparable as both deliver countryside accessibility advice, training, and inclusive outdoor experience programmes.
- Disabled Ramblers: UK charity organizing rambles and walks for people with disabilities, with a focus on mobility access. Closely comparable to Open Country's walking groups and Breakfree trail guides, serving overlapping disability segments in the outdoors.
- Access The Dales: Yorkshire-based charity providing all-terrain mobility vehicles and accessible experiences in the Yorkshire Dales. Direct peer as both organizations operate in Yorkshire countryside accessibility for disabled people, and Access The Dales is a Good Access Scheme Award recipient of Open Country.
- British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA): UK charity enabling disabled people to access angling through accessible fisheries and equipment. Comparable to Open Country's mission of removing physical barriers and providing supported access to countryside recreation for disabled participants.
- Fieldfare Trust: Scottish charity pioneering accessibility in the outdoors and developing the "EQUAL" access grading system for paths. Comparable as a specialist outdoor access charity with similar consultancy, training, and graded trail resources aimed at disabled users.
Broad incumbents
- Sense (UK disability charity): Major UK disability charity supporting people with complex disabilities including sensory impairments. Compares as a broad incumbent serving overlapping disability segments, though Sense focuses on broader social support rather than countryside-specific access.
- National Trust: UK's largest conservation charity operating countryside properties. Broad incumbent — overlaps with Open Country through disability access work and is an actual partner (took part in disability empathy training with Open Country in Nidderdale), but operates at national scale with accessibility as one part of a much wider portfolio.
- Yorkshire Wildlife Trust: Regional wildlife charity managing nature reserves across Yorkshire. Compares as a broader incumbent — host of Open Country's new Teesside hub via Tees Valley Wildlife Trust partnership, with overlapping audiences in outdoor access and conservation volunteering.
Emerging players
- Whizz-Kidz: UK charity providing wheelchairs and mobility equipment to disabled children and young people. Emerging adjacent peer — overlaps in mobility access advocacy and supporting disabled outdoor participation, though focused on equipment provision rather than direct countryside activities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Open Country social profiles
Digital presenceOpen Country financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open Country leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Open Country funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open Country M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Open Country
What does Open Country do?
Open Country is a Yorkshire-based disability charity that enables disabled people to access and enjoy the countryside through outdoor activities such as tandem cycling, conservation groups, countryside walks, and weekend outings. The charity also provides accessibility information resources including Breakfree trail guides, Audio Walks, and Accessible Countryside Directories, alongside a Countryside Advice Service that offers training, access audits, and consultancy to organisations on inclusive outdoor access.
Is Open Country a public or private company?
Open Country is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Open Country founded?
Open Country was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Open Country based?
Open Country is headquartered in Harrogate, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Open Country make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are charitable Grants and activity Participation Fees.
Who are Open Country's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), Sensory Trust, Disabled Ramblers, Access The Dales, British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) and Fieldfare Trust. Broad incumbents are Sense (UK disability charity), National Trust and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Whizz-Kidz is listed as an emerging player.
Does Open Country have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open Country.
What industry is Open Country in?
Open Country's product category is Disability and Accessibility Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAGAJ, Accessibility & Inclusion Services (ADA Access, Adaptive Programs, Multilingual Support), with a secondary code of THAAAGAF, Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized). Its NAICS code is 712190 and its SIC code is 7997.