Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- Amenities in this building include: a café and a shop.
- The most accessible entrance has step-free level access.
- This entrance is the main entrance.
- There is step-free access once inside.
- There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
- The following are also available: seating and a clearly signed hearing assistance system.
- At the time of our visit the hearing assistance system was working.
- This site is not part of the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
- Toilet and changing facilities available include: an accessible toilet for the use of everyone, a standard toilet and a parent and baby room.
- There are 1 toilets with adaptations for disabled people.
- The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found is located in the café.
- This toilet with adaptations for disabled people is approximately 10m from the café entrance.
- The standard toilet surveyed can be found is located in the café.
Public Transport
- There is a bus stop within approximately 150m of the site.
- The nearest underground/overground station is Luton train station.
- Luton train station is 7 miles away from Dunstable Downs.
- For the latest travel options and information you can plan your travel using Traveline (opens new tab).
Parking
- This site has a car park.
- This is an open air car park with a concrete and gravel surface.
- Parking is free for National Trust members, but charges apply for all other visitors.
- There are clearly presented payment signs.
- Maps and information boards are available.
- There are more than 10 Blue Badge parking bays.
- The dimensions of the designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) surveyed are 231cm x 470cm.
- There is a hatched zone on both sides and to the rear.
- The hatched zone is under 120cm wide.
- The nearest Blue Badge bay is 4m from the Vistor Reception.
- Obstacles from the car park include: loose chippings.
- There are not parent and child parking bays available.
Equipment and Resources to Borrow
- You can borrow or hire the following equipment: manual wheelchairs. It is highly recommended that these are booked in advance, where this is possible. Please check the National Trust website for details.
- You can borrow these from Dunstable Downs. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- You can borrow or hire the following mobility vehicles: trampers. It is highly recommended that these are booked in advance, where this is possible. Please check the National Trust website for details.
- You can borrow these from Dunstable Downs. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
Route to
- Exit the car park and the shop/café will be straight ahead.
- The route to the area is step-free level.
- Path surfaces along the route are gravel.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is no accessible shuttle to this area.
Entrance
- The entrance surveyed is located at the front of the building.
- There is step-free level access at the entrance.
- There are double automatic doors which opens by sliding.
- The width of the opening is 182cm.
Shop
- There is step-free level access into the shop.
- The majority of aisle widths are over 150cm.
- All flooring in the shop is smooth and even.
- There is step-free level access around the shop.
- There is no (or very little) background noise here.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There is step-free level access to the counter.
- The height of the counter is 80cm.
- There is a low level counter at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The counter has windows, TVs, glazed screens or mirrors which could adversely affect the ability of someone to lip read.
- The counter has a clearly signed hearing assistance system.
- The hearing assistance system was tested and working at the time of the survey.
- Services/facilities available in the shop include: a member of staff to provide assistance.
Eating and Drinking
- This is a café which serves hot and cold meals and snacks.
- There is a counter where food and drink can be ordered.
- Staff can provide assistance and offer service to tables.
- Menu types include: written wall menus.
- Menus are not easy to read (unclear font with poorly contrasting colours).
- The following are available here: drinking straws, takeaway cups, two handled cups, easy grip cutlery, takeaway cutlery, large-handled mugs and large-handled cutlery.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There is no (or very little) background noise here.
- There is not a hearing assistance system.
- There is a counter over 85cm high without a tray rail.
- The counter is 96cm high.
- There is not a section of the counter at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- There is step-free level access around the seating area.
- There are tables, booths, chairs without armrests and adapted picnic tables available in the seating area.
- The seating area does not have: a mixture of chairs with and without armrests.
- There are some tables which are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The surface height of the tables is 76cm.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: some of the chairs.
- All flooring in the area is smooth and even.
- Some of the flooring has a very shiny finish, which could cause issues with glare or look slippery to some people.
Toilet with Adaptations
- This toilet is located in the café.
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- This toilet is approximately 10m from the café entrance.
- There is pictorial signage on or near the door.
- The door is manual, opens outwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the toilet door opening is 81cm.
- The door has a lever twist lock.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 151cm x 220cm and it has a turning space of at least 150cm x 150cm.
- There is a lateral transfer space to the right of the seat.
- The lateral transfer space is 88cm from the side of the toilet pan to the wall.
- There is a spatula flush on the transfer side.
- The following grab rails are available: a horizontal grab rail on the door, a horizontal grab rail on the non transfer side, a vertical grab rail on the transfer side, a vertical grab rail on the non transfer side and vertical grab rails on both sides of the wash basin.
- There is a dropdown rail on the transfer side.
- The following fixtures can be reached from the toilet seat: toilet roll holder, wash basin and soap dispenser.
- The following fixtures cannot be reached from the toilet seat: towel dispenser.
- The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 51cm.
- The height of the toilet roll holder is 83cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- The height of the wash basin is 70cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 99cm.
- The height of the towel dispenser is 91cm.
- There is a pull cord emergency alarm but it is not at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
- There is not a shelf.
- The cubicle has: a waste bin with lid and a sanitary bin.
- The cubicle does not have a full length mirror.
- There are coat hooks in the toilet at 110cm and 149cm from the floor.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: all dropdown rails, the toilet seat, the dropdown rail and all grab rails.
- Lighting levels are low.
Standard Toilet
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The width of the door opening is 87cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The female toilet was surveyed.
- There is also a male toilet in the same location.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 67cm.
- There is an ambulant cubicle available with horizontal grab rails on both sides.
- The wash basin tap type is push.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.
Parent and Baby Room / Baby Feeding Room
- There is step-free level access into the room.
- The door is manual, opens outwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 86cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The height of the baby change table is 110cm.
- The wash basin tap type is push.
- There is no seating available in the room.
- Waste bins include: a nappy bin.