Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- The most accessible entrance has step-free level access and a manual door.
- This entrance is at the front of the café.
- There are 2 floors once inside.
- Other floors can be accessed via: stairs.
- There is step-free access to the ground floor only 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: a toilet with some adaptations and step free standard toilets.
- The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found in the toilet block on the right as you face the café entrance.
- This toilet with adaptations for disabled people is approximately 1m from the toilet block entrance.
- The standard toilets surveyed can be found in the toilet block on the right as you face the café entrance.
Admissions
- At this location the following are free to access for all visitors: access to the café, toilets and Hadrian's Wall.
- At this location the following areas require payment from everyone (including National Trust members): parking and Housestead Fort.
- Parking charges apply to all visitors.
Public Transport
- There is a bus stop within approximately 150m of the site.
- The Hadrian's Wall service runs daily, all year round from Hexham to Haltwhistle and vice versa.
- The nearest train station is Haltwhistle.
- Haltwhistle Station is approximately 7.2 miles away.
- 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 tarmac surface.
- There are parking charges for all users.
- There are clearly presented payment signs.
- Maps and information boards are available.
- There are 4 Blue Badge parking bays.
- The dimensions of the designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) surveyed are 230cm x 460cm.
- There is a hatched zone on one side and to the rear.
- The hatched zone is under 120cm wide.
- The nearest Blue Badge bay is 12m from the café entrance.
- Obstacles from the car park include: uneven surfaces.
- There are not parent and child parking bays available.
- There is not a designated drop-off point.
- There are 2 bays marked as electric vehicle charging bays, with dimensions of 230cm x 460cm, however, these do not have any connectors.
There is limited parking at the top of the site, near to the fort, for visitors unable to walk up the path.
Equipment and Resources to Borrow
- You can borrow or hire the following equipment: a manual wheelchair. 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 the café. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- Powered mobility vehicles cannot be borrowed or hired.
Route to (Housesteads Café)
- Exit the car park at the far left.
The café is located immediately ahead. - The route to the area is step-free via a slight ramp/slope.
- Path surfaces along the route are tarmac.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is no accessible shuttle to this area.
Entrance (Toilet Block)
- The entrance surveyed is located on the right as you face the café entrance.
- There is step-free level access at the entrance.
- There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
- The width of the opening is 89cm.
Toilet with Adaptations (Toilet Block - Ambulant - Right Hand Transfer)
- This toilet is located on the left as you enter the toilet block.
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- This toilet is approximately 1m from the toilet block entrance.
- There is pictorial and written text 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 90cm.
- The door has a lever twist lock.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 176cm x 215cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
- There is a lateral transfer space to the right of the seat.
- The lateral transfer space is 90cm from the side of the toilet pan to the wall.
- There is a lever 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 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 and hand dryer.
- The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 48cm.
- The height of the toilet roll holder is 102cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- The height of the wash basin is 72cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 107cm.
- The height of the towel dispenser is 135cm.
- The height of the hand dryer is 80cm.
- The height of the baby change is 93cm.
- There is a pull cord emergency alarm at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
- There is a shelf located where it is not reachable for seated and standing users.
- The shelf does not meet the criteria for Stoma Friendly Toilets. For the Stoma Friendly Toilets criteria click here and select the Stoma Friendly tab in the right hand pane.
- The cubicle has: a waste bin with lid, a nappy/incontinence items bin, a sanitary bin and a padded back rest for seat.
- The cubicle does not have a full length mirror and coat hooks.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: the toilet seat, the dropdown rail, the floor, the internal door and all grab rails.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Standard Toilet (Toilet Block - Female)
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The door is manual, opens outwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 90cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 59cm.
- The wash basin tap type is push.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.
Standard Toilet (Toilet Block - Male)
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 90cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 59cm.
- The wash basin tap type is push.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.
Entrance (Café)
- The entrance surveyed is located at the front of the café.
- There is step-free level access at the entrance.
- There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
- The width of the opening is 100cm.
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 and menu boards.
- Menus are easy to read (large clear font with contrasting colours).
- The following are available here: drinking straws, takeaway cups, takeaway cutlery and a portable card machine for payment.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There is no (or very little) background noise here.
- There is a clearly signed hearing assistance system.
- The hearing assistance system was tested and working at the time of the survey.
- There is a counter under 85cm high with a tray rail.
- The counter is 77cm high.
- There is step-free level access around the seating area.
- There are coffee tables, tables, armchairs and a mixture of chairs with and without armrests available in the seating area.
- The seating area does not have: room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm) and a priority table.
- There are some tables which are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The surface height of the tables is 77cm.
- 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.
Stairs (Housestead Cafe)
- The floors which are accessible by stairs are The first floor is accessible by the stairs.
- There are 9 steps between floors.
- The steps are not clearly marked with handrails on both sides.
- The steps are medium height (11cm - 17cm).
- The highest step is 17cm high.
- Lighting levels are bright.
- There is a small landing between the nine steps and a further six steps after the landing.
Picnic Area
- The following information describes the picnic area located in front of and at the rear of the café.
- There is step-free level access into the area.
- There are tables and picnic tables.
- No chairs have armrests on both sides.
- Adapted picnic tables are available.
- The distance between the floor and the underside of the lowest picnic table is 67cm.
- The distance between the floor and the underside of the highest picnic table is 79cm.
- The surface height of the lowest table is 73cm.
- The surface height of the highest table is 83cm.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: some of the chairs and some of the tables.
- There is step-free level access around the area.
- Some of the surface in the picnic area in the area is smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to grass and gravel.
Outdoor Spaces (Play Area)
- This information is for the access point located at the rear of the café.
- There is step-free level access into the area.
- There is open access at the surveyed access point.
- The following outdoor facilities are available: a playground with play equipment.
- The outdoor spaces include the following surfaces: wood bark and block paving.
- Footpaths are not available in all of the outdoor spaces.
- There is step-free level access around the area.
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Playground
View
- There is a route around the play equipment which is not firm and even, but is over 150cm wide.
- The play equipment is not in easy reach for a range of users.
- The following play experiences are available: sliding and climbing.