Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- The most accessible entrance has steps and a manual door.
- This entrance is main entrance.
- 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 hearing assistance system which is not signed.
- 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, standard toilets and a parent and baby room.
- The toilet with adaptations for disabled people surveyed can be found in the tea room building.
- This toilet with adaptations for disabled people is approximately 5m from the tea room entrance.
- The standard toilets can be found on the ground floor.
- The standard toilet surveyed can be found is in the tea room building.
- Assistance dogs only are allowed at this property.
- The tea room is upstairs but there is a bell on the outside of the door to ask for assistance. The door can be opened for you and there is some seating downstairs where your order can be taken and delivered to.
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.
- Sensory packs can be borrowed which include: ear defenders, fidget toys and magnifying glass.
- You can borrow these from visitor reception. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- Powered mobility vehicles cannot be borrowed or hired.
Route to (Orchard Tea Room)
- From the visitor reception, turn left and carry on to the end of the path. Turn right down the track. This track is uneven. There are two routes. Go straight ahead and follow the sign to the left which states tea room and toilets. This is a stepped route. The most accessible route is to turn left by the entrance to the Hall then right down the pathway to the building with three open doors. Turn right and then left to the tea room and toilets.
- The route to the area is step-free via a steep ramp/slope.
- Path surfaces along the route are compact earth, gravel, muddy and bonded gravel.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is no accessible shuttle to this area.
Entrance (Main Entrance)
- The entrance surveyed is located at the rear of the building.
- There is step-free level access at the entrance.
- This entrance has a bell.
- Features at a suitable height for a wheelchair user include: the bell.
- There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
- The width of the opening is 94cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of more than 1.5cm.
- The bell is to request assistance.
Stairs
- The floors which are accessible by stairs are first floor.
- There are 16 steps between floors.
- The steps are not clearly marked with handrails on both sides.
- The highest step is 14cm high.
- Lighting levels are low.
Eating and Drinking
- This is a tea room 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: menu boards.
- 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, a portable card machine for payment and large-handled cutlery.
- Lighting levels are low.
- There is no (or very little) background noise here.
- There is a hearing assistance system which is not signed.
- 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 82cm high.
- There is step-free level access around the seating area.
- There are tables, bench seats and a mixture of chairs with and without armrests available in the seating area.
- The seating area does not have: a priority table.
- Tables are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The surface height of the tables is 72cm.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: some of the chairs.
- All flooring in the area is smooth and even.
- The tea room is upstairs but there is a bell on the outside of the door to ask for assistance. The door can be opened for you and there is some seating downstairs where your order can be taken and delivered to.
Toilet with Adaptations (Orchard Tea Room - Ambulant - Right Hand Transfer)
- This toilet is located in the tea room and toilets building.
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- This toilet is approximately 5m from the Orchard Tea Room entrance.
- There is pictorial and written text signage on or near the door.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the toilet door opening is 77cm.
- The door has a lever twist lock.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 135cm x 250cm 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 72cm 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 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 90cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- The height of the wash basin is 75cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 75cm.
- The height of the towel dispenser is 140cm.
- The height of the hand dryer is 105cm.
- There is a pull cord emergency alarm at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
- There is a shelf located where it is reachable for seated and standing users.
- The shelf does 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 without lid, a nappy/incontinence items bin and a sanitary bin.
- The cubicle does not have a full length mirror.
- There are coat hooks in the toilet at 105cm and 156cm from the floor.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: all grab rails, the toilet seat, the floor and the internal door.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Standard Toilet
- 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 71cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The male and female standard toilets were surveyed.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 71cm.
- The wash basin tap type is twist turn mixer.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.
- There is a baby change facility at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
Parent and Baby Room / Baby Feeding Room
- There is step-free level access into the room.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 67cm.
- Internally the door has a high colour contrast.
- The height of the baby change table is 75cm.
- The wash basin tap type is twist turn mixer.
- There is no seating available in the room.
- There is a toilet in the parent and baby room.
- Waste bins include: a nappy bin, a general waste bin without lid and a sanitary bin.
Picnic Area
- The following information describes the picnic area located on the raised grassed area in the orchard.
- Access into the area is via slight ramps/slopes.
- There are tables, armchairs and bench seats.
- Some chairs have armrests on both sides.
- Adapted picnic tables are not available.
- The distance between the floor and the underside of the lowest picnic table is 59cm.
- The distance between the floor and the underside of the highest picnic table is 59cm.
- The standard height for the underside of picnic tables is 73cm.
- There is step-free level access around the area.
- The surface in the picnic area is not smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to grass.
- There are steps to get to this raised area but there is a longer route that avoids the steps. This route has a slight slope.