Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- The most accessible entrance has a slight ramp/slope and doors permanently held open.
- This entrance is at the rear of the café, in the servant's courtyard.
- 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 are 4 steps to the upper seating level.
- There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
- The following are also available: seating, a clearly signed hearing assistance system and facilities for assistance dogs.
- At the time of our visit the hearing assistance system was working.
- This site is 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 within the rear courtyard.
- This toilet with adaptations for disabled people is approximately 2m from the toilet block entrance.
- The standard toilets surveyed can be found in the toilet block within the rear courtyard.
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.
- Sensory packs can be borrowed which include: ear defenders, fidget toys, sunglasses, magnifying glass, soft toy and communication cards.
- You can borrow these from the visitor welcome hut. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- Powered mobility vehicles cannot be borrowed or hired.
Route to (the Café)
- Exit the car park and go past the visitor welcome hut.
Continue along the path and past the hall.
Turn right as you pass the hall and go up the ramp and through the corridor into the servant's wing courtyard.
Turn right and go through the hall exit door, then turn left and the accessible entrance to the café is on the right.
The route to the front of the café (stepped entrance) is via the archway on the right of the hall. - The route to the area is step-free via a slight ramp/slope.
- Path surfaces along the route are tarmac, gravel, cobbles and paving stones.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is no accessible shuttle to this area.
Entrance (Accessible)
- The entrance surveyed is located at the rear of the café, through the servant's wing courtyard.
- There is step-free access via ramp at the entrance.
- There is a single manual door which is permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 93cm.
- There is a second set of manual doors which are permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 83cm.
- There is a slight ramp between 75cm and 150cm wide beyond the entrance, with no handrails.
Entrance (Stepped)
- The entrance surveyed is located at the front of the café, to the rear right of the hall.
- There is stepped access at the entrance.
- There are 3 steps, which are unmarked, with a handrail on the right going up.
- The handrail covers all steps.
- Some of the steps are not at the recommended height (between 15cm - 18cm).
- There is a single manual door which opens towards you.
- The width of the opening is 90cm.
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 easy to read (large clear font with contrasting colours).
- The following are available here: drinking straws, two handled cups, easy grip cutlery, a portable card machine for payment, large-handled mugs and large-handled cutlery.
- 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 without a tray rail.
- The counter is 84cm 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: room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm) and a priority table.
- Tables are at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The surface height of the tables is 75cm.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: some of the chairs.
- All flooring in the area is smooth and even.
- Additional seating which does not have step-free level access is located at the rear of the café.
- Some of the seating area has stepped access.
- There are 4 steps to access the additional seating.
Picnic Area
- The following information describes the picnic area located in front of the café and in the servant's wing courtyard.
- There is step-free level access into the area.
- There are 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 68cm.
- The surface height of the lowest table is 75cm.
- The surface height of the highest table is 75cm.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: all of the chairs and all of the tables.
- There is step-free level access around some of 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 uneven paving/tiles, gravel and cobbles.
Ramp or Slope (to Rear Courtyard)
- The ramp is slight.
- The ramp has handrails on both sides.
Entrance (Rear Courtyard Toilet Block)
- The entrance surveyed is located in the rear courtyard.
- There is step-free level access at the entrance.
- There is a single manual door which is permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 90cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of less than 1.5cm.
Toilet with Adaptations (Rear Courtyard - Ambulant - Left Hand Transfer)
- This toilet is located in the rear courtyard.
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- This toilet is approximately 2m 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 medium colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the toilet door opening is 85cm.
- The door has a locking handle.
- The dimensions of the cubicle are 215cm x 209cm and it does not have a 150cm x 150cm turning space.
- There is a lateral transfer space to the left of the seat.
- The lateral transfer space is 160cm 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 and a vertical rail on the left side 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: hand dryer.
- The height of the toilet seat above floor level is 46cm.
- The height of the toilet roll holder is 107cm.
- The wash basin tap type is lever mixer.
- The height of the wash basin is 74cm.
- The height of the soap dispenser is 102cm.
- The height of the hand dryer is 105cm.
- The height of the baby change is 90cm.
- There is a pull cord emergency alarm at a recommended height (within 10cm from the floor).
- There is not a shelf.
- 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 and coat hooks.
- The following have a high colour contrast with their surroundings: the floor.
- The following have a less clear colour contrast with their surroundings: all grab rails, the internal door, the toilet seat and the dropdown rail.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
Standard Toilet (Rear Courtyard)
- There is step-free level access into the toilet.
- The door is manual, opens inwards and has a medium colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the door opening is 70cm.
- Internally the door has a medium colour contrast.
- The male and female standard toilets were surveyed.
- The width of the widest cubicle door opening is 54cm.
- The wash basin tap type is push.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- There are hand dryers.