A day at Belsay
4
4
Date of visit: July 2026
Overall Rating
Good
We spent a day at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens near Morpeth in Northumberland. The site is run by English Heritage and is very well kept. Most of the place is level, including ticket office, souvenir shop, cafeteria and ground floor in the Hall. The ticket office is spacious and so is the adjoining shop, but as the building was the former stables, some of the paving is cobbled and a bit uneven to negotiate. Most of the paths around the grounds are compact earth, with manageable gradients both for manual wheelchairs and powerchairs. The accessible paths are very well signposted all the way and alternative routes provided in case of steps. The staff is ready to explain and they hand out maps for accessible routes, besides there are guided tours two or three times a day. There are also "trampers" (big three-wheeled scooters and all-terrain wheelchairs) for the use of less abile visitors, but booking is recommended. The Hall is accessed through the cafeteria entrance (ramp and automatic doors) via a large wooden ramp, but only the ground floor is suitable for visitors unable to climb steps, as the upper floors require going up the staircase. All the same, the ground floor is interesting and it gives the idea of the grandeur the Hall must have enjoyed in its heyday. The gardens and the unique botanical wood in the quarry have compact surface paths although some ups and downs may occur, but on the whole it's a very enjoyable stroll through the woodland as far as the Castle, which is the most ancient part of the estate. Beautiful on the outside, it has an old stone threshold to be negotiated with some help, and here again it is possible to visit only the ground floor, which is empty. There's an audio-visual presentation in the basement but it's down a big flight of stone steps. The upper floors are empty but impressive in their layout, showing the structure of what was both a defensive stronghold and a noble dwelling, and for those able to climb steep spiral staircases there's the reward of getting to the roof and see the views from the top. Near the Castle there are pic-nic tables and benches, nearly all of them in the sun; there's a toilet block with a large accessible toilet unit and a cafeteria. One more cafeteria and toilet block near the Hall, with a Changing places unit (see video). Overall, a very pleasant day out although limited as regards the buildings.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
Steps to ticket office, shop, cafeteria and Hall are kept to a minimum and overcome by a ramp where necessary, but some surfaces are cobbled or flagged and the courtyard is gravel so in some parts this may present some slight difficulties. In the gardens and quarry woodland there are benches but not too many.
Accessible facilities: Step-free entrance, Seating at regular intervals, Step-free access to most areas
Parking & Transport
Average
I travelled to this place by personal vehicle
There are two parking bays for the disabled about 20 yards from the ticket office, but they are not much larger than standard in width and this could be hindering in case of large wheelchairs needing to approach from the side of the vehicle.
Accessible facilities: Dedicated on-site parking
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
There are accessible toilets both near the entrance / Hall and near the Castle (which is at some distance!); in the toilet block near the Hall you can also find a good-sized Changing Places facility
Facilities: Accessible toilet, Changing Places toilet
Staff
Good
Helpful and ready to point out accessible ways, give explanations on the place etc.
Additional Information
We didn't try the cafeterias but we saw they're large and comfortable with spaces and tables both inside and outside. Overall, a very pleasant day out notwithstanding the impossibility of seeing the upper floors in the buildings. For those with children, there's an attractive play-area near the Castle.
