Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Overall rating

4.5

About

From the moment you arrive, Harewood captures your imagination and feeds your curiosity. It's a place filled with art, culture and heritage which continues to develop and thrive today. One of the Treasure Houses of England, the historic Georgian property sits within "Capability" Brown designed landscape with remarkable views from the award winning Terraces.

Come inside and you'll be blown away by rare Chippendale furniture and jaw-dropping interior designs in the State Rooms. Make sure you leave time to explore the well-trodden corridors of Below Stairs. Harewood is just as much about today as it is about history. There are exhibitions of contemporary art, an award-winning educational department and over 100 acres of exquisite gardens. You can expect the unexpected at Harewood with special events and themed weekends.

With bags of space to run around, a massive adventure playground and woodland wonderland, there's no shortage of adventure for kids of all ages too.

Reviews

Overall rating

4.5

(1 review)

Overall rating breakdown

5 0
4 1
3 0
2 0
1 0

Access (avg.)

4.5

Parking (avg.)

4.5

Toilets (avg.)

4.5

Staff (avg.)

4.5

penni3

Oct 2023

4.5

Harewood House a joy to visit

As so as we arrived at the car park booth at the entrance to Harewood House I was offered assistance by the man in the booth and the volunteer who drives the access vehicle, we were on first name terms with Malcolm by the time we got to the house. He followed us to the car park, loaded my scooter into the access vehicle and off we went to the house. Once we got to the house we were informed about the route around the house by some very helpful volunteers. The route around the groundfloor of the house was very easy to navigate and there were shallow ramps over thresholds. Malcolm was there to pick us up after that and drove us round to the disabled enterance to see thr below stairs areas, once again greeted by a lovely volunteer who guided us around this area. There are 3 steps down into the kitchen and there is a free standing chair there too so you can sit. The rest of this area was level with graduation strips over the thresholds. From here Malcolm came to collect us again and drove us down to the cafe which was very accessible, all one level. There is a disabled loo in this courtyard area and the shop is here too. There are loos in the car park but didn't notice if there was a disabled one here. What made this visit so special was the people who helped us they were outstanding. We used the access vehicle so much because the site is quite steep as soon as you get out of the car park. So using their vehicle saved my scooter battery and the brain power concentrating negogiating steep terrain. We visited on a Monday late morning into the afternoon. So I can't say what busier days are like.

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Disabled Access Information Provided by Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Disabled Access at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Shuttle Service Harewood offers a mobility assistance shuttle service which is led by a team of volunteers. The shuttles are wheelchair, pram and pushchair accessible and provide drop offs to the Main Entrance, House, Church, Courtyard, Car Park and Lakeside. There are designated drop off points or turning circles at the Shuttle Stop locations. The Church turning circle is a short (approximately 1 minute) walk from All Saints Church, which is level, gravelled ground and is suitable for Prams and Wheelchairs. During busy periods, the Shuttle will provide priority access to those with mobility needs. Please note that as this service is run by volunteers we cannot guarantee that it will be running every day. If you require wheelchair or access mobility during your visit, please speak to Visitor Information, or call us on 0113 218 1010. Wheelchair Hire We have five manual wheelchairs available to hire on a first come first service basis. The three available in the House are indoor wheelchairs and are not for use in the Grounds. Please call our Visitor Information team if you require one for your visit, 0113 218 1010. The Grounds Harewood’s Grounds were designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the 1770’s to include sloping and mixed terrains. There are some areas with steep gradients, as well as cut grass, gravel and wood chip paths. Harewood’s driveway is approximately a half mile before reaching the ticket barriers. Please refer to the section on the Shuttle Service on what assistance is available. Visitors who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids are advised to bring someone to accompany them with navigating the Grounds. Please refer to the section on free access for Carers below for more information. The House We have two wheelchair lifts to allow users to access the State Floor and Below Stairs. But the main entrance wheelchair lift is currently out for repair. For guests who are unable to access the House via the front steps, we have an alternative lift to access the State Floor only. Please note that this lift is temporary and only suitable to be used by one guest at a time as a guest must be accompanied by a member of Harewood Staff whilst using the lift. This means that the wheelchair user will not be able to be accompanied by a companion whilst using the lift. This lift is small and is not able to take mobility scooters or mechanised wheelchairs due to its weight limit. Should you require use of this lift, please make yourself known to the Harewood team on arrival and they will assist you. Alternatively, you can to contact us prior to your arrival on 0113 218 1010. Wheelchair users can access the Terrace Cafe via the Terrace Garden, with the use of a wheelchair ramp. Please ask a member of staff if you need any assistance. Sensory backpacks We have 10 sensory backpacks for children and 10 for adults to encourage, support, and enhance the museum experience of our visitors who may experience sensory overload whilst visiting the House. These packs are free to use and are located at the desk in Entrance Hall. You can ask for one from any of our friendly staff and they will happily lend it to you for the duration of your visit. Carers We offer free admission to carers who are visiting with the person they care for, this includes Christmas. A Carer of a paying disabled visitor is entitled to complimentary admission to Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds during our general public opening hours. The cost of access companion tickets will be deducted at checkout when purchasing a full price adult ticket. Please note, this does not apply to any of our experiences (such as Private Apartment Tours and workshops) or special events (such as Dining in the Gallery). If you have any questions about admission for Carers, please contact info@harewood.org or call 0113 218 1010. Access+ Tickets Access+ tickets are available for households where at least one person is in receipt of one or more of the following: • Universal Credit • Pension Credit • Disability Living Allowance (DLA) • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Access+ are priced at £2 A maximum of 4 people from the same household can benefit from this offer. T&Cs apply, please visit harewood.org for information about eligibility. EnChroma Glasses Visitors with colour vision deficiency will be able to experience our vibrant collection like never before by hiring EnChroma Glasses. EnChroma’s patented lenses are engineered with special optical filters that enable colour blind people to see a broader range of colours more clearly, vibrantly and distinctly so they can experience colourful art, the beauty of nature, overcome everyday challenges and better understand and appreciate colours. Dogs at Harewood We warmly welcome all dogs to Harewood, but for the safety and comfort of our visitors, as well as the protection of our free-roaming wildlife, we kindly ask that dogs are kept on a lead at all times while on site. Staff are required to politely enforce this rule across the site. Assistance Dogs are welcome to explore all areas of Harewood.

Lift to some areas

The venue is on multiple levels, with lifts available to some areas.

Disabled access

Accessible retail space

The retail space is accessible, with step-free access and space to move around easily.

Step-free entrance

There is step-free access at the main entrance or an alternative entrance.

Wheelchair-accessible food and beverage outlet

There is at least one wheelchair-accessible food and beverage outlet on site.

Step-free access to most areas

There is step-free access to all or most areas. This may include access by ramp or lift.

Accessible parking at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

We have disabled priority parking in the Main Car Park, and at the Courtyard. The Courtyard spaces are limited due to the smaller area.

Dedicated on site parking

Drop-off or pick up point

There is a drop-off or pick up point less than 50 metres from the accessible entrance.

Transport nearby Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

There is an excellent bus service from Leeds and Harrogate. Visitors travelling to Harewood by bus; Keep hold of your bus ticket and show it to reception on arrival for half price entry to Harewood. Bus routes: No 36 to Harewood from Leeds and Harrogate runs every 15 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes during the day on Sunday. For more details please call Harrogate and District on 01423 566061 or click here to visit their website – harrogatebus.co.uk No 923 runs daily (except Sunday) and operates from Otley to Tadcaster via Wetherby. For more details please call Metro on 0113 245 7676. Alternatively, you can visit the Traveline Website for impartial information on planning your journey by bus, coach, train, or any combination of the three. By train Our nearest rail stations are Leeds and Harrogate. Taxis and bus connections are available. You can plan your journey here. By car The village of Harewood is centrally placed in Yorkshire at the junction of the A61/A659 on the Leeds/Harrogate road. Harewood has ample free parking. We are situated: 7 miles from Leeds and Harrogate on the A61 5 miles from Wetherby and the A1 22 miles from York 9 miles from Leeds/Bradford airport 8 miles from the M1 You may wish to use a route planner – our postcode is LS17 9LG, although Sat Nav users are recommended to try LS17 9LQ as this will bring you straight to the main Archway entrance to Harewood off the A61.

Bus station or stop

There is an accessible bus station or stop nearby with suitable boarding areas and facilities for disabled passengers.

Train station

There is an accessible train station nearby with suitable facilities and assistance available for disabled passengers.

Toilets features at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

We have accessible toilets at designated points across site: Car Park House - situated Below Stairs, next to the Terrace Cafe. These can be accessed through the Cafe using our portable ramp. Courtyard - located in the Entrance along the left hand side, opposite the Courtyard Shop. Bothy Tea House - there is ramped access in the Bothy which leads to the access toilet.

Accessible toilet

A designated accessible toilet designed for wheelchair users and others with visible and non-visible accessibility requirements is available within the main public areas.

Accessible formats at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Large print guides are always available for main collection at Harewood. For select exhibitions, we also offer audio and BSL interpretation - please check Harewood website for what's on, on the day of your visit.

Large print

Information is available in large print format.

Audio formats

Information is available in audio format.

Sign Language

BSL interpretation is available.

Accessible services at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Assistance dog facilities

Wheelchair hire

Wheelchairs are available for visitors to hire or borrow.

Relaxed performances

Relaxed performances are available.

Disability awareness/equality training

Staff have received disability awareness or equality training.

Emergency evacuation plan for disabled people

Personal or general emergency evacuation plans are in place for disabled customers.

Designated quiet times

Designated quiet times are available, during which noise levels are reduced to meet the needs of visitors with sensory sensitivities.

Emergency evacuation chair

An evacuation chair is available in case of emergency.

Other features at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is available for customers.

Carers Discount

Tramper hire

All-terrain mobility scooters (trampers) are available for visitors to hire or borrow.

Dietary requirements catered for

A selection of food is offered for a range of dietary requirements.

Online booking

Online booking is available.

Map or floorplan

A map or floorplan showing accessibility facilities is available.

More Information

More detailed accessibility information

For additional detailed accessibility information, please contact: info@harewood.org

Awards at Harewood House, Gardens and Grounds

Child Friendly Leeds Max Card Blue Peter Blue Light Card Art Fund Gardener’s World Members Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and Gardens Members Historic Houses