Newby Hall & Gardens

Disabled parking is in a car parking area close to the entrance. It is gravel surfaced so car should be taken. There is a disabled loo at the far end of the car park. Adequate to take a large powerchair but space is quite tight once inside. The gardens are mostly accessible to wheelchairs and you can get a wheelchair map from reception. There is plenty to see and do. The grandkids loved the miniature steam railway. There are more accessible toilets situated in the grounds. I didn't go in the hall so can't comment on access arrangements in there. Some other buildings were too tight to access in my powerchair. ie. The Bear House.

My experience was awful and so bad I wrote to them but they haven't bothered replying... The information on their website suggests a certain degree of accessibility which just isn't there. Access to the bear house involved crossing the grass. When we reached the house, the entrance had a large lip which my carer had to tip me up and over. This wouldn’t have been an option in my electric wheelchair. Then we headed to the dolls house section. The ramp was not flush to the ground and at the other end was not flush to the floor inside, again requiring my carer to lift and tip the wheelchair. Once in, not all houses are visible because they are too high. The wheelchair map wasn't given to us and when we found out about it, staff made a song and dance about getting it for us. Access to the cafe was via the toilets and two heavy doors, one of which opened onto a slope making access exceptionally difficult. I believe access to the hall itself was impossible.