A most Accessible and Inclusive experience
5
5
Date of visit: July 2026
I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: disabled toilet, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Excellent
During July 2026, whilst on holiday in Dorset I took the opportunity to visit Nothe Fort. An almost unique aspect of visiting the Fort is that it is that I found it effectively as fully accessible for a wheelchair user (standard size) as an able-bodied visitor. On my visit I would have found it very difficult to find a public area that I could not access.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
All visitors access the Fort through the Main Gate, once inside the Gate wheelchair users pass through on to the Parade Ground, the able bodied enter via the ticket office/shop. Once on the Parade Ground the wheelchair user can enter the ticket office/shop, cafe (serving good quality at a fair cost food), toilets, and Gun Deck areas containing the displays. Access to the underground areas (Magazines & Nuclear Bunker) and Ramparts is via a lift. It should be noted the the access available will be restricted by the size of wheelchair used. Mine is standard size and very maneuverable. The larger your chair the less access you may have, I estimate the lifts can take up to the size of the smaller mobility scooter. There are a few areas that are either too small, or with step access that a wheelchair user cannot access, this is inevitable as a result of the nature of the building and it being reasonable that cost, and or historic building constraint factors are a realistic considerations.
Accessible facilities: Lift to some areas
Parking & Transport
Good
I travelled to this place by personal vehicle
When visiting by car there are 2 carparks close to the Fort. The Nothe Fort carpark has 3 disabled parking bays, but the Nothe Gardens carpark a little closer to the Fort is larger and and has disabled parking bays too. Both are in the immediate area of the Fort.
Accessible facilities: Public or on street parking
Accessible Toilets
Good
The Disabled toilet is located in the visitor toilets area. Access in to and out of it is good. It has grab rails. The toilet area is clean and well maintained. 2 accessible toilets would have resulted in an 'Excellent', there always seems to someone in the accessible toilet when you want to use it!
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
Excellent
Every staff member and volunteer we met was friendly, helpful, and informative. They displayed a real enthusiasm for the Fort and providing a lovely experience for visitors.
Additional Information
Significant efforts have been made to ensure wheelchair users are welcome and the site is as accessible as possible, this goal has been achieved, the outcomes for a wheelchair user are outstanding. I have had a lifelong interest in historic buildings, and since becoming a wheelchair user have accepted that castles and forts by design offer very limited access for me. Nothe Fort has broken the mould, providing me with as much access and as many experiences throughout the three levels of the fort as any other visitor. I highly recommend a visit to Nothe Fort regardless of physical ability, it is a wonderful site, in an exceptional setting. The Nothe Fort Management Committee and volunteers have created an extremely well preserved, informative and attractive historic site to visit.
