Peace Wall

Date of visit: February 2025

I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.

I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair

Overall Rating

There are several Peace Walls in Belfast, but this is arguably the best known. The wall is around 800 metres long and 8 metres tall. The wall was erected during The Troubles as a means to separate the nationalists of Falls Road from the Unionists of Shankill Road. Following the Good Friday Agreement, which all but resulted in a permanent ceasefire, the wall remains as a towering reminder of a painful time in the country's history. The wall is decorated with murals and expressions of peace and love from across the world, as it is now customary for visitors to write a message on the wall. To this day, the gates on either side of the peace wall are closed at night, presenting a reminder of the tension that may remain.

Disabled Access In and Around

I'm advised that the best way to experience the wall is via one of the city's Black Cab Tours or the tourist bus, but I attended in my wheelchair and power attachment. There's a long cycle lane along the route, which I prefer to use, especially in busy locations. Every ten feet or so, there's a lowered kerb, which I used to bump up. There's a slight incline on the pavement, but nothing too challenging for manual wheelchair users. It should be mentioned that there are no accessible formats in use, though this may vary for those who take a tour. I haven't given the highest score here as, whilst it's accessible in that the ground is level, there are no impactful accessibility features to highlight.

Parking & Transport

The closest bus stops are half a mile away on Faulds Road, where the 10G, 10A, 10B, 10F, 10H, 10J, 532, 532A and 536 services operate, or on Springfield Road, where the 10K, 10M and 10P services operate.

Accessible Toilets

0

There are no accessible toilets nearby.

Additional Information

Whilst I recognise the historical significance of the wall, much of the graffiti obscures the stone carvings, making them hard to see. It's nice to see so many nice messages from across the world but there plenty of swear words and rude drawings amongst these positive expressions,

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