Disabled parking right outside with level access through the gift shop which also had a disabled toilet. I was using my mobility scooter and there were easily accessible paths with some amazing trees. It would be better to visit here in summer as we could have spent much longer here but it was cold wet and a bit windy. We visited the cafe for an excellent hot chocolate. It was quite busy so I left my scooter outside and used my walker but I noticed a couple of people in wheelchairs so it was accessible.

Ripley Castle is situated in the heart of Ripley Village, it is accessible by car or public transport (number 36 bus running between Leeds and Ripon) and situated approximately 4 miles from Harrogate, North Yorkshire. In addition to the castle the visitor amenities in the village include a small general shop, tearooms, a pub and restaurant, the Church, a large car park on the outskirts of the village, a small art gallery and two gift shops all within a very pleasant and scenic setting. The village is level and has a mixture of tarmac and cobblestoned roads and pavements. Disabled parking spaces (x 3) can be found adjoining the tearooms (opposite the castle entrance) or next to the castle wall a few metres from the entrance (x 3). The terrain between these spaces and the entrance is level and either tarmac from the tearooms or cobbles from the castle wall – this section of parking also has access via a single lane, quiet road that runs adjacent to the cobbles. The castle is accessible through the gift shop which has a level, hard surface floor and suitable door widths for wheelchair access. The merchandise is set out to allow wide aisles between displays and the path through the shop to the castle entrance is not obstructed. The entrance to the castle is at the back of the shop where there is a disabled toilet with suitable circulation for a wheelchair user. A four-wheeled motorised scooter is available to reserve (recommended pre-booking) although motorised scooters are not allowed in the castle building, electric wheelchairs are permitted in the castle with prior advice. A manual wheelchair is available for use during the castle tour. The surface from the entrance to the castle and terrace is compacted gravel and although a hard surface would be easier this is manageable for wheelchair use. The gardens are largely accessible with a variety of hard surface paths, signposted, permanent ramps between the terrace and the gardens and double gates with a level threshold between the general grounds and the walled gardens. The deer park and lake walk is not advised for wheelchair users as the terrain is general parkland/grass fields, undulating and with stone steps leading back up to the terrace. There is no wheelchair access into the hothouses although wheelchair users are able to pass through the hothouse entrance to access the wooded areas of the grounds. The main entrance to the castle is ramped and fully accessible to wheelchair users, the tour consists of six rooms of which four are on the ground floor. There is no lift so visitors with limited mobility can watch a DVD that shows the tour information for the upstairs. Hearing loops are available and can be requested in advance, and visitors with visual impairment are encouraged to handle objects throughout the tour. The staff are all professional, helpful and welcoming.