The Alnwick Garden

This was the first time we’d been to the gardens and we loved it! We were lucky enough to go whilst the cherry blossoms were out and on a sunny day - not an often occurring combination in the North East! It was spectacular. I’ve never seen anything like it. We were transported to Japan with the overwhelming sight of so many trees in bloom against the blue skies. We also loved the bamboo labyrinth. So atmospheric. And so easy to get lost! Just about all of the gardens are accessible to wheelchair users such as myself. The facilities are really great, with easy parking, ramps, and accessible toilets. It’s also good to know that carers get in free - something that’s not widely advertised on their website. We bought a single 12 month membership with the all important “+1” to include my husband at no extra cost. You can’t do this on their website, but if you give them a ring they’re really helpful and will organise this for you.

I tried to ring and book a mobility scooter at Alnwick garden, which I did frequently last year, only be told they had been withdrawn. They used to be available to use to visit the garden, at no cost, (like the National Trust do at some of their properties) but they needed to be booked in advance. I can no longer visit the garden, as I have very poor mobilty, due to MS, and it is on a very hilly/steep site. Such a shame, as it is beautiful, and used to be one of the few places I could access in Northumberland.

I was really impressed with how accessible the Alnwick Garden is. I found plenty of places to sit down (I have EDS and can’t stand for long), and liked that the majority of the garden was fairly flat with level, wide paving in many areas. The staff we spoke to at the Poison Garden, gift shop, and crazy golf hire were friendly and helpful, and I felt like they were accommodating of our access needs without making it a big thing, which was so nice. One member of staff we we spoke to was a wheelchair user; I feel more confident as a disabled visitor when I encounter disabled staff at attractions / venues, as I expect the overall accessibility to be of a good standard, and for the attraction to be a decent employer. There were lots of sensory-friendly things, including water sculptures, and the crazy golf course is accessible for wheelchair users.