Excellent accessibility and lovely views
5
5
Date of visit: August 2019
I have experience of challenges around: dexterity or coordination, moving around and seeing.
Overall Rating
Excellent
We visited on a very wet and rainy day, so the cafe was rather busy, and the weather rather gloomy. Even so, we had a really nice visit to the cafe, watching the boats through the enormous windows and I was so impressed I felt compelled to write my first review! Lepe Country Park is on the edge of the new forest, and has a long, thin (a few metres) strip of beach along the edge, as well as lots of outdoor space to explore, a nature pond (complete with ramp) a sensory garden and a wooden play area for kids. We didn't hang around very long outside as it was belting with rain, but long enough to spot that there is a well constructed ramp down to the sand from the disabled parking area, with a handrail and reasonable incline. Well behaved and service dogs are all welcome in the cafe, and there was a water bowl provided for them too. We also noted that you can hire the all terrain beach wheelchairs to go in the sea from them - more info on the website here: https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/lepe/visit
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
From the car park there is a ramp with a not particularly steep incline that wraps around the building to an electrically powered door, which opens as you get there. It's all pretty obvious, and the signage is good. We visited on a very wet and rainy day, so the cafe was rather busy. There is a variety of different sorts of seating, higher and lower tables as well as benches - all the chairs moved and had different shaped arms on them, and some without. There was enough room to manoeuvre wobbly me with a stick and my friend with a pram with no problem at all. The cafe caters for people with dairy intolerances, and I also believe gluten although I didn't double check, and the staff were happy to carry my drink to the table for me. They also deliver food to the table. The space, although busy, didn't feel overwhelmingly noisy and there are huge windows with views across to the isle of Wight, so you can quite happily watch the sea from indoors if it's a bit inclement.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
We drove down and parked in the disabled parking, of which there was a reasonable amount - from memory there were at least 9 spaces, some of which are right on the shore. There is also a bus service that stops at the car park/cafe.
Accessible Toilets
Excellent
There are several, easily located accessable toilets, which appear to have enough space for a powerchair to turn and transfer, and a couple of different bars in the one I used. Everything was clean and there is definitely space for a carer, I was pretty impressed. There isn't a changing places toilet in the cafe itself, however there is one in the outside toilet block which is next door to the lookout cafe.
Staff
Good
They all seemed very nice!
Additional Information
I would definitely visit again to explore the park a bit more - I am keen to have a paddle and visit the sensory garden now I know it exists! Where many of the buildings have been rebuilt recently it is clear thought has gone into the planning. We will definitely be back!
