Humbling and moving experience with excellent wheelchair access
4.5
4.5
Date of visit: November 2024
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: dexterity or coordination and moving around.
Overall Rating
Excellent
This was our final visit of the day, touring several WW1 sites around Ypres. Tyne Cot is the largest Commonwealth War Graves cemetery and visiting is a really moving and emotional experience. There are almost 12,000 WW1 servicemen buried or commemorated here.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
It is possible to access every area of the cemetery and visitor centre by wheelchair. They have put in ramps with a gentle gradient and I found it easy to get around. The only difficulty might be the actual cemetery itself, which is obviously grass. I used my mountain trike, which made it easier but some manual chairs might sink in wet weather. In the visitor centre and on the path down to it, there are speakers which read out the names of the servicemen who are buried there, with their hometown and age. It made it feel more real hearing the names read out like this.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
The car park was one of the biggest of all the sites we visited. There were staff directing traffic and telling people where to park. We arrived by motorhome and they were quite happy for us to park in an easy spot so I could access my wheelchair. There were blue badge spaces down one side of the car park.
Accessible Toilets
Good
There are accessible toilets in the car park but I didn't use them.
Staff
Excellent
The only staff we met were in the car park. They were really helpful and friendly.
