Beautiful ornamental gardens - easy to explore with their rental scooter!
4
4
Date of visit: September 2021
I am a carer or friend of a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Good
This is an ornamental gardens with a small garden centre, shop, cafe etc attached. They have one mobility scooter plus some manual wheelchairs. I booked the scooter the day before by phone and it was all very easy. There's lots to see in the gardens, mostly it's quite ornamental with things like a rose garden and a lily pond. We also ran across some small wildlife areas with longer grass, beehives and a river on the edge of the site. The shop and garden centre were fun. They sell apple juice from their orchards which was a highlight. There were also other attactions we did not visit like the museum. A good day out!
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
As I recall all the paths in the garden were scooter acessible and I didn't have trouble getting around. In some places the paths were packed gravel and we also followed a mown grass track down to the river, so a few parts of the site might be harder to get to if you use a manual wheelchair. It was largely pretty flat. There were benches but not millions of them. The garden centre was also accessible with the scooter, though some sections were a little tight. Parts of the shop also looked pretty tight with a scooter so I did that bit on foot. I think you would be fine in a power chair or wheelchair with the smaller turning circle. Access into the shop was flat. The cafe had indoor and outdoor seating. We sat outside (which was flat access but on grass) and my friend collected our food on foot so I'm afraid I can't report on access inside the cafe.
Parking & Transport
Good
We drove, parking was fine, I walked to the gift shop to pick up the scooter.
Accessible Toilets
0I've been racking my brains trying to remember the state of the toilets. I don't remember seeing big red flags but probably used them on foot! Website says they have an accessible loo.
Staff
Good
Staff were friendly and helpful with lending and demonstrating the scooter etc.
