Saltram Access Statement

Transcription

1 Saltram Access Statement Merafield Road, Plympton, Plymouth, PL7 1UH T: E: Points to note: 1. Saltram estate has 500 acres of parkland with paths, uneven ground & hills. The Mansion, Garden and other core areas are mostly on level ground with many accessible areas. 2. Mobile phone service across the estate is patchy. In the case of an emergency please call 999. For staff assistance please call Assistance dogs are welcome throughout Saltram. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the Café and Tea Room. Dogs should be kept on leads in the core areas and nonassistance dogs are not allowed in the House or Garden. 4. We offer free admission to the House and Garden for the essential companion, or carer, of disabled members or visitors. Please note disabled supporters do not need to be members to request a companion s free entry. It is National Trust policy to charge the disabled person. However, some members may request free access for a severely disabled companion, or the disabled person may need more than one companion. 5. There are low light levels in the House to protect the valuable & unique collection. 6. Manual wheelchairs can be used in the House but we cannot accommodate mobility scooters. Pushchairs & electric wheelchairs can be accommodated but this does depend on their size as there are a number of narrow corridors, small rooms & steps. A Tramper is available through the Countryside Mobility Scheme, please call us to book an introduction and hire period. For further information visit Arrival & Parking Facilities 1. There are no brown signs on the A38 please take the Marsh Mills exit for Plympton and Saltram is signposted. The postcode for your sat nav is PL7 1SL. Please note that pedestrian access to the estate is limited; all access points are approximately 0.5 miles from the core areas on uneven hilly paths. Local buses have stops near to the pedestrian access points and the number 27 cycle route passes through the estate. Page 1 of 9

2 2. There are 25 disabled parking spaces. Parking for people with disabled badges is free. Non-members are charged 3 per vehicle for parking. The car park is approximately 50 metres from the Welcome Centre & other core areas. 3. The disabled car park is tarmac. The route to the Welcome Centre is across a cobbled yard. Other parking is a mix of tarmac, gravel & grass. 4. We do not have a transfer vehicle. It is possible to drop visitors approximately 50 metres from the Welcome Centre and core area. 5. Coaches are usually able to park in the disabled car park (we have one space) When the space is being used, the coach will need to drop visitors off before moving to another location to park. 6. It is possible to rent a bike from Saltram. These are operated by Donkey bikes and to access them you will need to download their app. Speed Bumps We have speed bumps on entry to Saltram estate these are as follows Location Height (cm) Length (cm) Width edge to edge of road (cm) Merafield Merafield Merafield Merafield Car park Car park Car park Overflow Stag Lodge Stag Lodge Stag Lodge Page 2 of 9

3 WCs 1. There are accessible toilets in the following locations: Portakabin x 1 - door opens outwards (920mm) Café x 2 - doors concertina (920mm) Stables x 1 - door opens outwards (850mm) Chapel x 1 - door opens inwards (880mm) 2. All accessible toilets are at least 1.5m x 2.2m 3. The toilets in the café & portakabin are left hand transfer. The toilets in the stables & chapel are right hand transfer. 4. There are no Changing Places facilities (WC with adult changing table & hoist). 5. There are baby change facilities in the portakabin & stables disabled toilets the weight limit is 30kg. 6. All the toilets use artificial light but not fluorescent bulbs. 7. The toilet in the chapel does not have a hand drier. Welcome Centre 1. The floor in the Welcome Centre is tiled and walls are stone. 2. The entrance is across a cobbled courtyard but is on the level. 3. The entrance door is 2200mm. The door is manual, opening outwards and is usually kept open. Staff/volunteers can assist with opening the door if required. 4. Staff/Volunteers do not stand behind a desk. There is a DDA accessible desk (850mm). 5. Lighting is by natural & artificial light. We do not use fluorescent bulbs. 6. There is an induction loop. 7. A manual wheelchair is available for loan. If visitors need a chair, we advise them to bring their own. Page 3 of 9

4 House 1. The House is 150 metres from the Welcome Centre. 2. The path surface is gravel with paving stone steps and a ramp up to the entrance of the House. 3. There are 2 low stone steps or a ramp to access the House. 4. The entrance door is manual opening, the doors open inwards and the width is 1070mm. Staff/volunteers can assist with opening the door if required. 5. Manual wheelchairs can be used in the House but we cannot accommodate mobility scooters. Pushchairs & electric wheelchairs can be accommodated but this does depend on their size as there are a number of narrow corridors, small rooms & steps. 6. The House is lit by natural light but there is some supporting artificial lighting in the majority of rooms. There are no fluorescent bulbs used. 7. The Entrance Hall, Great Kitchen & Map Room have no soft furnishings. 8. There are no corridors or doorways with widths less than 750mm. However the following should be noted as narrow areas: Eastern Corridor, Chinese Lobby, Chinese Bedroom and Western Passage. 9. On the ground floor, wheelchairs can access the Entrance Hall, Red Room, Red Velvet Room, Saloon, Staircase Hall & Library. Wheelchairs cannot access the Eastern Corridor, Dining Room or Garden Room. Other visitors will find 1 step up from the Saloon to the dining room and 6 steps down, then returning back up from the kitchen plus 3 steps down to the Garden room and 3 steps up into the Mirror Room. Wheelchair users can take an alternative route to see the Great Kitchen, which consists of grass or gravel, concrete, cobbles and very small steps that a wheelchair can be lifted over. Staff will assist with the door (940mm wide, manual opening, inwards into the house). The route is 100 metres and it includes a short steep ramp, which wheelchair pushers are advised to take backwards. NT staff are unable to assist with any pushing or lifting of wheelchairs. Page 4 of 9

5 Access to the upper floor is via staircases (34 steps up & 30 down) with handrails. There is no lift to the first floor and wheelchair users can only go upstairs if a member of their party is willing to carry the chair and user upstairs. If a visitor can walk short distances they may be able to walk up the stairs and a wheelchair may be provided for use on the first floor. On the first floor, wheelchairs can access the Chinese Lobby, Chinese Dressing Room, Chinese Bedroom, Sitting Room, Lady Morley s Bedroom, Green Dressing Room, Lord Morley s Bedroom & Study. There is a small flight of stairs (6 steps) into the Map Room and then the Small Drawing Room & Large Drawing Room are accessible. The Western Passage is not accessible for wheelchair users so the upstairs route would finish in the Large Drawing Room. Other visitors will find 2 steps from the Map Room into the Western apartments and 8 steps back to the landing. 10. There are seats for visitors to use around the House and some have armrests. 11. The majority of rooms are staffed, particularly downstairs rooms. Volunteer numbers do vary from day to day. 12. There are cellar toilets (gents and ladies) and two individual WCs along the visitor route, one off Eastern Corridor (ground floor) and one off red stairs (first floor). There are no accessible toilets in house. 13. There may be guided tours available at certain times. The guides do not have induction loops or other communications such as BSL. 14. There is a folder of interpretation and images for wheelchair users or similar that cannot go upstairs. This is located in the Library with the Room Guide. 15. Assistance dogs are permitted in the house. Catering 1. The Café is metres from the car park. There is a Tea Room in our Chapel, which is located in the Garden. This is 300 metres from the Welcome Centre. 2. The path surface from the car park to the Café is tarmac; an alternative route via the Welcome Centre crosses a cobbled yard, although there is a wheelchair accessible route. Page 5 of 9

6 The path to the Chapel is gravel. It is possible for visitors to be dropped off to use an alternative route to the Tea Room. This route includes a short steep ramp, which wheelchair pushers are advised to take backwards. 3. The access to both the Café & Tea Room is all level. Both Café entrance doors have assisted opening, the doors open inwards and the width is 1650mm. Staff/volunteers can assist with opening the door if required. The Chapel has double entrance doors which both open manually. The first set are usually kept open and open outwards. The inner set open both ways and are 1500mm wide. Staff/volunteers can assist with opening the door if required. Cafe 4. The Café has no soft furnishings and has a stone floor in the serving area and a wooden floor in the seating area. The Tea Room has a wooden floor and uses tablecloths. 5. Both the Café and Tea Room use a mix of natural & artificial lighting. There are no fluorescent bulbs. Tea Room 6. The counter height in the Café is 910mm. The counter height in the Tea Room is 860mm. 7. Staff will assist visitors by carrying trays in the self-service Café. Staff seat and serve all visitors in the Tea Room. 8. The space between tables varies from 800mm to 1000mm in both areas. 9. The till points do not have induction loops. 10. Large handled cutlery and straws are available in the Café. Retail 1. The Shop is approximately 50 metres from the car park 2. The route from the car park crosses a cobbled yard. 3. The access to the Shop is level. Page 6 of 9

7 4. The door to the Shop is manual, opens outwards and is usually kept open, it is 900mm wide. Staff/volunteers can assist with opening the door if required. 5. There are alternative access doors to the Shop, which uses the accessible path across the cobbles to a 970mm wide door, which opens inwards with a ramp. The back of the shop is also accessible, the door width is 1050mm and the door opens inwards. 6. The Shop has no soft furnishings and has a tile floor. 7. There is a mix of natural & artificial lighting. There are no fluorescent bulbs. 8. The counter height in the shop is 1000mm. 9. Staff will assist visitors by carrying shopping to a car if required. 10. The space between displays varies from 600mm to 1500mm in the shop. 11. Till points do not have induction loops. 12. Staff will assist by reaching down items to view if they cannot be reached and by telling visitors the price of items. Garden 1. There is a map of the Garden available from the Welcome Centre. 2. Most of the garden paths are accessible and the Garden is mostly level. 3. Paths are mostly gravel. Paths that are grass or bark are marked on the map. 4. There are a number of routes around the Garden. There are 3 steps into the Orangery There are 17 steps with a handrail to the cave under the castle folly There are 25 steps to Fanny s Bower but there is a longer alternative route There are 45 steps into & out of the area below East Lawn 5. There are some areas which are private and these are gated to prevent access. 6. There are a number of seats throughout the garden. 7. In front of the House is a traditional feature known as a Ha-Ha. It is a steep drop and is not immediately visible from a distance. Please do not walk backwards when photographing the House. Page 7 of 9

8 8. There is a World War II vehicle inspection pit. 9. There are some exposed tree roots on the path linking the lime avenue with the orangery. 10. There are also open water features in the Orange Grove & in front of the Orangery. 11. Assistance dogs only are permitted in the garden. Park 1. There is a map of the Park available from the Welcome Centre. 2. There is a tarmac path leading to Point Beach, Stag Lodge, Pump track and the forest school. Other paths are mostly gravel, soil or grass. They have uneven ground and feature some steep inclines. They are not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Off road Tramper scooters can access a number of the paths and signposts indicate routes which are not accessible. 3. There are some steps, which are marked on the map and they do not have handrails. 4. The boundary walk gates open one way only. All other gates, which are 1200mm wide and open both ways. 5. There are several interpretation panels located at key points. 6. There are a number of seats throughout the park 7. There are a number of small ponds along Point Drive on route to Point Beach. Please be aware that along the Riverside Walk there are steep drops to the river estuary, children should be watched carefully. Point beach is tidal, swimming should not be allowed. The Salt Marsh is tidal and floods twice daily, a fast current exists at the outflow sluice. 8. You should be advised that cattle graze in some areas and electric fencing is used on the estate. 9. Dogs are permitted in the park but the car park area it is requested as dogs on lead area. Dog mess bins are provided. Page 8 of 9

9 10. The site is cleaned regularly but please note that rubbish or dog mess is sometimes discarded and you should be advised to take care. 11. All routes are used by vehicles and cyclists. Map Maps of the Park & Garden are available from our Welcome Centre. Page 9 of 9