Blenheim Palace

1128 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

June, 2016

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Solo

Reasons for trip

There is Blue Badge parking by the East gate and people with mobility restrictions can be dropped off here. There is no reduction for a disabled person although a carer is admitted free.

There are three manual wheelchairs available from the Flagstaff Information Point at the East Gate. These have large wheels and can be used in either the grounds or the palace. There are six electric scooters available from here which again can be used in the grounds or palace.

There are six manual wheelchairs available from the front door of the palace, which have smaller wheels and are just for use in the palace. All of these are on a first come first served basis.

There is a platform lift near the chapel which gives access to the state rooms. This must be worked by a member of Blenheim Palace staff. These are all on one level and there are plenty of chairs provided to sit on. Guides are available in most of the rooms.

The Untold Story is in the first floor rooms and involves climbing 47 stairs to the exhibition and 67 down afterwards. It is not accessible for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. There is a visual presentation available in the small cinema. Ask staff for information. The Private Apartments and Upstairs Downstairs tours are also inaccessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

It is possible to book a touch tour for visually impaired and a sign language tour for the hard of hearing.

Paths around the gardens and estate are either tarmac, gravel or grass. The Water terraces can be accessed through the Water Terraces Cafe. An alternative level route is through the Locked Fisherman’s Gate and the code has to be collected from the Flagstaff Information kiosk. The Secret Garden and Rose Garden are reached along good paths. The path to the Cascades from the Rose Garden is uneven and down a slope. It is unsuitable for wheelchairs, especially after wet weather. The better route is from the Fisherman’s Gate. Again ask staff at the Flagstaff Information Point for details.

The Pleasure gardens are reached by a 15 minute walk along a good path or by the Miniature Train. This can carry wheelchairs. Alternatively there is a car park next to them. The entrance to the Butterfly House is narrow and may not be wide enough for a wheelchair. The Marlborough Maze has narrow paths and tight corners and may be unsuitable.

The Buggy tour of the estate does not carry wheelchairs although the seats are open and easy to climb on.

The shop and all the cafes are wheelchair accessible and there are disabled toilets in the East Courtyard, the Water Terrace Cafe and the Pleasure Gardens.

Guide dogs and support dogs are welcome in the Place. Other dogs are only allowed in the parkland and must be kept on a lead.

For more detail see the “Access Statement”:http://www.blenheimpalace.com/assets/files/department/operations/downloads/Access%20Statement%20Blenheim%20Palace%202016.pdf

ESW

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