Wray Castle Access Statement

Wray Castle, Low Wray, Ambleside, LA22 0JA T: 015394 33250 E: [email protected]

Introduction Wray Castle is a mock gothic castle with grounds at Low Wray, three miles south of Ambleside on the shores of Windermere. After leaving the main road from Ambleside to Hawkshead, the castle is accessed by narrow public highways and is therefore unsuitable for coach access.

The castle itself is situated on a hill with paths leading down to the lakeshore through managed parkland and woodland. The paths are a mix of hard grounding and concrete, and can be steep in places. The grounds immediately around the castle are relatively flat and accessible although there are still some slopes and uneven footpaths. While there are nine steps leading up to the main entrance, there is a level access route signposted to the side of the building which can be opened for you; please make your way to the main car park and ask our car park staff.

The castle is not furnished with period furniture or collections, and is instead full of family activities for visitors to enjoy. The house is popular with children of all ages and will be busy and noisy at peak times, particularly school holidays. There is no lift inside the castle, and so access around the house can be limited for visitors with restricted mobility. Further details are given on the map and later in this document.

Mobile signal

There is limited mobile phone reception across the site. In an emergency, staff can be found in the main car park, ticket office and main entrance hall to assist; all staff are connected via a 2-way radio system and can raise the alarm. Staff can also be contacted in the office by calling 015394 33250 between 9am and 5pm. For emergencies outside of this time, please call 999.

Dogs

Assistance dogs are welcome throughout the property. In the grounds owners should keep their dogs on leads near vehicles and under close control throughout the rest of the park. Areas of the grounds have seasonal grazing of sheep, dogs should be kept on a lead in these areas. There are water bowls outside the ticket office, which are refilled regularly or can be filled on request.

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Arrival & Parking Facilities

By road: From the south and Bowness (via Ferry) take the B5285 through Hawkshead where this becomes the B5286. Continue on this road for 2.5 miles, then take the right hand turn to Wray Castle. From the north and Ambleside, take the A593 to Clappersgate, then take the B5286 signed to Hawkshead. After 2.5 miles take the left turn, to Wray Castle. Wray Castle is signposted off the main road between Ambleside and Hawkshead.

Accessible Blue Badge parking can be found at the front of the castle, where there are four designated spaces surfaced with compacted stone. These spaces are the shortest distance from the castle building. Please display your Blue Badge documentation on your dashboard. Visitors with Blue Badge parking documentation park free of charge at Wray Castle. There is no requirement for visitors to the grounds only to visit the ticket office.

The main car park is tarmac on the upper level with lined space markers, and compacted stone on the lower car park with some embedded space markers. The main car park is 20 metres from the castle; please note that there is no transfer vehicle available from the car park to the castle. The ‘pay and display’ machine is situated on the lower level of the main car park, underneath the Fernery.

There are nine steps from the upper car park level to the ground level and nine steps from the ground level to enter the castle. There is a sloping path uphill from the lower car park to the upper car park.

Busy periods If all the Blue Badge spaces are occupied we will always endeavour to find a suitable location for parking based on the circumstances of each visitor. Please ask our Car Park Assistants on entry to the car park. We regret we cannot reserve parking spaces in advance.

Wray Castle can be very busy and during peak times, particularly school holidays, we may need to close the car park due to capacity issues. At busy times we may also use grass overflow parking, which is accessed by a steep track. If you require accessible Blue Badge parking please ask our Car Park Assistants and we can arrange a suitable parking location.

Alternative ways of getting here: • By cycle - Seasonal bike-carrying boat from Brockhole; lakeside road and bridleway from Ferry Head (4 miles). Plus off road cycle path from Ambleside, signed Bowness via Ferry, look out for the blue signs. Cycle racks are available in front of the castle and in the main car park next to the bus stop. • By ferry - Regular sailings from Ambleside, Bowness and Brockhole. For more details, please contact Windermere Lake Cruises on 015394 43360 or visit www.windermere- lakecruises.co.uk. • By bus – there is a seasonal bus service to Wray Castle, via Hill Top and Hawkshead. For local bus information visit www.golakes.co.uk/travel/. The bus stop is located on

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the upper level of the car park, approximately 100m from the castle entrance. The bus stop is surfaced with gravel. It is also possible to use local buses travelling between Hawkshead and Ambleside to arrive at Wray Castle, however please note that this bus stop is located on the main road between Hawkshead and Ambleside. This is approximately 20 – 30 minutes’ walk from the castle; this involves walking on the road for short distances, and on footpaths surfaced with compacted stone. Some parts of the walk may be hilly. • By train - The nearest train station is Windermere. • On foot - From the south, follow the lakeshore track from Ferry Head (4 miles). From the north, off road paths exist for the majority of the route, signed Bowness via Ferry, look out for the blue signs.

Toilets We have one adapted toilet in the outside toilet block, opposite the level entrance to the castle, which is suitable for wheelchair access. These toilets are open from dawn until dusk every day. The nearest accessible parking is the Blue Badge spaces in front of the castle. • The adapted toilet measures 2400mm x 1600mm at its narrowest point. • Right hand transfer. • The room is lit by fluorescent bulbs, on a motion sensor. • There is an automatic hand drier.

We currently don’t offer a Changing Places facility.

Other toilets (not accessible) can be found on the ground floor beside the ticket office on either side of the front door, on the first floor on either side of the Billiard Room, and unisex toilets are also available next to the family room on the first floor. All of these toilets have automatic hand driers, solid floors and brick wall surfaces and are lit with fluorescent lights.

Baby changing is available in both male and female first floor toilets, in the family room and in the adapted toilet in the outside toilet block.

Ticket Office

• The ticket office is situated in the entrance hall, in the main castle building. The floor here is tiled and the walls are stone, with some wooden panelling. There is also a frosted glass dome in the ceiling. • There are nine stone steps up from the front terrace into the ticket office. The door into the castle is made up of two half doors, which are 1380mm wide when fully opened. There is another door made up of two half doors leading from the ticket office into the main hall; this measures 1210mm wide. • The level access door measures 920mm wide. • The corridor between the level access door and the main hall measures 950mm at its narrowest point.

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• The entrance door is kept open during normal opening hours, however in cold weather it may be half or fully closed. The door opens inwards manually, and ticket office staff are available to assist if required. • The reception desk is 890mm high, however staff will come round to talk to someone who cannot see over or reach up to the desk. • The room is lit by natural light coming through the front door, two lamps on either wall above price boards and four ceiling lights. • There are two chairs, without armrests, available. • We currently don’t offer induction loops at the ticket office.

Castle

• There are chairs or sofas in most rooms where visitors can sit and rest. • Rooms are not always manned, but our Visitor Experience Assistants do roam the inside of the castle regularly. A member of staff can always be found in the main hall. • We do run guided tours three times a day: please check in advance for tour times, from time to time these may be cancelled in school holidays.

Ground Floor • There are six rooms on the ground floor. These include snacks and refreshments in the Drawing Room, and the shop, please see later in this document for details. • All rooms on the ground floor have wooden floors except the Drawing Room, which is lino, and the main hall, which is tiled. • The Library has a door width of 1180mm. It has a wooden floor and is lit by fluorescent lights. It has soft furnishings, with plenty of armchairs with armrests for visitors to use. There is also space to turn a wheelchair. • The Morning Room has a door width of 920mm, and the Study next door has a door width of 990mm. There is a connecting door between the two rooms, with a width of 790mm. Both rooms have wooden floors and are lit by natural light and normal bulbs. There are soft furnishings in the Morning Room, with a wooden settle for visitors to sit on as well as seven chairs, some with armrests. There is space to turn a wheelchair in the Morning Room. • The door through from the main hall to the servants’ quarters is 870mm. The servants’ quarters are carpeted throughout. There is little natural light in this area, and several rooms are lit with fluorescent bulbs. • There is a small step up into the Housekeeper’s Room which measures 165mm high. • Powered wheelchairs and powered mobility vehicles can access the ground floor.

First Floor • There are three staircases to access the first floor: the main stairs from the entrance hall, and the maidservants’ and manservants’ staircases in the servants’ quarters. The main stairs are the most accessible, being the widest and with handrails. These stairs are wooden. The maidservants’ and manservants’ stairs are carpeted. The

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manservants’ staircase is to be avoided, as it is narrow in width (770mm), steep in places, with narrow treads of 220mm. The steps are 225mm high. • The landing on the first floor has a wooden floor. All other rooms on this floor are carpeted, with the exception of the Outdoors Inside room which has an artificial grass floor covering • The double door through from the first floor landing to the servants’ quarters is 1060mm wide when both doors are open. These doors are manual opening, and are kept closed. • There are seven steps down from the double door landing into the servants’ quarters. • The servants’ quarters are carpeted; however the rooms within the Peter Rabbit Adventure have a lino floor (stairs and hall are carpeted).

Second Floor • There are three rooms on the second floor, which are accessed by two flights of stairs leading up from the servants’ quarters outside the family room. The stairs are 790mm wide, with treads being 240mm deep. • The Gondola room is partially carpeted and partially covered with a lino floor surface. It is lit with fluorescent bulbs. • The sports room has an artificial grass floor surface, and is lit with normal bulbs. • The camping room is kept dark with small UV lamps and torches available for visitors to use. The floor is carpeted and covered with bark chippings.

Third Floor • There is one room on the third floor which is accessed by one flight of stairs leading up from the second floor landing.

Catering

Snacks and Refreshments available in the Drawing Room (10.15am – 4.30pm during castle opening times) We have a limited catering facility at Wray Castle, located on the ground floor and accessed either through the ticket office or level access entrance. No alternative access routes are available. This facility is run by our partners at the Tower Bank Arms, in the village of Near Sawrey. They offer sandwiches, hot and cold drinks, snacks and cakes. • The access door is 1200 wide, manual and propped open. • The floor surface is lino. While there are three large windows, the room is also lit by fluorescent lights. • We use disposable cups, plates and cutlery which can be recycled in the castle. The tables and chairs are wooden. • There is counter service. • The counter is 780mm at its lowest point, and 900mm at its highest point. Staff will assist visitors as required including coming out from behind the counter / serving equipment and re–arranging seating. • There is circulation space of 1200mm between most of the tables. • We currently don’t offer induction loops at the till point. • Menus for hot drinks are written on blackboards in large text above the counter. Page 5 of 7

Retail

Wray Castle Shop (10am – 5pm during castle opening times) • The shop is located on the ground floor, and can be accessed either through ticket office or through the level access entrance. No alternative access routes are available. • The doorway from the main hall into the shop corridor is 1190mm in width, and the door from the corridor into the shop itself is 1020mm wide. The door opens inwards to at least 90 degrees, it is manually opened and propped open. • The floor surface is wood. While there is a lot of natural light from three windows, there are also four ceiling lamps with normal bulbs. The shelves are lit with LED bulbs. • The counter is 750mm high at its lowest point, and 975mm at its highest, but staff are able to assist with service here and with lifting and carrying goods if required. • We currently don’t offer induction loops at the till point. • There is circulation space between the tables of around 830mm and some of the goods on the central tables can be reached by wheelchair users and children. Staff will assist by reaching down items to view if they cannot be reached by customers. • There is space to turn a wheelchair at the front of the shop. • There isn’t a large print version of the price list however staff will assist in telling visitors the price of items.

Grounds • Wray Castle has substantial grounds with several sloped paths leading down to the lakeshore from the castle car park and lower terrace. The boathouse path to the front of the castle and the lakeshore path to High Wray Bay the back of the castle are both made from compacted stones. • The path from the boathouse up to the castle is made of compacted stones and can be steep in places. • The lakeshore footpath from the castle to High Wray Bay is made from compacted stones and can be steep in places. There are two gates to negotiate at the top of the path, and another at the far end of High Wray Bay where the footpath meets the public bridleway. • The path from the boathouse to High Wray Bay goes through woodland, so surfaces will be muddy and uneven, and there are some steep hills. There is a gate where this footpath comes out of the woodland. • There is a flat track to the side of the castle which leads to a grassed viewing area, overlooking High Wray Bay. There are some low benches here for visitors. • The Walled Garden is accessed by a steep, uneven track; please note that this has not been a garden for some years, and is instead used for overflow parking on busy days. There are no benches here. • There are large maps of the castle and grounds next to the ‘pay and display’ machine in the lower car park, in the entrance to the Fernery, and in the outside toilets. There are maps available free of charge for visitors to take away from ticket office and from staff in the main hall. Staff will also suggest suitable routes given any mobility issues visitors discuss.

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• Many of the paths marked on the map are made from finely compacted gravel, however routes across the parkland and through some of the woodlands can be rutted, steep, narrow, muddy and grass covered. • The adventure play trail is located in woodland, so surfaces will be naturally uneven and can be muddy. There is a steep incline to certain parts of the play trail. • Elements of the play trail may be suitable for children with limited mobility and for adults and children to play on together. • The nearest parking for the play trail is on the lower level of the main car park.

Contact details for more information T: 015394 33250 E: [email protected] W: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wray-castle

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