Facilities and access at The Weir Garden

Introduction

The Weir Garden is situated on a steep bank which drops down to the River Wye. The walled garden is a short walk from the riverside garden and access is across a grassy track. The walled garden itself is on a slight slope with gravelled pathways. Please bear in mind The Weir is a small garden with very limited access although we will do our utmost to accommodate all visitors. Access to the garden is free to National Trust members but non-members will be charged a standard fee, please note we do not have a card machine at The Weir so payments can only be taken in cash form, we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Arrival and Parking facilities

• The Weir Garden is situated on the A438 just outside of Hereford. Being a small site there is just the one brown National Trust sign just before the turn coming from Hereford way and a large banner on the turning.
• There is one main carpark which has a hard stone surface at The Weir. It is a short walk across the carpark to the Visitor Reception kiosk. The overflow carpark is slightly further away from the kiosk, on the flat grassy area on the drive. For visitors who are unsteady on foot or in a wheelchair, Visitor Reception staff will guide the visitor on a second carpark on site which is near the tea-tent and toilets. It is also possible to drop off and pick up at this carpark.
• Unfortunately, due to the nature of the garden we are unable to offer any kind of transfer service.
• If you are planning on visiting as part of a group then please do contact us beforehand so we can assure things run as smoothly as possible. Bus parking is very limited at The Weir, please give us a ring beforehand on 01981 590509 so we can run through options. 

Our policy on dogs

Regrettably, apart from guidance dogs, we do not admit entrance for dogs into The Weir Garden. This tough decision came after a thorough check of the grounds and a conclusion of the tight winding pathways so close to the river and many steep steps may prove difficult for visitors who are afraid of dogs as well as wanting to make the garden a safe place for smaller children.

We are happy for visitors to exercise their four legged friends in our car park before their visit, however we strongly advise against leaving your dog in your car especially on a hot day.

Alternatively there are other dog-friendly National Trust places in Herefordshire; Croft Castle, Berrington Hall and Brockhampton. These places allow dogs in their grounds but we suggest you check their dog-walking policies before you visit.

WCs

• There is just the one toilet block on site which is situated near the tea-tent, this includes an all-access toilet. 
• The all access toilet has a support bar either side. There is also a baby changing area in here but no hoist.
• The toilet block is lit with automatic lights which switch on when the door is opened. They also receive a good amount of natural light too.
• All WCs on site have automatic handryers. 

Visitor Reception

• The Visitor Reception kiosk is a simple wooden hut with a member of staff inside to meet and greet. Visitors stay outside of the hut and speak to the staff member through an open window. National Trust staff and volunteers are more than happy to come out of the hut if you are struggling to see or hear them. 
• Unfortunately we do not have an induction loop at Visitor Reception.
• Due to the nature of the garden we are unable to offer visitors a wheelchair or mobility scooter as the pathways throughout the garden are very uneven and steep.

Catering

The tea tent has a variety of cakes as well as hot and cold drinks but regrettably no hot food, an honesty box can be located inside the tent.

• Our catering outlet on site is a self-serve tea-tent, there is no counter but low tables with a kettle, coffee, tea, soft drinks and snacks left out for visitors to help themselves with an honesty box provided.
• At the moment, we are unable to offer meals or sandwiches but a selection of cakes and hot drinks is avaliable 
• Staff and volunteers are always happy to assist, just pop your head into the second-hand book shop opposite the tea-tent and either ring the bell or call.
• There is seating inside the tea-tent; wooden benches and seats

Retail

• The second-hand bookshop which is located opposite the tea-tent. There is a very small step up to access the bookshop.
• Staff and volunteers are always happy to assist visitors who need support 
• Fresh produce and plants are available to buy at certain times of the year from the Visitor Reception kiosk, please remember they can only take cash as a form of payment.

The garden

• There is a main route which circles the entire riverside garden which avoids the use of steps, however, this route is still rather steep and tree roots naturally protrude through the pathways.
• The paths are mostly hard earth and stone.
• Once off the main pathway, there are lots of steps in the garden, they are very steep and can get slippery after rain or frost.
• Not all of the steps in the garden have handrails.
• There is one gate and one large wooden door to push open to access the walled garden.
• The walled garden is on a slope, making wheelchair access a little difficult.
• There is a rockery in the garden which is not fenced off, with two ponds and slippery steps,
• We advise all visitors to wear suitable footwear whilst walking the garden, walking boots or trainers would be ideal.

Opening times

We reopen to visitors on 12 January 2019, weekends only up until 26 January when we open daily up until November. The garden is open from 10:30am until 4:30pm with last admission being at 4pm. From 2 November to 15 December we drop back to winter opening times, weekends only from 10:30pm to 4pm with last entry being 3pm. The garden will be closed from 15 December until the New Year.

Group bookings 

Please contact us if you would like to book your group onto a trip at The Weir. With prior arrangement we can organise a meet and greet and prepare for any requirements you may have for your group. Please note, the largest vehicle we can accommodate is a minibus in our car parking area. Large groups of ten or more will qualify for 'group rate' tickets if they are not already members of the National Trust. 

You can organise you group visit beforehand by ringing the estate office direct on: 01981 590509