
Discover more at Lyme Park
Find out when Lyme Park is open, how to get here, things to see and do and more.
This Visual Story will help you prepare for you visit to Lyme and includes how to get around and with information for what you might see and do. At Lyme we are committed to making everyone feel welcome, regardless
This page is currently under development. For information before your visit please call the team on 01663 762 023
The National Trust is for everyone. We want our disabled visitors to have a great experience with us, and we are always working to improve the accessibility of the places we care for. At Lyme, we’re continually developing improvements for accessibility which are creative and sensitive to our surroundings. We work collaboratively with disabled people and disability organisations to develop these solutions and welcome comments from our visitors to assist our further improvement.
Lyme is open every day, apart from 25 December. The opening times for the house, garden, and estate vary throughout the year. You can find the opening times for your date of visit on our main page.
To help you find your way, why not download a map before you visit?
Lyme is quietest on weekdays, particularly at the start the day.
During school holidays or bank holidays Lyme is busy throughout the week.
Lyme is easy to reach by public transport and has car parking facilities availiable.
There are lots of ways to access Lyme by foot. Most visitors access the property via the main entrance. There is a free minibus service which can collect pedestrians from the Admissions Hut and take them to the house and gardens and back. The minibus is run by volunteers and subject to availability, please ask a member of the team or give us a call beforehand on 01663 762 023.
Lyme has three places with accessible parking availiable. We would reccommend most visitors use the accessible bays in the main car park. For wheelchair users that need step free access to the house can gardens we would suggest parking in the Orangery Yard car park. Please let a member of our admissions team know if you need accessible parking.
The main car park has six accessible parking bays and one large designated space in the coach park section. The house and garden are 200 metres from the main car park via an uphill sloping footpath. Some visitors may find this hill steep so there is a free minibus service that will take you up the hill, please ask a member of the team in the kiosk for assistance. The minibus is run by volunteers and while it runs most days, is subject to availability. to check it's running please give us a call beforehand on 01663 762 023.
You don't need a prebooked time to access the house and you can visit the house or gardens in any order.
The main entrance to the house and garden is through the North Front courtyard, which has a circle of cobbles and a compressed fine gravel path. The courtyard floor consists of large flat stone flags. Access to the house and gardens is through the house courtyard.
Explore the many rooms of the house and discover unusual objects and strange secrets as you walk through six centuries of family history at Lyme in Cheshire. The standard entrance to the House is from the ground floor courtyard via 17 stone steps with handrails.
To protect the historic objects, large bags are prams aren't allowed in the house. We would recommend bringing a small bag or you can use a free locker available on the right hand side of the Courtyard, where you can put larger bags. There is also a £1 buggy park and a space to put children's prams or wheelchairs.
The standard access to the garden is through the Garden entrance on the far side of the courtyard when entering from the North Front. It is marked on the courtyard map and there are signs directing you to the entrance.
Visiting the parkland
Lyme is a 1400 acre estate consisting of managed parkland and moorland. The park is very hilly and includes some steep paths, particularly on the moorland. A large proportion of the park can be very challenging for people with limited mobility. The central area of the estate, near to the House and Garden, is relatively flat and accessible, but there are still a number of slopes.
Lyme is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including herds of highland cattle, red deer, and sheep. There is also a designated deer sanctuary which cannot be accessed by the public. You may see some of our animals when exploring the estate and there will be signs letting you know where livestock is present. Please give them plenty of space to roam their home.
Dogs are welcome in all outdoor areas, including the garden, on a short lead. There are some areas where dogs are permitted to roam off-lead under close control. For more information see our visiting Lyme with your dog page.
There are toilets and accessible toilets located in the House, Garden, and Timber Yard.
The toilets and accessible toilets in the House are located on the ground floor. They are marked on the courtyard map and there is written signage to direct you at the House.
The toilets and accessible toilets in the Garden are located in a building behind the herbaceous border. They are marked on the garden map and there is written signage to direct you in the Garden.
The Timber Yard toilets are located at the entrance to the Timber Yard on the left hand side. They are marked on the estate map and there is written signage to direct you on the path to the Timber Yard. The accessible toilet is located at the entrance to the Timber Yard opposite the café.
You can find places to shop for souvenirs and buy food and drink in two places, at the house and Timber Yard. These areas can be found on the map.
There are two cafes at the House, the Ale Cellar and the Servant’s Hall, which are located on the ground floor. Here at Lyme, we'll always endeavour to cater for everyone's taste buds and needs. The food outlets with seating areas are set up to meet accessibility requirements. We can provide plastic cups with two handles and sip lids or straws. And we can also offer foam handles for cutlery. Just ask a member of the team if you need help. If you bring a reusable cup you will get 25p off your drink.
In the event of an evacuation, you will hear a siren and staff will show you to the nearest exit. A bell will ring in the garden half an hour before closing to indicate that the gardens are about to close. When you hear this please make your way to the nearest exit.
Find out when Lyme Park is open, how to get here, things to see and do and more.
In 600 years, Lyme has acquired all kinds of unusual objects and strange secrets. Dressed for the festive season, the house is open daily in December until Christmas eve. Here's what to look out for.
Explore all the different areas of the garden at Lyme. From the herbaceous border to golden Japanese maple trees, there's lots of autumn colour to find at the second highest garden in the National Trust.
Feeling peckish during your visit to Lyme? There's a choice of eateries, each serving a wide range of snacks and drinks. After you've refuelled, head to the shops to browse for a special gift or souvenir.
There's over 1,400 acres of historic parkland to explore at Lyme in autumn. Discover thriving wildlife during your walk into nature, and seek out the follies for some of the best views over Cheshire.
From running, skipping and jumping around Crow Wood play area and dressing up in period costume inside the house, to spotting red deer in the park, there’s something for everyone at Lyme.