Accessibility at Hardwick

• Please follow the one-way system to the main visitor car park and park in the first car park on your right.
• There is accessible parking towards the front of the car park closest to the Visitor Reception. Accessible parking is there for everyone who may need it.
• There are more than 10 accessible parking bays with the nearest blue badge bay being 27m from Reception.

• Visitor Reception is an open plan buildng with level access, and is the first visible building after the car park. Please have your National Trust membership cards available to show, or you can purchase a ticket from here.

Hardwick Hall does offer companion or carer discounts, please see our Access for Everyone webage for more information on an Essential Companion card or show identification on the day.

• Three powered mobility vehicles, are available for hire for free at Visitor Reception. These are operated by a steering wheel.
• Pre-booking is advised at least 24 hours before your visit to guarantee availability (01246 858435).

• A manual wheelchair is available to hire for free from Visitor Reception.
• A manual wheelchair is available to use on each floor of the hall for extra support. There are no lift facilities in the hall, visitors must be able to climb the steps up and down to access these wheelchairs.
• Pre-booking is advised at least 24 hours before your visit to guarantee availability (01246 858435).

• An on demand buggy service is also available to catch from Visitor Reception to the cafe, shop, hall and English Heritage Old Hall.
• The buggy has a portable ramp for access and has room for a wheelchair or scooter.
• Please let one of our team know on arrival that you would like to make use of the buggy service.

• If walking from Visitor Reception, please walk through the gates. Proceed along the pathway, past the bookshop and then take a right at the sign for "Hall and Gardens". Continue along the pathway and through the gates on the right, next to the kiosk.
• Once through the gates, take a left along the pathway, then take the second pathway on the right. Continue straight ahead until you arrive at a gate and a signpost saying "step-free access this way". Follow the pathway to the right and you will arrive at an open gate on the left hand side. Once through the gate, you will arrive at the front of the house and the ramps to access the house.
• If using the buggy service, the buggy stop is 25 metres away from the main entrance.

• There is step free access via a ramp at the Entrance, it is 75cm and 150cm wide, with no handrails.
• There are double manual doors which are permanently open with a width of 175cm.
• The ground floor Musueum Rooms can be accessed via ramps inside the hall, the musuem rooms host the introduction to the Material Power exhibition.
• The Old Kitchen is accessed via ramps through the exit of the Hall.

• Access to the upper level to the hall is by stair access only.
• The route through the hall takes visitors to the 2nd level of the hall first. The stairs are in 7 sets of 15 stone steps with some places to sit or rest along the way up. A handrail is located on the left side of the steps
• The steps down to the first floor are wooden with a handrail to the left of the steps. There are 2 sets of 15 wooden steps to access the 1st floor.
• To proceed back down to the ground floor there are 3 sets of 15 stone steps with handrails on both sided.
• There are seats in all rooms and at intervals on the staircases, as well as wheelchairs located on each floor of the Hall to use as needed.

• Lighting is both artificial LED and natural, and kept at a moderate to low level to protect the collection.

• A virtual room guide is available in the Old Kitchen.
• There are 4 steps to access the virtual room guide.

• The Old Hall courtyard area has level access and plenty of seating.
• Inside the ruins, there is stepped access down to get inside and once inside, the upper levels are accessible by stairs only. There are 5 floors to the building and there is no handrail to assist with climbing the stairs.
• There are both staff members and volunteers on site to provide a full history of the Old Hall Ruins if visitors can not go up the stairs.
• The buggy service can take visitors to and from this location if needed.

• There is step free access to the gardens with compact earth and tarmac paths wide enough for all including pushchairs, mobility vehicles and wheelchair users.
• Inside the gardens there are footpaths to use in all the outdoor spaces with bench seats situated along the paths for visitors to rest on.
• There is a step-free sign posted entrance from the gardens to the Hall.

• The wider parkland has a mix of informal footpaths including mud, grass, and gravel that go over uneven ground and varied terrain.
• We would recommend making the most use of the outdoor space by visiting Lady Spencer’s Wood or going around Miller’s Pond. Both are accessible for a standard sized tramper, and a pushchair, Miller’s Pond is not suitable for a standard sized wheelchair due to the narrow bridge.
• Printed maps of the Estate are available from Visitor Reception.
• Some seating available on some routes.

• The most accessible entrance has step-free level access and manual doors. This door has an opening width of 194cm.
• The rear entrace has ramped access and has a width opening of 83cm.
• Hearing assistance system is available here.
• The Hardwick Team can provide assistance and offer service to tables.
• The counter is too high for a wheel chair user.
• The following are available here: drinking straws, takeaway cups, two handled cups, easy grip cutlery, takeaway cutlery, a portable card machine for payment, large-handled mugs and large-handled cutlery.
• There are sofas, chairs without armrests, tables, armchairs, bench seats and coffee tables available in the seating area.

• There is step-free level access into the shop.
• The door is manual, permanently held open and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
• The width of the door opening is 168cm.
• There is a low level counter at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
• Hearing assistance system is available here.
• There is a portable card machine for payment and a member of staff to provide assistance.

• There is step-free level access into the shop with a small lip on the threshold of the doorway with a height of less than 1.5cm.
• The door is manual, opens outwards and has the width of the door opening at 155cm.
• There is not a low level counter at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.

• In this area, there is an accessible toilet and a Changing Places.
• Changing Places is located in the Stableyard toilets accessed by a Radar key: door width - 1m, floor space - 11(sq.m), hoist hight - 1.8m, ceiling height above 2.4m.