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Photo by J. Bailey
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A few months prior to my visit to Kent, I was studying the Napoleonic Wars. This meant a lot of reading about the Duke of Wellington (nothing to do with Beef Wellington, everything to do with the Wellington Boot). History nerd that I am, when I discovered his residence (Walmer Castle) was within driving distance of our holiday home, a visit was added to my Things To Do in Kent list.
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| Photo by Emily Bailey |
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| Photos by Emily Bailey |
Unfortunately, access wasn't very good (old buildings inaccessible? What a surprise!). There weren't lifts for the stairs, meaning I had to get my legs working and climb them myself, which was far from ideal. Similarly, the main access to the garden isn't wheelchair friendly, and you had to go all the way back through the site to enter them from the shop.
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Photo by Emily Bailey
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That isn't to say that there was nothing good about the castle, far from it. The grounds were absolutely stunning, and there was a fantastic view from the roof (which thankfully didn't feel that high). The lack of access simply made the day much more fatiguing.
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| Photo by Emily Bailey |
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| Photo by Emily Bailey |
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| Photo by Emily Bailey |
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| Photo by Emily Bailey |
Wheelchair 2/5: Like I said, wheelchair access definitely wasn't Walmer Castle's strong point.
Sensory Input 3/5: I generally found the sensory stimuli manageable. My main issues came when we were having lunch, as the outside eating area for the cafe was in the middle of the main entrance to the castle, making it quite a busy area, and the inside wasn't particularly calm either.
Food & Facilities 4/5: There are toilets on site, and a cafe.
Travel 3/5: There is parking on site, but it is a little walk away from the entrance. I was dropped nearer to the castle to avoid extra activity. It was a fifteen minute drive away from where we were staying, a manageable distance for me. For other travel options see
here.
Overall 3/5: Visit length was around three to four hours, with a travel time of fifteen minutes.
*I currently have moderate ME, meaning I use a wheelchair pushed by someone else, and a walking stick. Please take into account your own physical capabilities when planning a trip, if you need to start small then start small. Look into what you can see nearby for when you're ready. Although, when at my best, I may be able to post every 1-2 weeks, that does not mean I am well enough to travel that frequently! Many of my posts come from a backlog of trips taken over the past few years.
