Accessible Britain

centre whose residents range from dinky pygmy owls to colossal Bald Eagles. Many of
the birds take part in a series of spectacular daily flying displays in which raptors large
and small fly so low over the audience’s heads you can feel the wind from their wings.
A particular highlight of the summer/autumn season is the Valley of the Eagles display
(daily 2pm) where you will witness a mass fly-past of eagles, vultures and kites which
soar and wheel in a nearby thermal before swooping overhead to land in the adjacent
wildflower meadow. Nor should you miss the opportunity to handle a bird: adults can
have a Harris hawk fly to their fist, while children can handle smaller birds at the end
of the 11.30am demonstration.
The centre is served by a large car park on a slight slope with five disabled bays
near the entrance. Access to the reception area is level (though the payment desk is
high) and the outdoor paths around the site all have a tarmac surface, though they
aren’t all smooth. All display arenas have viewing areas for wheelchair users, and
there are several accessible bird hides. Five manual wheelchairs and three powered
scooters are available to borrow (phone to reserve; pay a £1 donation to Shopmobility
for scooters), and there are plenty of benches dotted around the grounds. There
are three disabled toilets near the entrance, which are clean and equipped with grab
rails. For visually impaired visitors, there’s a large-print information sheet available
in the gift shop.
FOOD & DRINK aa Feathers Restaurant is fully accessible and seats 120 people, offering a
range of hot and cold food for breakast, lunch and afternoon tea: it also has free wi-fi.
THE SOUTHWEST
048 Haynes International Motor Museum, Somerset
Address: Sparkford, Yeovil BA22 7LH Web: www.haynesmotormuseum.com Tel: 01963 440804;
access 01963 442783 Hours: 2 Mar–31 Oct daily 9.30am–5.30pm, 1 Nov–1 Mar daily 9.30am–4.30pm
Dates: closed 1 Jan & 24–26 Dec Entry: [D]£11.95 [C]free [A]£13.95 [4–15s]£8.25 [D 4–15s]£6.25
[Senior]£11.95 [Fam]£20–£44.95
If there’s a wannabe Lewis Hamilton or burgeoning Jeremy Clarkson in your midst, a
visit to the Haynes International Motor Museum is a must.
From contemporary super cars, like the Jaguar XJ220 and the Ferrari 360, to
veteran masterpieces, there are over four hundred vehicles here. The Red Room,
packed with models in the sports car colour of choice, is legendary, but there are
fourteen other display areas to explore too where all the big names are present:
Jaguar, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley and Rolls-Royce to name a few. Children and
teenagers who may be drawn to the old-fashioned penny arcade games, Sega Rally
machines and Cycraft, a challenging racing car simulator, should bring along pocket
money: costs for these vary from 20p to £2. Younger children will enjoy pushing
interactive buttons, doing brass rubbings and playing in the small area equipped with
puzzles, colouring-in sheets and Lego. Outside there are outdoor activities for kids
– such as the diggers and go-carts. Check the website for the eclectic programme of
events, such as a Rare Breeds Motor Show and Haunted Haynes Week.
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