Accessible Britain

there are areas of the attraction that are still reminiscent of a working farm. Be aware
that some of the flagstones and paths are slightly uneven and that some of the ramps
for access between barns and to indoor and outdoor areas can be tricky for wheelchair
users to negotiate independently. There is no step-free access to the upper level of the
granary or to the tractor-towed cart-ride around the farm, however the friendly staff
are on hand to assist if required.
FOOD & DRINK aa The café/restaurant at the back of the largest building serves basic hot
and cold food, including burgers, soup and sandwiches – at peak times it can be a little
crowded but there are picnic areas if you want to bring your own sandwiches.
083 Shrewsbury, Shropshire
THE WEST MIDLANDS AND WEST COUNTRY
Almost completely encircled by a loop in the River Severn, Shrewsbury’s town centre
(www.originalshrewsbury.com) has the feel of an island, with water on all sides. It can
be accessed via the Welsh Bridge in the west and the English Bridge in the east, their
names neatly reflecting the town’s borderland location.
One of the most beautiful market towns in Britain, Shrewsbury boasts a wealth
of stunning, timber-framed black-and-white buildings, many of them dating from
Medieval times. The Visitor Information Centre, on Barker Street, offers fascinating
guided walking tours around the historic centre – with notice, these can be adapted
to suit visitors with disabilities. The tours take in the best of the town’s medieval
architecture, including gems such as the sixteenth-century Market Hall and a clutch of
twisting, evocatively named streets and alleyways (knows as “shuts”), including Grope
Lane and Fish Street – they’re manageable in a wheelchair, but some have uneven
surfaces and lack drop kerbs.
If the narrow streets leave you feeling a little claustrophobic, head over to the
expansive Quarry Park, a beautifully landscaped riverside park, with plenty of rest
benches and some inviting, accessible footpaths. Its centrepiece is “the Dingle” – a
sunken garden sited in a former quarry, bursting with colourful flowers.
Try to pay a visit to Shrewsbury Abbey (01743 232723, www.shrewsburyabbey.com),
home of fictional detective Brother Cadfael, just across the English Bridge. Although
much of the abbey was destroyed in the sixteenth century, it retains four massive
Norman columns from the original church, plus an attractive stained-glass window
and fourteenth-century tower. The ancient stone tombs are also compelling, and there
is a memorial to local World War I poet Wilfred Owen. The abbey has level access, an
accessible toilet and on-site parking with designated disabled spaces.
Shrewsbury offers a good spread of on-street Blue Badge parking in the town centre, with
bays at Shoplatch, Castle Street, St Mary’s Street, Claremont Street and Roushill. In addition,
there are designated spaces in the Raven Meadows multistorey and the Abbey Foregate
car park – or use the accessible park-and-ride service (see www.shropshire.gov.uk). As the
town is spread over two hills you should be prepared for some steep inclines, which means
that manual wheelchair users are likely to need assistance. There are a number of accessible
toilets dotted around, including at the Market Hall. The Visitor Information Centre stocks
copies of the Wheelchair User’s Guide to Shropshire, which has some information on
Shrewsbury.
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