Accessible Britain

THE SOUTHEAST
lift that has a maximum weight limit of 364 kilograms (about 57 stone). At Emsworth, you
can park for free either in the village 250 yards from the pontoon, or on the quay 150 yards
away. The accessible toilet is in the village car park. The toilet on the boat is not wheelchair
accessible. On cold days, blankets can be requested during the journey.
FOOD & DRINK aa The Ship Inn in Itchenor (www.theshipinnitchenor.co.uk) is half a mile
from the harbour office – it is a popular place, serving real ales and a good selection
of snacks and meals. It is accessible by a ramp to the side door but does not have a
wheelchair accessible toilet. At West Wittering, the Beach Café (01243 514143) offers
limited food while being refurbished after a fire. Visiting vans augment the fare.
042 Emirates Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
Address: Gunwharf Quays PO1 3TT Web: www.spinnakertower.co.uk Tel: 023 92857520; booking
line 023 92857521 Hours: daily 10am–5.30pm Dates: closed 25 Dec Entry: [D]£9.50 [C]free [A]£9.50
[3–15s]£7.50 [Con]£8.50; discounts for local residents with ID
Rising dramatically above Portsmouth’s harbour to a height of 557 feet, Emirates
Spinnaker Tower offers breathtaking panoramas from three viewing platforms.
Completed in 2005 (five years later than planned), the gleaming white tower is an
impressive sight, its graceful outline cleverly evoking the shape of a billowing sail.
The views from inside, however, are what it’s all about: in clear weather you can see
up to 23 miles, as far as the Isle of Wight, the South Downs and the New Forest. A
high-speed lift whisks visitors up to Deck 1 (328ft above sea level), where floor-toceiling
glass walls surround you on three sides, allowing uninterrupted views across
the city, harbour and far beyond. When you’ve had your fill of the views, test your
nerves on the glass floor sky walk before taking the lift up to Deck 3 (344ft), where
you can reward yourself with coffee and cakes at the Café in the Clouds. The open-air
Sky Deck (360ft), on the top level, is unfortunately not served by lift, and involves a
climb of thirty steps.
There are plenty of Blue Badge bays in the enormous Gunwharf Quays underground
car park, which is around two hundred yards (step-free) from the tower. Once there,
the entrance lobby offers easy wheelchair access, disabled toilets, a hearing loop and
helpful staff. Only one wheelchair user is allowed up the tower at a time (to comply
with emergency evacuation procedures), so if this applies to you, be sure to book
ahead. Large-print and audio guides are available at reception, to describe the view
at specified, numbered vantage spots. There’s also a tactile model of the tower, to help
visually impaired visitors get a sense of its structure. Up on Deck 1 there’s a handrail
around the glass wall and the floor surface is level.
FOOD & DRINK aa The cakes and snacks on offer at the Café in the Clouds are nothing
special, but the view is sensational. There are plenty of other eating options nearby on
Gunwharf Quays.
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