Disabled access
From Wye Waltz Wiki
We're keen to make this festival accessible to everyone and so have chosen our venues carefully. Our main venues have good disabled access, with ramps where needed.
If you have any specific questions or requests, please get in touch: organize@wyewaltz.org
Contents |
Venues
Drill Hall
The Drill Hall (see floorplan) has access through wide doors in a small porch, up a shallow ramp. Inside there is one large space, with easy, level access through to the bar.
For the Ball on Saturday night, we'll be setting out tables and chairs in a "cabaret" style. If you have any particular requests, table layouts, wheelchair space etc. then please get in touch: organize@wyewaltz.org and we can reserve tables, spaces etc.
There are specific disabled toilets in the Drill Hall.
The Drill Hall also has an induction loop system, for those with suitable Marconiphonic Sound Receivers.
Bandstand
The bandstand area is a park with open grass. The area is flat and generally wheelchair-capable, although could become soft if there is recent rain.
Public toilets are adjacent.
Chepstow castle
- See Chepstow Castle for photographs
The castle is, after all, a castle and so doesn't have such good access. The floors can be uneven and sloping. The entrance gateway is a well-surfaced roadway up a fairly steep ramp.
Inside the castle there is a wide, smooth surfaced gravel path from one end of the castle to the other. This slopes, as does the whole castle site. Electric mobility scooters can use this path to access most of the castle - the castle also has a scooter of its own that may be borrowed. Access off this path onto the grass areas isn't permitted for wheels (chairs or scooters) as it's soft and there's a likelihood of getting bogged down. Wheelchairs up this slope are possible, with either a good pusher or careful use of your brakes.
Access into the rooms where the Contraptions Exhibition will be is on the level and a good surface, without steps. Access to most other rooms would range from difficult to impossible, with a large wooden outdooor staircase to the Earl's Chamber (still passable for many stick users), but the narrow stone stairs in the other parts of the castle and its walls would be impractical. Considering the starting point of it being a castle, Cadw have done pretty well with it.
The steep footpath up Castle Dell has a tarmac surface. Sticks are OK, with care, and wheelchairs if you're happy you can handle sloping tarmac.
Other locations
The soft,muddy and bollarded river path underneath Chepstow railway bridge, cannot be recommended for access.
Access to the theatre stage at Pye Corner (for The Curious Case: A Working Title) is narrow with several steps indoors. There is an outdoor route with a single step, that will be wheelchair accessible with assistance.
Other events
There are only a few aspects of the festival where limited mobility would be an insurmountable problem.
The boat trip obviously involves time on a boat. There is also the floating jetty to negotiate, to get on board.
Getting around in Chepstow
Chepstow itself is on the side of a large hill, leading down to the river. There's no getting away from it, much of middle-Chepstow is quite steep.
Our venues are at the bottom of this hill, near the river.
If you're driving to get up the hill, the Nelson Street car park (by St Mary's Church) is probably the closest on the level. If you want upper Chepstow and the Town Arch, then the large Welsh St car park has level access out that way.
Travel between venues
Our main venues of the Drill Hall and Bandstand are nearby, about a block apart across a quiet road. The Castle area is a little further, but still along a quiet road. The pavements are narrow, but passable. There is also a footpath between the Drill Hall and the Castle, through the archway in the stone wall (turn left from the Drill Hall dooor).
Parking is not encouraged by the bandstand (most people will be able to use the Drill Hall car park for both), but please let us know if you feel you will need access here and we can probably arrange something.
Parking
Parking in Chepstow is generally good. There are carparks adjacent to the Drill Hall and castle, with disabled spaces.
