London Duck Tours



London Duck Tours are NOT accessible!

They are however a great day out if you can manage steps. I carried Dude on and off the Duck and staff kept his wheelchair safe for us. They boarded us before everybody else and brought the wheelchair to the Duck when we got off.

This was a once only trip for Dude as he is getting too big and heavy to lift. The Duck can be quite bumpy at times especially getting in and out of the water (Thames) so I had to hang on tight to him to stop him falling off.

He did have a fantastic time and the staff are really friendly and funny.

London Duck Tours can be easily reached by public transport. We took the tube to Westminster and walked over Westminster Bridge. The pick up and drop off points for the Duck is on Chicheley Street which can be found just behind the London Eye.

If you are leaving a wheelchair whilst you are on the duck the staff will keep it safe for you and if it rains they will take it to their office, returning it to the drop off point when you are due to arrive back.

There is 5 steps to climb to get onto the Duck. The Duck's are old WWII amphibious vehicles so they were not designed with disability in mind. You can find out about the history of the Duck here.

This is the answer on the London Duck Tours website to the question

Are you wheelchair accessible?

''The tour is not suitable for those with impaired mobility and our vintage vehicles are not equipped for wheelchairs.   However, if passengers are able to manage the 5 steps onto the Duck, we are more than happy to keep wheelchairs in our office or at our departure point, but this is at the owner’s risk.''

Although the London Duck Tours are not accessible, the tour itself and the staff are great.

Imperial War Mueum

We discovered the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in October half term.

The Dude has decided he likes the big guns since my brother has joined the Army.

When ever I get an idea of a place to go with the Dude, the first thing I always do is check to see if they have a website. Then I find the accessibility information. I found this information here for the Imperial War Museum.

I then check to see if I can get to the place easily. It was pretty easy for us to get to IWM. We took the Tube to Westminster, crossed Westminster Bridge and then followed the signs. There are buses that go to IWM also. Travel information for IWM.

The front of IWM has lots of steps but there is a ramped side entrance through the park. This brings you to the bottom of the 1940's house. There are toilets to your left as you come in at this entrance and a cloakroom where you can leave your stuff in numbered skips.

The 1940's house is only accessible on the ground floor. The children's exhibition can get very crowded and is quite narrow so its best to go at quiet times. There are 2 lifts going to all floors but they are small and you can be waiting quite a while at times.

There were areas we did not go to as the Dude is still only small. The Trench and Blitz experience and some of the exhibits were not suitable so I'm unable to tell you if these were OK for wheelchairs. The main area's are fine though.

There are benches by the lifts on some of the floors but these are the only places to rest other than in the cafe. The toilets are spacious and have drop down bars. There are no hoist or full size changing benches here.

The IWM has now become one of Dudes favourite places to visit in London. It is free to visit. It can take a long time to get round so give your self a few hours.

HMS Belfast (London)

Apologies for not keeping up with the blog. Have been finding it very hard to concentrate long enough to write a post.

Anyway....

So in October we took another trip to London. I wanted to do some new stuff. Since the Dude had been bugging me to go on the 'big pirate ship' I thought I would check out HMS Belfast's web page to see if it was accessible. I had noticed on a previous trip to the ship (without Dude) that there was a lift down from the gangway to Quarterdeck.

I found this page on the website.
So I braved it and took him.

We wasn't disappointed! We had a great time. Spending just over an hour on the ship. I found the staff very very friendly and helpful. One going out of his way to tell Dude about the planes they used to have, the guns (Dude's favourite part), the big cranes that they used to have and the boats.

You can get wheelchairs on Quarterdeck, inside and outside though the rooms are not accessible as there are big lips (to be expected really as it is a real war ship) there's plenty to see and you get given the option of taking an Audio Guild round with you. Pressing the numbers you see on the wall to get information about that area of the ship.
There is a ramp (and I think there is a lift also) to the Deck, Boat deck and Walrus Cafe (named after the plane that used to be on the ship. Where the cafe is now was the Walrus's hanger)

Although you cant get to the very top there is lots still to see. The passageway through Quarterdeck houses

• The Laundry
• The Ship's Chapel
• The Bakery
• Galley and associated prep areas
• Petty Officers' Mess
• Sick Bay
• Dental Surgery
• Arctic Mess Decks

You can see in all these rooms but can not get a wheelchair into the majority.

Walking to the end of the deck you can see the big guns at the front of the ship.

Although it isn't the most accessible of places, they have tried considering it is a real war ship. All the staff are friendly and helpful. The Audio Guild is a great help and with free entry for disabled and one carer its a great place to visit.

ZSL London Zoo

We've visited London Zoo tons of times and every time its even better. I always make sure I get our tickets online as there is always a queue.

All entrances and exits are accessible and all the buildings are except the old elephant house which houses the Pygmy Hippopotamus as there are steps to view the hippo inside though there is a ramped access into the actual building from one side which is quite steep.

We always have a great day at the zoo. Tigers are Dudes favourite and I love the Rainforest exhibition. The Bug House can be a bit hard to get round when there's lots of people as the walk ways are sloped and trying to stop or push up hill/stop the chair rolling away down hill and view bugs whilst trying not to run people over can be... an adventure. The walk ways are wide enough but when its busy and you have a wheelchair it can be a bit cramped.

The new Penguin Beach is excellent.

The Aquarium now has level access at the side and theres more than enough space to get around. Gorilla Kingdom is fantastic too though I do think they should have a little kids/wheelchair/buggy user friendly zone as the adults cram round the windows so those with disadvantaged height can't see them. The walkways through Gorilla Kingdom are good. The Butterfly exhibition is lovely and colourful but i did find the chains hanging at the doors (to stop the butterflies escaping) tangled round the wheelchair and both entering and exiting was only managed with several members of the public holding chains back and untangling them from the chair as we went through.

There is one area I really dislike and that is the children's Animal Adventure area. There are playthings for the children here and NONE are accessible to disabled children. Its very disappointing especially as its fairly new to the zoo. Dude cant really view many of the animals in this area either and was very disappointed and upset when he saw children crawling through the tunnels to see the Meercats and he couldn't. I think there should have been a bigger tunnel into the area so wheelchairs/children unable to crawl for any reason can still join in the fun.

There are lots of benches around the zoo for resting but I often find them full which is now the reason I carry a folding camping stool. There are no accessible picnic tables. There is a restaurant that I have seen wheelchairs at tables in but I have never used the restaurant as I find everything very expensive.

There are disabled toilets but none with hoists or changing benches. I have raised this issue with London Zoo and I have been told they will think about it.

Every year they have a Special Children's day where there are changing tents and additional disabled toilets.

For more information on Special Children' day check here.

Exit is now via the shop which makes it slightly harder to get out as you now have to negotiate shelves and people before your final bid for freedom.

Although there are a few disappointments/problems at London Zoo its still very hard not to have a great day and its forever improving. We love the zoo and hope to visit again really soon.

London "Our Walk"

Since I was little we always took a walk in central London, checking out all the sights. I was determined to still do "our walk" even with Dude.

There are several places I have started from, having to adapt to meet needs. When Dude was still a baby it was fine to start at Green Park as it was pretty easy to bump a baby and his buggy up the stairs at the tube station. As he's got bigger, heavier and acquired bigger wheelchairs we've had to abandon this starting point in favour of Trafalgar Square and Westminster.

So I'll start from the furthest point. I'll also indicate other start and finish points along the way. Sounds complicated and I'm slightly confusing myself here, but I'm sure it will become clear (I hope)

• Trafalgar Square. Starting here using the accessible buses we take a look at the fountains. (we don't visit these places but some places close by are St Martin's in the Fields and Crypt Cafe, National Portrait Gallery, and The National Gallery)
• Walking up The Mall past The Mall Galleries we arrive at Buckingham Palace. We have never visited either of these places, just viewed the Palace from the outside and walked past the Gallery. Check here for Changing of the Guard
• After watching the Guards march for a bit, we double back towards St Jame's Park. Entering at the first entrance there is quite a steep ramp. We vairy which route we take in the park but we ultimately finish in the same place. Horse Guards Parade. (please note currently there is beach volleyball for the Olympics here)
• Walking through Horse Guards can be stressy when you get to where the Guards are as allot of people gather here to take pictures of the Guards on their horses.
• ALTERNATE ROUTE WHILST HORSE GUARDS IS CLOSED DUE TO VOLLEYBALL take a left towards the mall then a right towards Trafalgar Square and a right onto Whitehall so you can still view the Guards on the horses (you can also pick up the Open Top Buses from here and alight at # The Tower of London to pick up the "walk" from there). Walk to Westminster. You can also have a look down Downing Street which is on right hand side of Whitehall walking towards Westminster.
• OR take a right at horse guards if you are not bothered/want to avoid horse guards and Downing Street, then a left to Westminster. (alternate finish point * )
• Alternate finish point - walk back down Whitehall towards Trafalgar Square with Horse Guards and Downing Street on the right
• ALTERNATE START POINT * Westminster If you can access the tube Westminster is considered an accessible station. It has lifts to all areas though there is a step on and off of the tubes.
• At Westminster there are Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament with the famous Big Ben (which is actually the bell inside and not the clock)
• Our choice here is to then board one of the river cruise boats. We use city cruises. I find the staff very friendly, funny and helpful. If they cant get the chair on via the flat entry for which ever reason they will lift the chair on board. there is plenty of space once on board. there isn't step free access to the upper deck. (You can get a return to Grenwich or the Tower of London and finish at Westminster * alternate finish point)
• # Alighting at The Tower of London there are accessible toilets available here where all the shops are. We then walk around the castle (street level) and over Tower Bridge (pdf file). There are steps down to the south side from the bridge but I walk with the chair to the first right turning then walk through Potters fields to the south side of the river Thames.
• Walking back towards Westminster. There are some diversions along the route but all are accessible and sign posted.
• Things to see along the south of the river

1. You can see the Tower of London and have a good view of Tower Bridge from the south side.
2. HMS Belfast (I have visited the ship but not with a wheelchair)
3. The London Bridge Experience scroll down the FAQ page to see access and ticket information
4. Southwark Cathedral
5. The Golden Hinde I cant find any info on accessibility and from memory it has lots of wooden ladders/stairs
6. The street past The Clink (The Clink is not accessible) is cobble and hard to push wheelchairs over. I have to tip Dude onto his back wheels to get across it. I haven't found an alternative route as yet.
7. The Anchor Pub it is said that Shakespeare used the Anchor on Bankside as a dressing room whilst preforming at The Globe Theatre
8. The Globe Theatre
9. The London Eye
10. The London Film Museum Scroll down to see disabled guest information
11. London Sea life Aquarium

• Once we reach the London Eye we walk down the side of the Ticket Office. (You can get the London Duck Tours from this point. The Duck is not accessible but if you can manage the ladder onto the Duck they will keep your wheelchair for you. If it rains they will put it in the office.)
• Taking the first right past Premier Inn then another right at the end of the street we walk over Westminster Bridge.
• This is where we finish. Either catching a Tube * at Westminster or a bus up to Trafalgar Square where we catch the bus home.

I hope you haven't found this blog post confusing and DO find it helpful.

St James's Park, London

This summer why not take a picnic in the park!

We took a trip to one of the Royal Parks.

St James's park Westminster is the oldest of the Royal parks. There are no blue badge spaces or parking near the park. All entrances are accessible and the paths are easy to push a wheelchair on. My son was fine walking with his walking frame too. There are a few slopes, the steepest I found was the entrance nearest Buckingham Palace on the Mall.

There are disabled toilets available at Marlborough Gate (the middle entrance on the Mall) but I found them a tight squeeze and the sink was unavailable in the female toilets.

There is a Restaurant towards the Horse Guards end of the park. We didn't use this as we took a picnic. There is a large area with hire deck chairs available but also lots of flat areas of grass (which we used)

The park is kept clean and tidy.

There are accessible buses that stop close by to the park. We took a bus to Trafalgar Square and walked to the park from there. Westminster tube station is also accessible via lifts but there is a step on and off the tubes. Jubilee, District and Circle lines all serve Westminster. Victoria, St James's Park, Charring Cross and Green Park tube stations are also close by but there are no step free access to these stations. Victoria mainline station I believe is accessible though I haven't used the station before.

Staff are friendly and visible in the park.

Its a lovely park which we visit every time we go to London.

For more information on St James's Park click here

Tropical Butterfly House (Sheffield)

Our trip to the Tropical Butterfly House in North Anston, Sheffield, was a wet one. It RAINED! The rain didn't spoil our day though.

We arrived by bus which stops just outside the centre. Access is via a road with no walk ways so you do have to take extra care, especially on busy days. It wasn't too busy when we went because we chose to go in term time but the Dude was off because of the teacher strikes.

Entrance is accessible and 1 carer is admitted free with each paying disabled person. You can buy various animal feeds at the ticket office. We decided to buy a bundle of all the different types. I didn't find any of the centre inaccessible. All paths were easy for the wheelchair to be push over. Dude was able to see all the animals except the Meercats which where in their outside enclosure. He found it hard to get the meal worm feed over the wall to them too.

Finding a dry place to eat was at bit hard. I'm not sure if there was an indoor picnic area. We didn't find one and there wasn't signs that I could see. We opted to eat under the covered bit outside the toilet block by the play park and eating area. Good job I carry a camping stool and Dude owns a Trabasack which he was able to eat his lunch off. It also came in handy with balancing his animal feed whilst he fed the animals and again when he got the opportunity to hold a snake in the Butterfly House.

Getting around inside the Butterfly House was pretty easy. The staff were great too. Dude collared one when we were looking at the bugs and snakes and asked a million and one questions. He then brought a snake out for Dude to hold which I thought was very kind.

Unfortunately we didn't stay for very long because of the rain. There's only so much standing around in barns and going round the inside of the Butterfly House that you can take, so we opted to go home earlier than planned.

It was a great afternoon out though and we look forward to visiting again.