Welcome
Visitors entering Castle Howard Grounds can access the Gift Shop, Fitzroy Cafe, and visitor toilets situated in the Main House via level access routes.
Please note: Access to the Main House attraction is via stairs, which are equipped with a stairlift. To comply with fire regulations, wheelchair users in motorised wheelchairs have to self-transfer into a manual wheelchair. If the visitor cannot self-transfer, we are sadly unable to admit. Prams and mobility scooters are not permitted. Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow on site.
Level access
There is level access from the main entrance to:
Level access to the start of the historic house route is via the Gift Shop. The Main Entrance has a set of steps.The stairlift is available for use when you're ready to leave ToiletToilets in Castle Howard Main HouseToiletThe Fitzroy Cafe (at the Main House)House Gift Shop ShopAccess with steps
Visual
General
Getting here
Travel by taxi
There is a land train that takes visitors from the Ticket Office to the House and the playarea. We aim to provide this service 7 days a week. Please note that this is subject to last minute changes due to availability.
The land train is named the Kelly Car and runs from 10.00am until early afternoon.
The Kelly Car is wheelchair accessible and the driver can assist you in getting onboard. There is also a step available if the trailer height is too high - please ask the driver for assistance if required.
The Kelly Car trailers are wooden, painted with yellow and red decoration. Steps and seating are also wooden - the seats are benches with no arm support. There is a larger space in the front trailer for wheelchair access.
The Kelly Car is operated using a tractor, which can be noisy whilst moving. The driver delivers a safety briefing during each journey using a tannoy system.
The width of the doorway for loading wheelchairs is 70 cm. Alternatively, there is a step of approx 50cm with a wooden ledge to board.
Please remain seated throughout the journey. Assistance dogs are welcome on the Kelly Car. Non-assistance dogs are not allowed on this service.
Parking
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Access to the Main House route is via a set of stairs, which is equipped with a Stannah stairlift. To comply with fire regulations, wheelchair users in motorised wheelchairs have to self-transfer into a manual wheelchair. If the visitor cannot self-transfer, we are sadly unable to admit - this is from advice from the Fire Brigade.
The stairlift has a weight limit (which is inclusive of both chair and user). To protect the historic fabric of the house, prams and mobility scooters are not permitted. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed on site, free of charge.
The door to exit the Gift Shop and enter the main house is 1580mm. From this pont, you can turn left to enter the House (through a manual doorway) or turn right to access the toilets or Fitzroy Cafe. This corridor is 1330 mm wide.
A member of staff in the House Gift Shop will assist you to get to the start of the Main House route. This is through a doorway that is 1750 mm wide. This route has subdued lighting .
Assistance dogs are very welcome in the House and Gardens. We ask that all dogs are kept on a lead. Water bowls are located at the entrance to the Ticket Office, Main House, and Boathouse.
Please be aware that if you are visitng us with any lugguage, a backpack or a push chair, we can store these for you at the House Entrance. If you wish to keep your items with you whilst visiting the House, we ask that you wear items on your front, or carry at your sides, rather than on your back so that collection items remain protected from accidental damage. We have wonderful volunteers in every room, who are happy to provide lots of information. They wear bright green lanyards.
Visitors to the House are welcome to download the digital guide which gives a historical tour of the house narrated by Mr. Howard. Please note that we kindly request that headphones are used, so please do bring your own.
Getting around inside
Ticket/ information desk
GUIDANCE ON WHEELCHAIRS IN THE HOUSE: We have a Stannah stairlift. To comply with fire regulations, only manual wheelchairs are permitted. We cannot allow scooters or electronic wheelchairs in the House.
Please note that we cannot permit electronic wheelchairs in the House. We ask visitors using electronic wheelchairs to self-transfer into a manual wheelchair to comply with fire regulations. If the visitor cannot self-transfer, we are sadly unable to admit - this is from advice from the Fire Brigade. The stairlift has a weight limit - 35 stone / 225 kilos (including both chair and passenger).
Things to See and Do
Level access to the start of the historic house route is via the Gift Shop. The Main Entrance has a set of steps.
There are 5 steps beyond the Main House Entrance door and there is no handrail support. This doorway is 1200mm wide. The steps are stone and descend into an area that is dimly lit. At the other end of the hallway there is another single step (in a crescent shape) that has a white line on it to differentiate from the floor. This doorway is a double door, where both sides can be opened to a width of 1700mm.
Tickets are checked in this area. There is an opportunity to purchase a guide book, or download our digital guide (please use earphones). Foreign language guides are also available in selected languages.
Assistance dogs are very welcome in the House and Gardens. We ask that all dogs are kept on a lead. Water bowls are located outside the entrance to the Main House.
Please be aware that if you are visiting us with any luggage, a backpack, or a push chair, we can store these for you at the House Entrance. If you wish to keep your items with you whilst visiting the House, we ask that you wear items on your front, or carry at your side, rather than on your back so that collection items remain protected from accidental damage.
We have wonderful volunteers in every room, who are happy to provide lots of information. They wear bright green lanyards.
The Main House is equipped with a Stannah stairlift. To comply with fire regulations, wheelchair users in electric wheelchairs have to self-transfer into a Castle Howard manual wheelchair. If the visitor cannot self-transfer, we are sadly unable to admit - this is from advice from the Fire Brigade. The stairlift has a weight limit (which includes both chair and user). To protect the historic fabric of the house, prams and mobility scooters are not permitted. We do have manual wheelchairs on site that can be borrowed free of charge.
There are some places to sit around the House (such as window seats) but please do ask one of our volunteers if you would like a seat. We are very happy to assist with portable stools if required - these seats do not have arm rests or back support.
The steps up to the second floor, to rooms known as the High South
Second Floor
The second floor of the House (the "High South") is accessed via a staircase. Please seek assistance from one of our guides, who will point out how to continue your tour of the House should you wish to continue the route with level access. The guide can also give you a photo book of the High South rooms.
Please note, for fire safety reasons we ask that visitors in wheelchairs are not left alone. Please ask one of our volunteers for assistance and we can help you.
For anyone wishing to go to the High South rooms, there are 2 staircases. There is a single handrail on each set of stairs. The stairs do have a half landing. There are 20 steps up the half landing and another 20 steps from the half landing to the top.
Seating can be provided, so please do ask a volunteer for assistance.
Light levels on the steps are low in places but there is some artificial lighting.
The stairlift is available for use when you're ready to leave
When you are ready to leave, please ask one of our volunteers to guide you through the door from a room known as the "Octagon" in the Long Gallery. This will bring you back to the top of the Grand Staircase, where the stairlift will be brought up to you.
Our volunteers will operate the stairlift for you. Once at the bottom, you will turn through a narrow space of approximately 1m square. Our volunteers will then guide you back down the corridor towards the House Gift Shop (retracing your original route).
Leaving via the Chapel spiral staircase, including a visit to the Chapel
The steps from the room known as the "Long Gallery" lead you down towards the Chapel. The stairs are a spiral, stone staircase with a handrail on the left. Stopping half way down, you can turn left to go in to the Chapel. There are 3 stairs to enter the Chapel and 13 stairs to access the pews and main space. The Chapel can be quite echoey and at times, music (hymns etc.) are played. This can be turned down or off, please just let a volunteer know. The lighting level in the Chapel is low. There is pew seating (wooden benches) with an arm rest on the end and back support throughout.
On leaving the Chapel, turn left to re-join the spiral staircase, and another 6 stairs to exit via the Gift Shop, or visit the toilets and Fitzroy Cafe, through a doorway 950mm wide.
Public toilet
Public toilet
Toilets in Castle Howard Main House
The toilet is fitted with flourescent lighting and an automatic handrier. There is also a nappy changing area. The accessible toilet is unisex. There is a flight of steps down to the Ladies and Gents toilets. The floors can be slippery at times. There is an alarm in the accessible toilet.
Public toilet
Shop
House Gift Shop
The Gift Shop has wooden floors and wallpapered walls. There is a mixutre of natural and artificial light. The till desk is 1060 mm high but staff are on hand to assist,. The card machine reader can be lowered. Staff can assist in lifting things from shelves. You are also welcome to leave purchases with staff for later collection.
Shop
Place to eat and drink
Place to eat and drink
The Fitzroy Cafe (at the Main House)
The Cafe is located in a historic space. It has wallpapered walls and a vinyl floor. Lighting in the Fitzroy Cafe is a combination of natural light and artificial light from non-flourescent bulbs. Although there are no thresholds as such, there are low level metal threshold strips in external doorways. They can cause a bit of a bump if unexpected.
Place to eat and drink
Getting around outside
Please note that there are a variety of pathways around the Estate; some are gravel and grass. At certain times of the year the pathways can be quite waterlogged and potholed. The North Drive is tarmac and leads from the Ticket Office to the House, and then to the Lake and Boathouse. To view the gardens on the South of the House, these paths are predominantly gravel and grass.