Accessibility Guide for Heligan Caravan and Camping Park

Travel by public transport

The Travel Cornwall 471 service links Heligan Campsite with Mevagissey, Goran and St Austell. The nearest bus stop is inside the Lost Gardens of Heligan Car Park. Heligan Campsite can be accessed through a small gate from the Lost Gardens car park.

Travel by taxi

Train: The nearest train station is St Austell (6.3 miles). There is a TIC located within the staion, who can advise on bus links to Heligan Caravan and Camping Park. There is also a taxi rank outside of the station. 

Plane: Newquay Cornwall Airport is only 18 miles from Heligan Campsite. Flights arrive weekly from Gatwick, Stanstead, Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Isles of Scilly and Dusseldorf. For up-to-date flight times and schedules, visit the Newquay Airport Website.

Parking

Before arrival: We offer telephone, email and postal correspondence and are more than happy to accept calls through the TextDirect and Type Talk Services. A copy of all our literature and this access statement is available in large print and via post or email upon request.

Please contact us before arrival if you require any specialist equipment hire during your stay with us and we will be happy to provide details of local agencies who can arrange this on your behalf.

The grounds are relatively small, but some areas of the park are located on sloping ground. The park is serviced by tarmac roads which link all the majority of pitches to the main reception and facilities – please see the park map to view road layouts. All public areas have flat access and wide doors.

Our main entrance road has speed bumps to control traffic. These are clearly marked with white paint.

The park is lit at night with low level energy efficient lighting.

Speed is restricted to 5mph throughout the site.

The site is well signposted and thoughtfully laid out with hedgerows separating many pitches and various landscaped areas are available throughout the campsite.

Dogs, including guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs are accepted in all areas. There are dogs bowls located in various places around the site.

Path to main entrance

Main entrance

Visual Impairment - General Information

Heligan Caravan & Camping Reception and Shop

There is a shop on site which is accessed by a ramp, gradient 55 cm/2 m 18 cm long, up to double doors.

There is a seating area in the reception, along with a local tourism section, useful leaflets and a small supply of everyday essentials and snacks.

The reception is well lit by overhead fluorescent lighting.

There is a lowered section of the reception desk for accessible registration.

Pens and paper are available on request.

Site facilities

Assistance with pitching is available on request.

Parking is available on the pitches beside the caravan or tent.

Facilities are clearly signed with clear, large black font on a white background.

Customers staying at Heligan Campsite have complete use of all the amenities at our sister site (although please note, parking and charges apply), Pentewan Sands. This includes the The Seahorse (club house), beach, swimming pool, restaurant, shop and internet access.

There is a bus service to many surrounding areas, this can be found next door in the Lost Gardens car park.

There are mens, ladies and disabled toilet facilities in the centre of the park.

The disabled wet room is found beside the main toilet block and is unisex. A room key can be obtained from reception with a deposit. There is a full wet room shower with fold-up seat, shower curtain and vertical hand rail. There is also a disabled toilet with horizontal hand rail alongside the seat. There is an red alarm cord fitted beside the shower and toilet.

There are 90 pitches, some of which are level hardstanding. All other pitches are on grass and slightly sloping.

The toilet block is situated in the centre of the site. None of this facility has wheelchair access having steps up into each room (16 – 18 cm high).

Ladies Showers – Entrance 70 cm.  9 washbasins, 76 cm high. 3 showers – entrance door 55 cm, cubicle seat 52 cm, step up into shower 14 cm. 9 Toilets – entrance 60 cm, door opens inwards, toilets 44 cm high. Each toilet cubicle 146 cm long x 75 cm wide.

Gents Showers – Entrance 70 cm. 7 washbasins, 76 cm high. 3 showers – entrance door 55 cm opening into cubicle. Cubicle seat 52 cm, step into shower 14 cm.  4 Toilets, entrance 60 cm, door opens inwards, toilets 44 cm high. Step up to 4 Urinals 13 cm.

Laundrette

Laundry accessed by 16cm step.  There are 2 top loading washing machines, 2 front loading gas driers.  The hand washing facility can be found in the ‘Ladies’ side washing up area.

There are 7 washing up sinks under cover divided between each side of the Toilet Block.  Each sink is 87 cm high. There is a step into the area 16 cm high.

Self-Catering Holiday Homes

All of our Holiday Home Static Caravans have parking adjoining for 1 – 2 cars. Parking spaces are marked and allow adequate space for side and rear loading. Customers are able to select a specific holiday home at no extra charge.

We accept guide dogs, hearing dogs and assistance dogs free of charge, but please inform us before booking.

We are able to provide a removable ramps on many of our holiday home.

All holiday homes have showers, not baths, many offering en-suite accommodation. Toilet/shower rooms 104 cm wide x 154 cm long. Step into shower 9 – 14 cm high. En-suite, where applicable, 80cm wide x 132cm long. There are no disabled aids in the bathrooms.

Most homes are heated (please check at time of booking) and all are level throughout, but with narrow corridors. All holiday homes are fitted with smoke detectors and a fire blanked/extinguisher. Subtitles are available on most TVs and WiFi is available at an extra charge within the holiday homes, but please note, download speed is limited and we recommend for occasional use only.

Kitchen work surfaces and sinks 92 cm high. There are in-built cupboard space below, as well as eye level cupboards. Cooking facilities are hobs (gas or electric) with oven/grill below. Dining table 72 cm high, with 4/6 chairs is adjacent to kitchen space.

The lounge is spacious and is integrated with kitchen/diner. It provides sofa/folding bed and 2 seater sofa or a fitted sofa with seating for 6/8 persons and a folding bed.

1 – 2 single twin rooms approx. 180 cm wide x 250 cm long with 35 cm between each bed.

Double room approx.. 340 cm long x 230 cm wide, with adequate space either side of bed (36 – 40 cm).

Tarmac surface from main entrance, half way through the park. Holiday homes are accessed by loose 20 mm clean stone driveway.

Entry into the car park of the Lost Gardens of Heligan can be gained from the premises.

There are limited sea views from the majority of our holiday homes and pitches.

Additional information:

Each holiday home has a small garden area. Patios or garden area include garden furniture, table and 4/6 chairs.

Some holiday homes come with verandas or outside decking (please see map layout for details).

We also have four dog friendly holiday homes available.

All units are strictly NON SMOKING.

Travel cot and high chairs are available

Mobile telephone reception and 3G internet reception is limited and intermittent due to the location, depending on service used, but we do offer chargeable WiFi on the park.

Accessible/Wheelchair Friendly Self-Catering Holiday Home

We have a designated wheelchair friendly holiday home. The 2016 Willerby Rio Wheelchair Friendly accommodation comes with the following additional features:

• Wide-access, low threshold exterior doors 

• Wide-access galley kitchen 

• Full wet room with one piece fibreglass floor tray. Includes fold-out seat, support handles and shower curtain

• Sliding bedroom and wet room doors

• Removable, portable helper frame (designed to assist with manoeuvring into the seated position)

• Wide single beds (kingsize bed as an option)

Designated Walking Trail

South West Cliff Path - Mevagissey and Heligan

Circular route which starts and ends at Mevagissey, and takes in a stretch of the South West Coast Path.

The paths are not advisable for mobility scooters, wheelchairs and pushchairs. 

The Cornish Way, pedestrian and cycle route runs through the Park.

Children's Play Park

There is a children’s play area, with various swings and slides, in a fenced off area. Surface of play area is grass with sand under all play equipment. Bench seating is provided.

Accessibility equipment

Hoist and wheelchair for users of our accessible holiday home

This can be charged at reception. 

Customer care support

Heligan Camping and Caravan Park is located in the Cornish countryside two miles from the south coast. The small fishing town of Mevagissey is 2.4 miles away and St Austell is 6.3 miles away. OS Map reference SW996471. Heligan Campsite is approached off the main road via a driveway.

The reception building is located near to the entrance and the site caters for 90 tents, caravans, motorhomes and also offers 18 holiday homes, one of which is fully adapted for wheelchairs with low access doors, full wet room and wide single beds.

The campsite is rated five stars by the Visit England QiT.

Website:

The Heligan Caravan and Camping Park website has been built using valid XHTML and CSS transitional coding to allow correct rendering by all known web browsers, including those with features for people with vision and/or motor difficulties.

Text size is adjustable by use of keyboard short cuts and also via icons on the bottom of every page, this allows the viewer to increase the font size to make it easier to read.

No core functionality relies solely on the use of JavaScript.

Adequate foreground/background contrast has been utilized for all text allowing it to be read more clearly.

The site does not overly use capitalisation making the site easier to read by people with dyslexia.

All pages of the website achieve a good Flesch Reading Ease score resulting in easy to read pages.

W3C guidelines have been adhered to wherever possible to create a fully compliant website to current standards.

The appropriate ALT tags have been used on images.

Heligan Campsite staff are always happy to discuss the facilities available and any concerns before any booking is made.

A copy of the accessibility statement is available in large print and via post, e-mail or fax.