An accessible guide to Enys Gardens Bluebell Festival

It’s May Bank Holiday and this weekend sees the Bluebell Festival at Enys Gardens near Penryn in Cornwall.

Enys is famed for its glorious fields of beautiful English bluebells. This weekend Enys House is open to the public too, displaying an array of Cornish artworks. Here’s a short guide to accessibility so you can decide if this is a day out to enjoy.

The Bluebell Festival at Enys Gardens runs from Saturday 4th May to Sunday 12th May 2024, from 10am to 5pm, During the festival you can enjoy the vivid and enchanting display of English bluebells in the meadows of Parc Lye as well as some vibrant and captivating artworks including oil paintings of the Cornish landscape and innovative works such as the moveable wire art of Ben Baker

Parking

There is a good amount of accessible parking in the car park. The car park does slope a bit and the parking is on grass with hard, fairly level paths into the gardens. 

Accessible Toilets

There is now an accessible toilet a short distance from teh car park as you enter the gardens. It’s not huge and larger chairs would have difficulty getting in and turning, but we estimate it is appropriate for those with some ambulatory ability. If you have sensory processing sensitivity around sound, and can make it down the steps to the other toilets, you might prefer those as the hand dryer in the accessible toilet is quite loud.

Overall access 

Mobility impairment – wheelchair users

The track into the gardens is fairly hard, but with rough stones. It does slope downwards and it is challenging to wheel back up the slope independently in a manual chair, but not totally impossible. 

The addition of loose gravel with larger stones makes it tricky for wheelchairs with castors. Overall Enys is good for wheelchairs that can handle fairly rough terrain, but it can be more difficult if it has been raining and the team advise calling ahead to find out what the paths are like if the weather has been wet.

The path to Parc Lye is fairly level and some wheelchair users do enjoy visiting the gardens, however it does need more robust wheelchairs and it can be tricky when the paths are wet. There are also ramps into the art gallery which has good, level access and also down the steps from the house towards the gardens close to the House.

Steeper more challenging ares include the pond and there are steps into the walled garden if you approach from Parc Lye. 

Mobility impairment – ambulatory and vision impairment

The steeper paths are manageable for some, but some paths do have tree roots and rocky parts. One of our group who has some ambulatory ability but cannot walk far did fall on the path down to the pond, so take care! However, having visited the gardens with a group who had some ambulatory ability and some vision impairment, we can say it is an enjoyable experience, and the paths are manageable, but it is advisable to have support with you. There are plenty of benches along the route that allow you to rest and sit for a moment and most of the gardens are fairly level and easy to get around.

For those with hearing impairments, the gardens are a peaceful and enjoyable environment as is the House where you can enjoy the artworks. Information is provided with leaflets and in signs and online for most of the artwork, so the exhibitions are very accessible.

Neurodivergence  and sensory sensitivity

As a family who are very neurodivergent, we have enjoyed and loved these gardens for many years. This is a place with tranquil grounds,and an array of sensory treasures in the rhododendron and camelia blossoms, new children’s play area The Burrow and the scent and colour of the flowers. The exhibitions in the house are largely peaceful areas which are not overwhelming but a fun and calm place to enjoy the art.

Food and drink

There is a cafe where you can buy hot drinks, cakes and snacks. Seating is outside with level access but you would have to shout up to the window if you cannot manage the steps to the deck by the window. The staff are very friendly and helpful though. By the house there are also pizza and coffee and cake vans which are easy to access and the caterers were very happy to make reasonable changes to help those with food allergies or preferences.

Tickets

Adult tickets are £14 and Senior over 65 tickets are £12. Child tickets (6-17) £5 and a family ticket for two adults and two children are £30. There are no concessions for those with disabilities which is hopefully something Enys Gardens might consider in the future as part of the gardens are largely inaccessible to wheelchair users and those who would struggle with steeper slopes.

Overall we would say if you feel comfortable managing the paths, this is a beautiful place to explore and a very memorable way to experience the magic of Cornish bluebells in the spring. As always at Access Cornwall we aim to provide you with the information you need to decide if this is a day out that you would like to try. If you do, we hope you enjoy your visit.

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The Bluebell Festival at Enys Gardens runs from Saturday 4th May to Sunday 12th May 2024, from 10am to 5pm. Click here to find out more and book your tickets