Overview

The recent make-over of Abbotsford House has made the two walled gardens and almost the whole of the public parts of the house fully wheelchair accessible, and includes a fully accessible modern visitor centre with restaurant, shop and exhibition. Only the chapel and the parkland between the house and the Tweed are not wheelchair accessible.

Transport & Parking

There are disabled parking spaces at the end of the car park nearest to the Visitor Centre and the house. We travelled by train on the new Borders Railway to Tweedbank Station, from where there is a pleasant wheel/walk to Abbotsford, past Gunknowe Loch. Allow 25 minutes for this. If using a wheelchair, book journey assistance with Scotrail in advance - they are very helpful. There are no station staff at Tweebank, but the conductor on the train will deploy a ramp for you.

Access

They have done their very best - sheer geography means that the sloping gardens between the house and the Tweed could not be made wheelchair accessible, but the house is (other than a couple of steps up to the chapel) and the two walled gardens have been unobtrusively altered to make wheelchair exploration possible. The Visitor Centre has a lift connecting the ground floor with the restaurant, which is on the first floor. The door connecting the shop with the gardens isn't automatic, but staff were very helpful.

Toilets

There are well-equipped accessible toilets in the Visitor Centre, both on the ground floor and at restaurant level.

Staff

Friendly and helpful, in Visitor Centre, Ochiltrees Restaurant and the house.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

The first stages of the route to Abbotsford from Tweedbank Station are not well signposted. On leaving the station, turn right and then almost immediately right again at the roundabout. Go to the pedestrian crossing (with traffic lights) and cross the road. Take the first turn on the left into a housing estate - after that the route is well signposted. We recommend booking a table if you intend to eat at the restaurant. The phone number is 01896 663962. Mention that you are a wheelchair user and they will reserve a suitable table. The audio guide to the house is informative and entertaining - the tour takes about 40 minutes.

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