Overview

I adore British Art and am learning to understand the mastery of John Constable. Flatford and the surrounding countryside is beautiful. Most importantly, it is alive. Plenty of swimmers in or paddle boarders on the river, families picnicking, farmers busy trying to make a livelihood, country lanes being walked but the RSPB area closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. My visit was everything I expected without being excluded because of severe disability.

Transport & Parking

You have to use a car to get there and plan well. Once you get to the end of a narrow country lane, there are two options; a lane to a discrete car park that has a number of disabled parking spaces or the top of that lane that lead to another car park space which has no disabled parking. My carer and I chose the latter option because we wanted to meet up with able bodied friends and have a picnic under the shade of the trees in that car park. Ample spaces to permit this and not charged for parking in this car park. P.s. I did not take up an additional parking space.

Access

The terrain is not easy but the National Trust staff/volunteers and moreover my carer wanted me to experience Flatford. Reader, both my carer and I did it.

Toilets

Staff

Good societal mix amongst National Trust staff/volunteers. All very pleasant and helpful. Working under difficult circumstances in that patrons are asked to observe social distancing, the shop which would have the obligatory Constable merchandise closed, tearooms only able to sell takeouts and a heatwave of 34+. Moreover, the staff worked as a friendly team.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

I forgot to visit the bathroom facilities at Flatford which may negate the use of this review. Sorry the heat of the day became stifling. It was refreshing to see a good societal and ethnic mix at Flatford. Regarding disability mix, I didn’t sense exclusion. I had said goodbye to quarantine shielding and wanted to see Flatford before visiting Tate Britain. Most people will know that Constable was a member of the Royal Academy, but many may or may not know that he had a disabled sibling.