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Here is some detailed information about: Tower Of London
One of London's prime tourist attractions. It is both a fortress and a royal palace, and its history goes back some 900 years. There are CPs (Car Parks) at the Tower Thistle Hotel and Minories. Tower gateway DLR station has step free access. OB (orange badge, widened here to include reserved parking for disabled people) holders may be able to negotiate parking on the riverfront - but ring first. There may be long queues to get in on popular days such as bank holidays and summer weekends. They have a really detailed "Access" leaflet which (unusually) adopts the same kind of descriptive approach as we do. If you want to explore as much as possible, try and get a copy. It's good. There is a wheelchair toilet (door width = 85cm with a side transfer space beside the toilet of 85cm) (Note: 2.5 cm = 1 inch) outside the Tower on the right hand side as you go down Tower Hill, just past the Tower Pageant. The Tower consists of a group of buildings with two surrounding walls. The area is roughly 200m square and many of the paths and courtyards are cobbled and sloping. Since the buildings are several hundred years old, access to many of them is difficult, but it's possible to see quite a lot from outside. The Crown Jewels have recently been rehoused with flat access. You go past on a moving walkway. There are +3 steps to the viewing platform if you want to take a more leisurely look. The flat/sloped route round takes you through the Middle and Byward Towers and along Water Lane parallel to the river. On the left is the gallery shop with step free access. Turning left through the arch you go up the hill past the White Tower, turn left again, and the entrance to the Crown Jewels is in the middle of the courtyard at the top. Ahead is Tower Green where executions used to take place, and you'll probably see some of the famous ravens. You have to go by the same route, and the whole distance is about 600/700m, partly cobbled. The white Tower has +12+20+10 steps, but only +24 if you use the exit (door width = 76 cm) on the far (north) side. The basement is -15 from the north exit side. A complete visit involves over 200 steps, some irregular and steep. The New Armories have been moved, and are +48. Two wheelchair toilets (door width = 85cm with a side transfer space of 85cm) behind the Jewel House (by its exit). Go straight ahead past the White Tower, instead of turning left towards Tower Green. The attendant in either ladies or gents has the key. The Ceremony Of The Keys is the ritual of locking up the tower, which takes place every day between 21.30 and 22.05 and has done every night for some 700 years. Apparently, it was a little late one night in 1941 when a bomb blew the escort off their feet. Admission by ticket only from the Keys Clerk (address as above), and, although there are no steps, disabled visitors should mention their disability when applying. Book well in advance, and give alternate dates if possible. We wish acknowledge and thank the Access Project for allowing us to reproduce this entry from their newly updated book. For information on how you can obtain a copy of this excellent publication see below. In 1996 a new 320 page Access in London guide came out. The book is a wealth of information and was thoroughly researched. They cover traveling, getting around in the city or area, accommodation, a description of access to the major sites and places of interest, a 'good loo guide' (loo = toilet), and a considerable amount of practical advice. They are firmly based on the experience of disabled people, and not just on telephone enquiries. The London guide has large sections on entertainment (access to theaters, cinemas and concert halls) as well as a chapter on accessible pubs and wine bars. As the number of pubs with step free access and a disabled persons toilet is growing rapidly, Access Project are planning an annual supplement to the guide to be issued each October, to update the 1996 listings. The guide is available for free distribution, but they ask users to make a donation of $15-20 to cover printing and air mail postage. If you are sending money from abroad, please send cash, as cheques are of little value (due to bank charges) and they have no facilities for taking credit card payments. They are a tiny voluntary group with limited resources, but are anxious that
people know about their guides, as they contain a wealth of information for disabled
travelers. This book is available from:
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© 1995 - 2006 Access-Able Travel Source
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