Visiting Fort Nelson
- Rarars adventures
- Jan 14, 2022
- 4 min read
Hello, welcome back I hope you are all well, this week we are releasing our visit to Fort Nelson which we recorded last year, (2021) to share with you what to expect while visiting.
Fort Nelson is based in Portchester, England, and opened in 1871, it was built in 1860-1867.
Fort Nelson, in the civil parish of Boarhunt in the English county of Hampshire Hill in the 1860s, overlooking the important naval base of Portsmouth.
On our visit, we didn't take the mobility scooter as we did a little bit of research and found that it wouldn't be worth taking the mobility scooter for what we were there to do, (filming) but we did take the wheelchair knowing what I'm like, with having spasms and getting in pain.
I wouldn't say don't take a mobility scooter, as you can take one and there is access, but please bear in mind that you wouldn't be able to take a mobility scooter in all areas, which I will explain as we go through.
At the entrance, it is all level and has powered doors with easy accessibility, at the reception, there is the main ticket area which has two levels so that it is accessible to people in wheelchairs.
Adapted toilets are available on both main levels and in the visitor center. the main tunnel and galleries are wheelchair-accessible.
you are allowed Guide Dogs, and there is an Induction Loop System
There is another tunnel going from the parade square but this will take you to some spiral stairs which aren't accessible but link to the main tunnel, also please bear in mind that there is gravel, and it is quite hard to push a wheelchair along (as my husband found out)
There are gallery films that have super text captions,
the Voice of the Guns and Story of Fort Nelson and other new galleries contain large print guides, available on request from the visitor center information desk, they also have an assault course which will be re-opened when covid dies down,
also, the visitor center counters are wheelchair accessible.
Many of the large cannons are displayed in the open so you can touch them.
There are two wheelchairs available on a first-come-first-served basis.
Information for carers.
We encourage carers to carry out a pre-site visit, where appropriate, to ensure everyone makes the most of their visit whether they are in a group or visiting independently. staff on site can answer your questions and direct you to areas of interest, including local facilities situated in close vicinity.
Assistance Dogs
Only Assistance Dogs are welcome in the museum.
Parking
Their car park is directly outside of the visitors center and includes 20 allocated parking spaces for visitors with disabilities.
I have quoted some information (from their website) about Fort nelson that I would like to share with you.
“Royal Armouries has three museums across the United Kingdom and cares for one of the most important national collections of arms and armor in the world.
Our collection is displayed and housed in our historical home at the white tower in the Tower of London, at the purpose-built Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, and at Fort Nelson near Fareham, we have a long history, Dorking arsenal, which was assembled over many centuries at the Tower of London. dating back to the Middle Ages.
Since 2005 we have also managed the national collection of firearms, started in 1631 by Charles I and assembled by the British Army, now housed at the National Firearms Centre.
We currently employ 190 staff and receive about 2 million visitors a year across the three sites, who except at the Tower of London, visit for free.”
We had a lovely visit there and when Covid isn't about there are more things to interact with so do check their website, also they hold different events throughout the year which is worth checking out, I'll be leaving all the links at the end so you can check what they have going on for 2022.
While we were visiting and filming in the tunnels, we were lucky enough to get on film a bat which was so exciting the film is a little shaky as we weren't expecting to meet a bat, and later on, when speaking to the manager we found that they haven't seen bats in the tunnel for a few years so we were very lucky to get it on film, I'll leave the link to the film so you can see as-well, we were so pleased we saw it.
Contact
Phone Number 01329233734
Opening Times
Open all year round
Dates 1st Jan 2022 - 31st Dec 2022
Fort Nelson is open daily during school holidays and Wednesday - Sunday during term time, 10 am to 5 pm.
Closed 24,25 and 26 December
Last admission 1hr before close.
Link To Website
Cost It's Free to Visit Fort Nelson
They have a lot to offer, things to see and do, and have thought about things to be in place so that all people with visible and invisible disabilities can enjoy their visit.
I would love to hear back if you have been or thinking of going and what you thought.
Thank you for reading, and don't forget to check out the links and the films
take care
Rarars Adventures
