Accessibility

Our mission when developing Atlow Mill was to create a space for groups of friends and families to get together to disconnect from the outside world, create memories and spend quality time together.   We appreciate that some of our guests may have additional needs or specific requirements in order for them to fully enjoy their stay with us and we have tried to accommodate as many of those needs as possible.  

Our rural setting and the age of some of our buildings does present some challenges in providing unlimited access for all, but we have tried to provide accurate information below that will help you make informed decisions on what to expect in each of our properties and the facilities we are able to offer.  We are of course always on hand to make all our guests as comfortable as possible and if you require any additional information please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.  

At a Glance

• Atlow Mill is a very peaceful setting with birdsong and running water, ideal for guests wishing to avoid sensory overload.
  
• It is however at the bottom of a valley and has a very steep 450m drive with a tarmac surface and speed bumps.
  
• We believe the Cow Shed is the property most suited to guests with limited mobility, it is all on one level, has large open plan spaces, and four bedrooms all with en-suite shower rooms that can be configured either with two single or one super king sized bed.
  
• The Mill unfortunately does not accommodate wheelchairs being set over three floors with the living area on the top floor.
• Fern Cottage is also set over three floors, so unsuitable for wheel chairs, and the only parking available is on-street parking on the opposite side of the road. 
• We are happy to arrange tours of our properties, their gardens and surrounding area to help reduce anxiety around a new location.

The Cow Shed

Exterior

• There is dedicated parking immediately outside the front door of the Cow Shed, with a level gravel surface and plenty of space.
• There is space to park 4 cars within a few metres of the main entrance, further parking is available in the yard if required.
• There are two large steps up to the main entrance then a double width doorway. There is a second entrance directly into the living space of the Cow Shed that is accessed through a 900mm wide door with 1 step into it. It is possible to get a vehicle within a few metres of this entrance.
• All external doors have standard height thresholds that you do need to step over.
• The exterior areas are well lit and the lights are on light sensors and timer switches so they come on at dusk and automatically go off at 11pm.
• There is a private garden area that is all on one level, partially with a gravel surface and partially with grass. The hot tub, garden dining, pizza oven and BBQ are all within easy reach of the living area.

Interior

• You can view pictures of the interior of The Cow Shed here.
• Internal doors to bedrooms and living spaces are 800mm wide, with no furniture obstructing door openings or walkways.
• Once inside the property there are no steps or raised thresholds.
• The living area, hallway and games room have wooden floors and the bedrooms are carpeted.
• The kitchen is open plan to the lounge and dining area. The two single ovens are at counter top height for easy access.
• The dining table seats 8 people, 3 along a bench at the back and 5 on chairs without arms.
• In the lounge area there are 2 large sofas plus a further arm chair to seat 8 people.
• The games room is off the living space and has a sofa bed, ping pong table and football table.  There are 3 sets of double doors opening out onto the patio area.
• There are TVs in both the living space and games room, both with the facility for subtitles.
• There are full length mirrors in all bedrooms, and mirrors in some of the hallways and living spaces, covers can be provided on request.
• All bedrooms are accessed directly off the main hallway, the narrowest point within which is 1200mm wide.
• All bedrooms can be configured with either two single beds or one super-king bed as required. There is a minimum of 900mm space around the beds and they are 700mm high.
• All bathrooms are en-suite are exactly the same format. They each have a walk-in shower with sliding door. The doors into all bathrooms are 700mm wide.
• All toilets are a standard height and toilet handles are available upon request.
• All door surrounds are painted in a different colour to the walls to make them easy to see.
• Light switches and power sockets are positioned to be easy to reach and are in a different colour to the wall.

The Mill

The Mill is set over three floors with the living space on the top floor so is unsuitable for wheelchair access.

Exterior

• There is a dedicated parking space immediately outside the front door of The Mill with a gravel surface, plenty of space for fully opening doors.  There is an additional car park a few metres away that will take 3 cars, plus further parking in the yard if required.
  
• The path to the front door has no steps but is on an incline.  There is a partial hand rail.
• The exterior areas are well lit and the lights are on light sensors and  timer switches so they come on at dusk and automatically go off at 11pm.
• The main entrance opens outwards with a 900mm clear opening and flush threshold.
• There is a private garden area with concrete patio and large grassed area.  The patio area is up a slight, short incline a few metres from the front door.  The grassed area slopes off from the patio.
  
• The patio has a hot tub with steps, outside dining for 10 people, a gas BBQ and wood-fired pizza oven.

Interior

• You can view photos of the interior of The Mill here.
• The property is set over three floors with the living space on the top floor, up a full flight of stairs with a handrail.
• The living space is open plan with a dining table for 10 people, lounge area with 3 large sofas and a separate arm chair, and the kitchen area has a counter height breakfast bar for casual dining.  The oven is range cooker with two ovens at below counter counter level.
• The TV has the facility for subtitles.
• The main entrance is on the middle floor of the property which has 1 king-sized bedroom with an en-suite, 1 king-sized bedroom with a private toilet and sink, 1 double bedroom and 1 bathroom with double ended bath and separate shower.
• The lower ground floor is accessed by a full flight of stairs with a handrail and has 1 king-sized bedroom, 1 twin bedroom, 1 bathroom with a large walk-in shower, and a snug area with double sofa bed and large TV.  There is also a small utility area with tea and coffee making facilities. 
• There is access directly into both bedrooms on the lower ground floor through external doors standard height thresholds that open out onto the yard area at the front of the building and have level gravel paths leading up to them.
• There are full length mirrors in all bedrooms, and mirrors in some of the hallways and living spaces, covers can be provided on request.
• All bedrooms and living spaces have ceiling lights, side lamps and natural daylight.

Fern Cottage

Exterior

• Fern Cottage is located Brassington, which is a quiet village with a pub diagonally opposite.
• Being built in 1880, it does not have it's own parking.  Up to two cars can usually park outside the property, but this is not assigned parking so cannot be guaranteed, and is on the opposite side of the road.
• There is a small front porch area that is open to the road.
• Being on the side of a valley, the back garden has been carved into the hillside.  It is fully enclosed on all sides by a stone wall, and the back gate leads directly onto the footpath.
• The garden is accessed from the house via 4 paved steps.   There is a level, paved patio and a raised grass area with a path up the side, on an incline.
• The wood fired pizza oven, gas BBQ and outdoor dining are all on the patio.
• All external doors have standard thresholds that you do need to step over.

Interior

• You can view photos of the interior of Fern Cottage here.
• The property is set over three floors with the bedrooms and bathrooms all on the upper floors.
• The kitchen and dining space is open plan and is the first space you enter from the front door.  It has a dining table for 8 people and a kitchen area with a breakfast bar for casual dining. The oven is a range cooker with two ovens at below counter level.
• The lounge is off the dining area and has 2 sofas, plus 2 arm chairs.  There is a log burner with fire guard.
• The TV has the facility for subtitles.
• There is a small utility cupboard with washing machine, and a separate downstairs toilet that is access via 2 steps from the kitchen area.
• The first floor has 1 king-sized bedroom with an en-suite shower room and walk-through wardrobe, 1 more king-sized bedroom, and 1 bathroom with double ended bath and separate shower.  It is accessed from the kitchen area via a full flight of stairs with handrail and door at the bottom.
• The top floor is accessed by another full flight of stairs with a handrail and has 1 double bedroom, 1 twin bedroom, and 1 bathroom with a shower.
• There are mirrors in all bedrooms, and mirrors in some of the hallways and living spaces, covers can be provided on request.
• All bedrooms and living spaces have ceiling lights, side lamps and natural daylight.

Additional Support

We want all our guests to be comfortable during their stay and offer a number of additional services to help make that possible.  This is not an exhaustive list and if you have different requirements please don't hesitate to contact us and we will do out very best to accommodate you.

Some of the services we offer:

• Guided tours of the property, gardens and communal areas before your stay to help alleviate any anxiety around a new location.  We can also provide a Bluetooth speaker to play familiar music.
• Covers for mirrors in bedrooms or living areas.
• Additional lighting or bright stickers for light switches for guests who may be partially sighted.
• Guest Information Folders are provided in all properties with emergency contact information and local services.  This can be provided in large print if required.