In ages gone by, our monarchs built grand residences across the UK, so they could live in the true luxury befitting of their status. Many are still standing, providing you with plenty of great days out as a mobility scooter user. But where do you begin? Here’s where Quingo Scooters comes in. We’re bringing the UK’s top accessible attractions to your attention and we’ve got a great one for you in this post.
Join us, as we go to one of the country’s most stunning royal residences – Hampton Court Palace. Based at Hampton, Richmond upon Thames in Greater London, Hampton Court Palace is a massive complex, where you can experience what life was really like for the crème de la crème of English history.
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, one of King Henry VIII’s favourites, in 1515. When Wolsey inevitably fell out of favour, Henry seized the building and it housed various monarchs over time, with George II being the last King to reside there. The palace was renovated many times, but most notably by King William III, who had aspirations of making it a rival to the Palace of Versailles in France, turning Hampton Court Palace into a true architectural marvel in the process.
To visit Hampton Court Palace today, is to familiarise yourself with the magnificence of royal living. It has a number of fascinating attractions for you to explore, including its iconic Great Hall, known for their splendid tapestries. The complex also houses the Chapel Royal, which is legendary for its beautiful ceiling, and also features a replica of Henry VIII’s crown. Other highlights include its Cumberland Art Gallery, which displays magnificent works from the Royal Collection and Henry VIII’s state apartments, which shed light on the personality of one of England’s most notorious rulers.
You cannot visit Hampton Court Palace without also spending time in its lush gardens. Spread across 60 acres, these green spaces possess winding paths, bubbling fountains, magnificent trees – including solid walls of yew and over one million flowering bulbs, making for a truly magical experience. You can go to Hampton Court Palace at any time of the year, from 10am to 6pm in summer and from 10am to 4.30pm in winter. Depending on the time of year, adult tickets start from £18 and you can find out more on the tickets and prices section of the official Hampton Court Palace website.
Touring the palace
Hampton Court Palace is open to all visitors, and it’s one of the region’s top accessible attractions. It is easily reachable by train, as you can get a 35 minute train which will take you from London Waterloo to Hampton Court, and these services run every half hour. You can also get there by car, as it lies on the A308 and is well sign posted. It has on-site parking, with nine accessible spaces available for blue badge holders, and you can learn more on the getting here page of its official website.
You will have no problem getting around Hampton Court Palace, as it’s extremely accessible. There is level access from the parking area to its main entrance with the accessible parking spaces located just 50 metres away. There is level access throughout the ground floor of Hampton Court Palace, with a wide lift going up to the state apartments on the first floor. There is also level access in the gardens, with various flat paths available, as well as to the Palace’s information centre, where you can find out more about the venue.
There are also three fully accessible shops at Hampton Court Palace, where you can buy a souvenir to remind you of your time at this fascinating site. These are the Palace Shop, the Garden Shop, and the Tudor Kitchens Shop, while you can visit the Tudor Kitchens themselves and learn about the culinary traditions of our ancestors, via a ramp. Hampton Court Palace further includes various accessible toilets around the complex. You can learn more by visiting the accessibility page of its website.
About Quingo
The Quingo Scooter range features six models to suit your needs and budget. New models are now available from just £22/week on our new contract hire scheme which includes all servicing and maintenance, Insurance, Roadside Recovery, Call Outs and Consumables including Batteries and Tyres. For more information on this or the latest Quingo Scooter range, please visit our website. Alternatively, if you have any Service questions you can always contact us or call customer services on 01582 430 900.
Keep up to date with the latest mobility scooter advice, tips and interesting places to visit on the Quingo Scooter Users Blog. Connect with Quingo and keep up to date with all our latest news on Facebook and Twitter.
All Quingo Personal Mobility Vehicles are provided by Forever Active, the UK’s exclusive distributor. Forever Active is a trading name of Advantage Marketing Corporation Limited (AMC). AMC Limited is an appointed representative of First Senior Insurance Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. First Senior Insurance Services FSA Register number is 308478.
