We have many friends who come visit us in Greenwich. Some of these friends are disabled and, quite a few of them, are wheelchair users.
We thought it would be useful to write up some information for visitors – especially those who are here for a day trip to Greenwich.
Arrival
By DLR /Cutty Sark Station Cutty Sark DLR station has step-free access. It is a light metro station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Bank-Lewisham Line in Greenwich Town Centre. By train there is a train service (from London Bridge station). From the station bus 177 will take you into the town centre. However, it is within walking distance but the pavements are not too even with some cobblestones and sometimes blocked by dustbins. The station itself is accessible. By the underground/North Greenwich station is on the accessible Jubilee Line. From the station, there are many buses, you can take the bus 129 or bus 188 (you can take this bus from Waterloo or Russell Square all the way from London) towards Greenwich centre. By boatThames Clippers is another way of getting to Greenwich from the city of London. They are accessible by ramps. (but they are not always easily negotiable. You might require some help.)
the DLR station at Cutty Sark
Sites to visit
Greenwich landscape from the Observatory with tall buildings in the background and historical buildings in the foreground
These are the sites we would recommend as places not to be missed in a visit to Greenwich:
The National Maritime Museum / Greenwich Park
The National Maritime Museum is a free museum good for the whole family and it has Greenwich Park
The Observatory is worth a walk up even if you dont go in (price £14 – £16}. It has a great view. There are two routes up, a steep path or a more gradual but longer route).
The 02 is adjacent to the North Greenwich Tube station. There are also buses (188) connecting to Russell Square and (108) to Stratford International as well as to neighbourhood areas like Woolwich and Lewisham. There is also parking free for those with Blus Badges.
There is an accessible toilet (needs a radar key) by the exit of the N Greenwich station. And at the 02 with the restaurants too, many of them have accessible toilets. And a Changing Places toilet.
portaloo
At the city centre, near the Cutty Sark, there is a portable loo.
All along there are restaurants and pubs, some of which have accessible toilets although it must be said that they are not so easy to locate.
The Meantime Plant Nursery is an innovative volunteer powered project, aiming to put vacant development land to good use growing plants. The Conservation Volunteers are now offering a new volunteering opportunity at the Meantime Plant Nursery:
-learn and develop horticultural skills such as plant propagation and maintenance.
-enhance your DIY and carpentry skills, building new raised beds, irrigating polytunnels and constructing staging.
-discover dendrology with the ‘Remarkable Tree Project’, our new initiative to find and multiply London’s most unusual and unique trees.
Volunteer days are held every Tuesday from 10-3, tea, coffee, biscuits, and all tools, training and equipment will be provided.
I went along to volunteer one Tuesday and found a cheery welcome. We are sorting out how to be most useful to the project. Plans include a suitably high worktable and possibly raised bed.
Michael and Pat
The venue has level access and cleared paths with good surfaces for wheelchair users.The site is at the Greenwich Peninsula West Parkside, easily accessed by buses to the Meridian village near the 02 on Jubilee Line (accessible station North Greenwich). It is a good place to relax in a green environment set up in an urban space.
There is a ramp into the office. Unfortunately there is not an usable accessible toilet on the site yet. (But there is an Odeon Imax cinema within a few minutes walk and several restaurants and a B&Q)
We are developing a project on accessible conservation and planting project together – watch this space!
