Accessibility Guide for City to Country Retreat

Arriving:

Toppesfield Hall is along a country road. You will approach via a paddock gate which will need to be opened by yourself manually. There is a gate hook to ensure the gate doesn’t swing back after opening. Please close the gate behind you. The driveway is 10mm shingle stone, so please drive slowly to your dedicated parking area.

Parking & the approach to your property:

There is limited lighting outside and one light above your keysafe. The lighting automatically turns off at 11pm to protect the wildlife. We recommend bring a torch or using your phone torch to assist you and arriving before dark when possible.

Before arrival we will provide you with arrival information and instructions on how to find the cottage. It is self-check in and we will provide the access code 24hrs before your stay.

Woodland Lodges: There are dedicated parking bays for at least 1 vehicle. On the shingle stone. There is also overflow parking in the first courtyard on the left if bringing more vehicles (again on the shingle stone). Please be advised that shingle stone can be uneven and suitable footwear is recommended.

There is a slight incline along the shingle stone up to the barked pathway where you will find 4 wheeled carts to use for your luggage. The lodges can be found along this barked path which. Due to the bark, this path is a little uneven therefore suitable footwear is needed. There is a short walk along this path to each lodge of approximately 150 yards. The path has a slight incline. The barked areas can become slippery during heavy frost/snow.

The Cottage: There is a slabbed patio driveway for 2 vehicles at the side of the cottage. Patio slabs can be uneven. There is also overflow parking in the first courtyard on the left if bringing more vehicles (on shingle stone). Please be advised that shingle stone can be uneven and suitable footwear is recommended. The paved areas can become slippery during heavy frost/snow.

Access to other areas:

Tennis Court- located along the barked path (within approx 100 yards of the parking bays) . The ground is astroturf and on one level.

Games Room- located on the shingle drive next to the parking bays. The ground is concrete and on one level.

Dog Walking Field-accessed from the barked path  (approximately 150yards from the parking bays). Please not this is laid to long grass with a mowed walking track. This ground may be uneven in places.

Village- accessed via grassed pathways which may be uneven. In wetter months we advise taking the first part of the journey via the main country road to avoid the mud.

Access to the lodges:

Once you arrive at your lodge you will enter via a gate which opens manually. Each lodge can be accessed via composite decking.

As you approach the lodge through your gate you will step onto some shingle stone. There is a small lip to step over ( 40mm approx. ). Outside each lodge there are two steps up to the main decking (approx. 225mm each). Along the front of the decking the drop down to the grass is 360mm (approx).

The rest of the garden is laid to lawn accept around the hot tub which is shingle stone (or composite decking- Sycamore Lodge). Each hot tub has 2 steps to assist you getting in. Please not that these steps can move on uneven/slippery ground, so please be careful when getting in and out.

The fire pit is located on shingle and there is a wooden lip around it of approx. 40mm. There is bench style seating on either side (Sycamore Lodge- you will need to use the foldup outdoor chairs around your fire pit).

The composite decking can become slippery if wet from the hot tub, rain or heavy dew, frost and snow.

Silver Birch & English Oak Lodge:

These lodges are accessed via a sliding patio door. The entrance is approx. 1050mm. Please be advised that these doors are large and can be heavy to slide. There is a 50mm (approx.) raised door threshold. This doorway leads straight into the open plan lounge area. The kitchen is located along one wall and at the other end there is the double bed (in Silver Birch there are also bunk beds with access to the top bunk via a ladder approx. 1410mm). The gap between the double bed and bunk beds is approx. 800mm.

Kitchen units are all at low level (standard height worktops). There is a shelf on high level. There is an undercounter fridge and electric oven. With hob at standard counter height.

The sofa bed is the main sofa in the lounge. This will need to be pulled out manually and all bedding if requested is kept underneath. The sofa bed is a double.

The bathroom is off the lounge (there is a small threshold between the lounge and bathroom). There is a step into the shower cubicle of approx. 70mm. There is a vanity unit with sink and flushing WC.

Hot water & heating is provided by external LPG gas and there is electric lighting. There is one radiator, a heater towel rail and a kick space heater.

The dining table is a foldaway design and there are 4 foldaway chairs too.

The flooring throughout is vinyl. The internal space is on one level.

There is external lighting for all decked areas that can be switch on and off manually. The lighting around the hot tub will come on/ off on a sensor and again goes off at approximately 11pm.

Chestnut & Copper Beech Lodge:

These lodges are accessed via french doors. If you open one door the entrance is approx. 600mm. When both doors are open, the entrance is approx. 1200mm. There is a 50mm (approx.) raised door threshold. This doorway leads straight into the open plan lounge area. The kitchen is located along two walls.

Kitchen units are all at low level (standard height worktops). There are 2 shelves on high level. There is an undercounter fridge and electric oven. With hob at standard counter height.

The bathroom is off the lounge (there is a small threshold between the lounge and bathroom). There is a step onto the walk-in shower tray of approx. 30mm. There is a vanity unit with sink and flushing WC.

The main bedroom leads off the lounge (there is a small threshold between the lounge and bathroom). There is a king size bed in this room and a wardrobe.

The second bedroom leads off the lounge. There are 2 single beds and bunk beds with access to the top bunk via a ladder approx. 1410mm. The gap between beds is approx. 800mm.

Hot water & heating is provided by external LPG gas and there is electric lighting. There is one radiator in each bedroom, a heater towel rail in the bathroom, and two radiators in the open plan lounge/kitchen/diner.

The dining table is full size with 6 chairs.

The flooring throughout is vinyl. The internal space is on one level. There is a small rug under the window in the main bedroom- please be careful as this could be a trip hazard.

There is external lighting for all decked areas that can be switch on and off at manually. The lighting around the hot tub will come on/ off on a sensor and again goes off at approximately 11pm.

Sycamore Lodge:

This lodge is accessed via a large glass door. The entrance is  approx. 1000mm wide. There is a 50mm (approx.) raised door threshold. This doorway leads straight into the open plan living space with a kitchen area along one side, a seating area along the other side and a sofa with cabin style bed above along the back.

Kitchen units are all at low level (standard height worktops). There is a small undercounter fridge and an electric oven. With hob at standard counter height.

The main double bed is accessed via a ladder and is approx. 1400mm high.

Below the main bed is the sofa which can pull out to create another double bed. This is operated manually. There is restricted head height underneath this seating area so please watch your head when using the sofa.

Hot water & heating is provided by external LPG gas and there is electric lighting. There is a kick space heater and a heated towel rail in the bathroom.

The dining table and 2 chairs are both fold away.

The flooring throughout is vinyl. The internal space is on one level. There is a small rug by the sofa- please be careful as this could be a trip hazard.

There is no running water available inside Sycamore Lodge. There is an outside sink on the decking with hot and cold water (this is safe to drink).

The bathroom is in a separate building along the decking and down a small step of approx. 150mm. The entrance door is approx. 800mm wide and the threshold is approx. 50mm. There is a step into the shower cubicle of approx. 30mm. There is a vanity unit with small sink and flushing WC. The flooring is vinyl.

There is external lighting for all decked areas that can be switch on and off manually. The lighting around the hot tub will come on/ off on a sensor and again goes off at approximately 11pm.

There is a shingle path from the decking to the Hot Tub and a step up onto composite decking (approx. 225mm). There is restricted head height under the hot tub area, so please be careful when stepping up under the roof and using the steps to get into the hot tub.

Composite decking can be slippery when wet or if a heavy dew/frost/snow.

Access to The Cottage:

The entrance we recommend is through the back gate (approx. 700 width). This leads straight from the paved parking area and leads onto a concrete patio (all on one level). Slabs can be a little uneven so please take care. The entrance door is approx. 700mm wide and then these can be opened fully to allow a wider entrance (as bi fold doors). There is a 100mm (approx.) raised door threshold. This doorway leads straight into the lounge area. The kitchen is located beyond this through an opening of approx. 900mm wide (with a standard threshold between the two).

Kitchen units are at low level and wall units at standard height (standard height worktops). There is freestanding  fridge/freezer and electric oven at low level with hob at standard counter height. The dining table is full size with 6 chairs.

The bathroom is located through a small back lobby (threshold into the lobby and bathroom). There is a step into the shower cubicle of approx. 120mm. There is also a standard size bath, vanity unit with sink and flushing WC. There is a downstairs bathroom only and no toilet facilities upstairs.

There are stairs leading to the first floor (which have one turn and 12 steps). There is restricted head height as the stairs twist- so please mind your head.

Off the landing are two bedrooms. Bedroom one has a king size bed and hanging rail. Bedroom two has 2 single beds and a small wardrobe; there is limited space between the 2 beds.

Hot water & heating is provided by an external oil boiler and there is electric lighting. The lounge and kitchen are underfloor heated. There is one radiator in each bedroom, and a heated towel rail in the bathroom.

The flooring downstairs is vinyl and apart from door thresholds, it is on one level. Up the stairs and in the bedrooms the floor is carpeted.

The main front door is in the kitchen. The entrance is 700mm wide and the threshold is approx. 80mm. This leads you out onto a concrete patio and there is a step of approx. 150mm down onto the shingle driveway.

There is a security light which will come on automatically outside the back garden (sensor). The lighting around the hot tub can be switch on and off manually.

Outside the back bifold doors are patio slabs and the rest of the garden is laid to lawn. There is a small lip onto the shingle approx. 100mm which is where the fire pit is located.

The hot tub is positioned in the corner off the patio with a roof overhead. There are 2 steps to assist you getting in the tub. Please not that these steps can move on uneven/slippery ground, so please be careful when getting in and out. There is restricted head height under the hot tub area, so please be careful when stepping up under the roof and using the steps to get into the hot tub.

The patio can become slippery if wet from the hot tub, rain or heavy dew, frost and snow.

The cottage has original, sash windows and due to heritage, we are unable to replace these. Therefore, they can be very hard to open and close depending on the time of year and as wood expands and shrinks.

Hot Weather:

The lodges are not airconditioned. They can become very hot in extreme heat. A Fan is provided, and we advise to keep all curtains and blinds shut during the hottest part of the day. We cannot be held responsible for extreme weather conditions.

Flies and other creepy crawlies are inevitable as you are in the countryside. We provide fly spray if you wish to use it.

Allergies:

Please be aware that we do allow cats and dogs; so please consider this if you have any allergies. Bedding and cushions are free from real feathers.