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Wakefield Museums and Castles
Information for wheelchair users and mobility impaired visitors
Entering Sandal Castle
Sandal Castle has its own free car park. Anyone can park here. There is a slight slope from the front to back.
The car park is a solid, smooth surface (not gravel).
Paths
The paths around the site are surfaced with a self-binding gravel. They can be a little uneven in places, and at times steep.
There is a path running around the whole of the outside of the castle earthworks. From this path you can see all of the castle site, and it is accessible for most wheelchairs and pushchairs. You can also see out across the Wakefield district from behind the castle earthworks.
The path is cream in colour and contrasts well with the grass. There are no steps on this path, and several benches along it.
The whole site has substantial steep sided grass banks of up to 25ft high. In most cases the main path is at the top of this bank.
The path has a spur leading onto the bailey (slight lip onto the bridge).
The castle bailey area is mown grass.
The surrounding area
The site is away from main roads and surrounded on two sides by open farmland. The site is exposed to nature and can be very windy at times. However, this does offer good views of Wakefield and the Calder valley.
Sandal Castle is typically quieter in the winter. It can be very busy in the spring / summer season, especially on sunny days.
The castle keep
Access to the castle keep is unfortunately only by a long flight of steep steps. The steps up to the top of the keep have handrails on both sides.
The steps up to the keep and the bridge to the bailey are wooden decking which is semi-open (you can see through to the ground below).
There is a series of steps down to the moat. These stairs have handrails on both sides.
The castle keep, moat and views across Wakefield can all still be seen from the level access path around the site.
Information panels
There are information panels around the site at wheelchair height. You can learn about Sandal Castle's history from these.
The moat
Sandal Castle has an unusual 'dry' moat. However, in wet weather the moat can collect a lot of water! The ground can also become saturated and muddy.
Do not enter the moat when there is water in it. Swimming is not allowed. The water can be deep and very cold.
Contact information
Sandal Castle, Manygates Lane, Wakefield WF2 7DS