Guildford sits in beautiful Surrey County and makes an excellent day trip from London. It’s home to a cathedral, castle, the classic English High Street, and rolling hills.
In other words, you can enjoy Guildford’s many great attractions without the ultra-packed streets of central London.
In this guide, I’ll offer an overview of wheelchair accessibility in Guildford to help you enjoy this charming town to the fullest.
Note: The information here is based on my observation as a non-wheelchair user. If you have firsthand experience as a wheelchair user in Guildford, I’d love to hear about your time there in the comments section. I appreciate it, and I’m sure our future readers will too.
Getting to Guildford From London
Before we dive into the wheelchair accessible things to do in Guildford, let’s talk about how to get there from London.
You have three options:
- Driving
- Train
- Bus
To give you context, downtown Guildford sits on a hill. The bottom of the hill is where the train station, river, and Friary shopping mall are located.
From these places, the main center of Guildford is located uphill.
Driving to Guildford
The time it takes to drive from London to Guildford varies on the time of day, whether you’re traveling on a weekday or weekend, and where in London you’ll be traveling from.
Expect anywhere from a 45-minute to a two or more hour drive.
In most cases, the train is faster. However, if you decide to go by car and don’t have your own vehicle, you can call an accessible cab.
Guildford sits in Surrey county, which is dubbed an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.” So, whether you go by train, car, or bus, you’ll get to enjoy the scenery of green rolling hills and other stunning countryside views.
You might even see windmills. The United Kingdom is home to 8,000 wind turbines, making it one of the most environmentally friendly countries in the world.
Travel Tip: All licensed, black taxis in London are wheelchair accessible. So, you can hail an accessible cab off the street.
Wheelchair Accessible Parking in Guildford
Parking is a challenge in London, and Guildford is no exception.
However, there are several parking lots around downtown Guildford. Below are some of the most notable:
- Bedford Road Car Park is located by The Friary shopping mall at the base of the hill. It’s a great starting point for exploring Guildford.
- Tunsgate Car Park is located closer to downtown Guildford. This is a good option if you want to park near the castle.
- Upper High Street Car Park is located in the topmost part of town. From here, it’ll be a downhill stroll through Guildford. If someone else is driving and you’re a manual wheelchair user, they could pick you up at the bottom of town after you finish your explorations so that you don’t have to push uphill.
You can view details about accessible parking lots in Guildford on Guildford Borough’s website. Here, they list every accessible parking lot in Guildford, the number of accessible spaces in each parking lot, and a PDF map.
Bus to Guildford
It may not sound as glamorous as driving or taking the train, but arriving in Guildford by bus is an excellent way to travel.
What makes it so great?
The buses are accessible and all bus travel is free for wheelchair users.
The most convenient bus stop to get off at is the Friary Bus Station. From there, you’ll be able to explore downtown Guildford without using any other form of transportation.
The ramp is located at the front door of the bus, making it easy for the driver to assist you if needed.
Train to Guildford
Whereas the tube in London offers relatively good accessibility, traveling to Guildford requires taking the Overground.
Many, but not all, Overground stations are wheelchair accessible. Guildford is one of the stations that’s (mostly) accessible. A steep underground ramp leads to all platforms at the Guildford Train Station.
All trains have an accessible carriage. However, there’s a raised gap between the trains and the platform.
Therefore, the train staff will set up a ramp for you. You can indicate your need for a ramp in advance if you book your ticket online, or you can request assistance upon your arrival.
It’s important to note that only the Walnut Tree Close side of the Guildford station is wheelchair accessible.
That’s the side of the station that leads to downtown Guildford, so it’s unlikely you’d need to use the other entrance, which is Guildford Park Road.
Wheelchair Accessible Restrooms in Guildford
Two accessible restrooms with no key required are located at The Friary. The first restroom is on Level 1 near Zara Home. The other is at Costa Coffee on Level 2, provided you buy something from there.
The Guildford Train Station and other public restrooms throughout Guildford have accessible restrooms by means of the Radar Key system. For a small fee and with proof of a disability ID, you can pick up a Radar Key from the Guildford Tourist Centre.
The Guildford Tourist Centre will also be able to help you with any accessible questions you may have.
Not only will the Radar Key give you unlimited, independent access to wheelchair-accessible restrooms throughout Guildford, but you can use it at over 9,000 restroom locations in the United Kingdom.
Wheelchair Accessible Things To Do in Guildford
For being such an old town (it had settlers before AD 980), Guildford is quite well adapted for wheelchair users. Below are some of the highlights of things to do as a wheelchair user in Guildford.
1. Stroll Along High Street
If you only do one activity in Guildford, it should be exploring High Street.
To be fair, there are two main streets in Guildford—North Street and High Street. However, North Street is shorter, with fewer charming shops and cafes, and ultimately wraps around to High Street.
High Street starts at the base of the hill, near The Friary, and runs uphill. The incline is mild to medium, so some manual wheelchair users may need help pushing.
High Street is lined with shops, so if you’re pushing on your own, you’ll likely have plenty of breaks built in as you explore them. Most shops have barrier-free entrances.
Travel Tip: Consider wandering down the narrow side streets leading away from High Street. You’ll encounter cobblestone in some areas, but the sightseeing is likely worth it.
A smooth, wheelchair-friendly sidewalk runs on either side of High Street beside the shops. The street itself is made up of cobblestone brick. Drop curbs are on every corner.
It’s common for there to be musicians on the sidewalk, and markets can be found on the weekends. When there are markets, the stalls are located directly on the street, most facing toward the cobblestone.
This means the sidewalk will be free for you to use, but you’ll need to roll along the cobblestone if you want to shop at the market.
That said, as you may have gathered from these photos, the cobblestone on High Street in Guildford isn’t as atrocious as in some places in Europe.
2. Guildford Castle
Exploring the Guildford Castle grounds is an absolute must for park lovers.
The castle is an easy stroll from High Street, towards the bottom of the hill. Exploring the castle grounds is free and a paved path will lead you through gardens, pieces of castle ruins, and viewpoints over Guildford.
Unfortunately, Guildford Castle itself isn’t accessible.
If you’re traveling with non-wheelchair users, they can enter the castle for a small fee. There’s an accessible ramp that leads about halfway up to the castle entrance, which is where you can enjoy low viewpoints over Guildford.
You’ll encounter a short, uphill climb when entering the castle grounds. Once you’re near the castle, the area has gentle slopes.
Both the castle and castle grounds are small. Allow around 15 to 20 minutes to explore them at a leisurely pace.
Since it’s unlikely you’ll find Guildford Castle on a tourist map outside of Surrey County, you just may have the entire place to yourself.
The Guildford Castle and grounds’ hours of operation can vary depending on the time of year you visit. However, you can pretty much be guaranteed it will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Sunday.
3. Spend Time by River Wey
A narrow portion of River Wey flows through Guildford, between The Friary and the Guildford Train Station.
You’ll cross the bridge over it if you travel between the train station and downtown Guildford. The bridge has a wide pedestrian sidewalk and is where I took the photo above.
If you love nature, exploring River Wey is a great option. The path is mostly composed of tightly packed dirt, so you’ll likely only want to partake in this activity on a dry day.
4. The Three Pigeons
The Three Pigeons pub was built in the 18th century and is still serving food and drinks to warm up its customers on chilly days. As is the case for many buildings on High Street, The Three Pigeons is said to be haunted.
The pub has a flat entry, although a little squeezing will need to be done due to the two doors that open close together.
Once inside, the ground floor of The Three Pigeons is wheelchair accessible.
Ready to Visit Guildford?
Guildford is an excellent village to escape the crowded streets of London.
Do you have questions about wheelchair accessibility in Guildford? Or have you already traveled to Guildford as a wheelchair user? Leave a comment below with your questions and advice.
P.S.- Looking for other day trip ideas from London? Check out our guide on 12 Wheelchair Accessible Things to do in Oxford, A Wheelchair User’s Guide to Canterbury, and Wheelchair Accessibility at the White Cliffs of Dover.
Hi,
Thank you for taking the time to write an article such as this. I appreciate it can be difficult if you are not a wheelchair user yourself and appreciate your openness to feedback.
As I have discovered, many wheelchair accessible spaces, often aren’t. Or are poorly designed because wheelchair users are not consulted and there are many issues that simply don’t occur to people who don’t use a wheelchair.
I am fortunate to be an ambulatory wheelchair user but I cannot walk any useful distance. The vast majority of wheelchair accessible spaces I encounter, are only accessible to me because I have that small ability to walk. For someone completely chair dependent, thay are not truly accessible.
Even I still cannot some because I cannot leave my chair somewhere unattended.
I was sent this article by someone who clearly hadn’t read my email query properly.
However, I have experience to share regarding the accessibility of cobbles in Guildford.
I rarely venture to town any more because the first time I tried to explore Guildford Town Centre in my powerchair – June/July 2023 – I became stuck in the cobbles, attempting to go down the side alleys. Fortunately I was not alone – I had intentionally arranged for someone to accompany me in case of any problems like this.
However, as I live alone and am usually alone – the purpose of my chair is to provide me with independence. A purpose not served if I cannot do things without assistance.
I also later, the same day, broke the anti tip wheel of my wheelchair – this being my first outing with the chair- because the drop kerbs in Guildford are largely inadequate.
In the process of trying to not swing into the path of oncoming traffic and navigating a too-narrow section of kerb that did drop adequately, my wheels caught on the kerb that was too high. There are some areas on the main high street where it is possible to cross – at least one near the bottom end. I have not returned to town to try the top end yet and don’t know if or when I will as I am too scared of getting stuck to go into town now and certainly not beyond the bottom of the high street.
It is also my experience that many buildings in Guildford are inaccessible for reasons of ‘preserving the history of the town/buildings’.
The irony here is that the first town/city that I explored in an electric wheelchair (rented) was Oxford. Another historical town centre. Yet I was highly impressed with the accessibility there. As I have been in every town or city I have visited in my chair to date, highlighting the absence of accessibility Guildford offers.
In truth, demonstrating the ableist and discriminatory attitudes of those who control the landscape of the town centre and local amenities.
I am leaving an assumed name because Guildford local authority have , in the past, previously threatened me with homelessness for truthful comments on areas their failings – albeit something with much more personal impacts on my health and wellbeing and more serious than this and I am not well enough to cope with that again.
Hi Cat,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience about the struggles of getting around Guildford as a wheelchair user. I’m so sorry that you’ve dealt with issues with local authority.