Back in Time at Bristol

This is a photo of Melissa sitting in my wheelchair
by the SS Great Britain

Last week we had a very enjoyable half term visit to Bristol. We returned to the SS Great Britain which we had visited in the summer holidays but did not have time to explore fully. The tickets allowed unlimited entry to the SS Great Britain for the following twelve months which makes this excellent value.

The ship is surprisingly accessible for something so old, with through floor lifts, ramped access everywhere and audio description of the ship using walkie talkies which you can request at the ticket desk. I did get a little confused with navigating through the audio description but it is a brilliant idea, especially for something that is so detailed but due to it being quite dark in places, it is hard to see when you have a visual impairment. The ship is very atmospheric, you really feel as though you have travelled back in time. There are very realistic smells (I think they are stronger if you visit in the morning) - it was not pleasant walking past the laundry in the steerage area! In the cargo area you could smell the animals and they had life size models of people and animals throughout the ship. Sometimes you have to look twice to work out if the person is a visitor or a model! The contrast between first class steerage is huge - it was fascinating to see how much life on board the ship differed depending on your wealth.

This is a photo of Melissa lying in one of the beds in the
First Class cabins

It took us nearly two hours to explore the museum and the ship. I recommend visiting in the morning, we arrived shortly after it opened and it was really quiet which was great for moving around freely in my wheelchair. When we visited during the summer in the afternoon it was really busy and on several occasions it was difficult moving through the corridors with other visitors around. The SS Great Britain is thoroughly enjoyable for adults and children, and I definitely recommend it for accessibility.


We discovered a lovely pub in Queen Square called The Hole in The Wall while we were on our way to the Bristol Aquarium. We had a delicious lunch, served very quickly, with friendly service. It is great for wheelchair access too with a spacious disabled toilet and plenty of space for maneuvering around the pub.

This is a photo of a sea horse at the Bristol Aquarium

Bristol Aquarium was an fascinating conclusion to our day. We particularly enjoyed the talk about sea horses and feeding the rays. It is all completely accessible, with lifts and ramps and several disabled toilets, one operated by a Radar key. The aquarium is a bit different to others that we have visited because it has outside areas that replicated a tropical forest with trees and ponds. It is another place that I recommend visiting.