In mid November we had a night out in Inverness to see Feeder at The Ironworks. Not to limit ourselves to just the evening we left Skye just after lunchtime! When it is a 2-3 hour journey to Inverness you certainly make the most of it.
The Journey to Inverness.
On this trip to Inverness Melanie drove as we would be too late to get any public transport back to Skye. We took the scenic route, locally known as the top or north road to Inverness. This is using the A890 through Strathcarron, onto the A832 at Achnasheen. Picking up the A835 at Garve and finally the A9 at Tore. It sounds more complicated than it is. On the return journey the top road was closed so we came back the more traditional route alongside Loch Ness. Firstly on the A82, then hopping onto the A887 at Invermoriston. Finally joining the A87 and driving all the way home to Portree.
Disabled toilets en route
En route there are a few spots where you will find public disabled toilets. Firstly at Broadford, opposite the big car park, next to the telephone exchange there is a free disabled toilet. In Kyle of Lochalsh there is a disabled toilet next to the Tourist Information Centre, in the small car park behind the RNLI station. There is a 20p charge for these loos however they are in immaculate condition.
Without detouring the next public disabled toilet is at Achnasheen Railway Station. Well sign posted from the main road it has disabled parking spaces with a dropped kerb to allow good accessibility. These toilets require a RADAR key. We stopped at this one as it was just over an hour into our journey and it seemed like a great time to stop!
The next time we stopped we were in Inverness, with crisp snow topped mountains and blue skies our journey flew by. After Achnasheen there are a few villages along the route that have hotels, pubs and restaurants which will likely have disabled toilet facilities. On this occasion we didn’t need to stop again so don’t have any details to report.
A night out in Inverness – shopping!
As it was mid November it was a perfect time to do a little bit of Christmas shopping. With that in mind we parked in the Eastgate Centre multi-storey car park. We used the Millburn Road entrance which is just opposite the Morrison’s supermarket on Millburn Road. There is another car park – The Falcon Gallery just behind the railway station. Parking is easy, simply take a ticket at the barrier on entry and pay at the machines before exiting. The disabled parking spaces are boldly marked on the ground floor and next to the lift lobbies. Good sized spaces and level entry into the lobby area to get in the lifts. There are 50 disabled parking spaces altogether across the two centre car parks. The Falcon Gallery car park houses the Shopmobility office where wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be hired though pre-booking for these is advised.
Once in the lift we headed to the disabled toilets on the top floor. These are free to use and well maintained. Simply press the intercom button outside the disabled toilet and a member of the centre staff will buzz you into the toilet. No need for a RADAR key. There are further disabled toilets in the Food Court or across the pedestrian bridge to Morrison’s supermarket.
Getting around the Eastgate Centre is fairly simple. It is all on two floors, linked by escalators and multiple lifts. The walkways are smooth and wide making access very easy. We hit up a few of our favourite shops, so maybe not so much Christmas shopping but treats for ourselves!
Dinner at Pizza Express
After some “Christmas Shopping” we headed for a meal at Pizza Express. Located in Falcon Square just outside the Eastgate Centre access is very easy. No roads to cross and a level pavement all the way from the centre to the restaurant. The welcome was very warm and the staff allowed us to choose a table with a bench seat as it is more comfortable for Sarah. They were also very happy for us to have the end table so Sarah’s rollator could park beside us. The hardest bit was deciding what to order, a lot of options for all dietary requirements. We both enjoyed a pizza and of course a dessert before it was time to head to the Ironworks for the gig.
A night out in Inverness – The Ironworks
So our night out in Inverness was hinged on the Feeder gig. The Ironworks is at the far end of Academy Street so we hopped in the car and drove round. It doesn’t have it’s own parking but running parallel to Academy Street is Church Street. Here you find a lot of on street designated disabled parking spaces. Even though there was a sell out gig on at the Ironworks we easily found a space to park in. Then it is just a 2 minute walk around the corner with one road to cross using the pedestrian crossing. Couldn’t be easier. If you know Inverness at all, the parking spaces are outside Leakey’s Bookshop!
Before we left Skye Sarah had tried to call the venue to ask about any special provisions that have for disabled people during a gig. But it was too early for them and we never found out. However when we arrived at the venue they could not have been more helpful. Despite them not being aware of our needs they arranged for us to go upstairs onto the balcony. This meant Sarah would have a proper seat and a view rather than sitting on her uncomfortable rollator looking at someone’s back all night.
I became the proud owner of a wrist band that would give me access to the stairs down to the main floor so I could come and go to the bar area. Then we were whisked away by security through a side door and lo and behold a wheelchair lift to get folks upstairs. I scuttled up the stairs whilst Sarah took a joyride in the lift. The staff were so helpful despite us catching them off guard when we arrived. They chose us the best seats to view the show from, which were right in the centre and it was a great view. Upstairs there were some disabled toilets which Sarah had access to and used before the show started. By the time the show started there were probably 6-8 disabled people up there with their friends and family. It was a really nice atmosphere.
The gig was fantastic, Feeder put on a great show. After it had all quietened down and the main floor was empty they took us all back down in the lift one at a time. We just sat chatting on the balcony until it was our turn to go down. The staff were just as jolly at the end of the gig as they had been at the start. Once back in the lobby Sarah used the disabled toilet downstairs before we left the venue as it was our last chance before the long journey home to Skye. The Ironworks have really thought about how disabled people can access their venue and offer a great night out. We arrived unprepared and they made sure we were well looked after and had a great night. For that – thank you.
After a long journey through a snow storm and herds of deer on the roads we were tucked up back home in the wee small hours of Thursday morning. And, most importantly we had a night out in Inverness and had a fantastic time!