Jack’s Alt-Stays Accessibility Guide
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Firstly, we understand not all disabilities are visible. If there is any support we can provide before, during and after your stay, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask.
We’ve worked closely with the architects, builders and accessibility campaigners to make our site and cabins as inclusive and accessible to as many people as possible.
We hope this accessibility guide answers any questions you may have about accessibility at Jack’s Alt-Stays.
If you have any questions, please get in touch any time by emailing [email protected] or calling 0141 4881 559. We’re always happy to help.
Feel Free to Skip Through:
1. Accessibility on the Jack’s Alt-Stays site
If you are arriving without a car, enter through the pedestrian entrance on the right side of the pavement.
The flat, paved pathway has a width of 1.3 meters and will lead you to the entrance of the first cabin in the row – The Birdbox. The distance from the pavement to the cabin entrance is 32 meters.
The picnic bench closest to the pathway has an overhanging tabletop, just off the pathway, to allow easy access for wheelchair users. The height to the underside of this table is 64cm. We’re happy to move this bench if it is preferred to use it elsewhere.
2. Accessibility in Cabin 1: The Birdbox
The Birdbox is our accessible cabin. The paved surface continues from the pathway to this cabin’s front terrace and the cabin’s front door.
This cabin has a wood-fired hot tub. If able, to enter the tub there are two steps; the first has a height of 20cm, and the second a height of 17cm.
From the top step, the height to the rim of the hot tub is 60cm. The height from the rim to the first footing point on the seat is 65cm. Unfortunately at the moment, we do not have hoist access available for the hot tub.
If you are driving, this cabin has its own designated parking space right next to the cabin. This space measures 3.6 meters in width, so has additional space on either side of the car for easy access in and out. This space is of the same flat, paved surface which continues through to the cabin’s front terrace entrance.
The distance from the parking space to the cabin entrance is 12 meters. The narrowest point is the throughway between the hot tub steps and the wooden post, which measures 90cm.
The cabin’s front door has a width of 111cm. It has a flat entry threshold into the cabin, where inside the floor is raised to leave a 1cm height (0.5cm to the mat).
Inside, the cabin has flat, solid floors throughout and there is good space to manoeuvre inside. The central turning point, in front of the kitchen, has a diameter of 174cm. The width of the narrowest internal throughway is 80.5cm between the main double bed and the wall.
The cabin is well-lit inside, and the walls, doors, kitchen, sofa, and beds have a high colour contrast to aid guests with visual impairments.
Please be aware that on the odd occasion, the ceiling smart bulbs may disconnect from the wifi and enter ‘pairing mode’, slowly flashing for a short period of time until they reconnect automatically. Although this is very rare, please feel free to switch them off at the wall and let us know if you would like us to manually reconnect them quicker..
The Birdbox offers a well-sound-proofed, quiet space, and uses soft natural colours where possible for those with neurodivergent conditions.
The Birdbox has 2x double beds;
- One standard bed that is permanently positioned and has a height of 57cm from the floor to the top of the mattress, and;
- One sofa-wall-bed, which sits as a sofa with a height to the top of the base cushion of 35cm, and can be folded out from the wall to set up the bed, which from the floor to the top of the mattress, has a height of 63cm.
We’re happy to assist you in putting this up and down during your stay. Please request this ahead of your stay.
The TV, including Netflix, has subtitle functionality. If you require this, please let us know.
The space-saving dining table also folds up and down for flexibility in the use of the space. The height from the floor to the underside of this table is 75.5cm.
The level of this has been set to suit usage by wheelchair users. We’re also happy to assist with the use of this.
The lights and blinds can be controlled by voice via Google Home, or manually by accessible height wall switches. The Birdbox’s Cabin Guidebook will explain the use of these features.
The bathroom door has a width of 1 meter, and is spacious inside. The shower screen width is reduced to create a shower entrance width of 90.5cm.
The shower tray is lowered, and the floor is raised, to create an entrance threshold of 1cm.
We also have suction grab handles available for the toilet/shower, and a deployable shower seat and anti-slip mat. If required, please request these ahead of your stay.
For guests with visual impairments, we have chosen a stainless steel bin, toilet roll holder, and grab handles to contrast against the black wall panels.
Please contact us at [email protected] or on 0141 4881 559 if you have any questions about accessibility at Jack’s Alt-Stays. We’re always happy to help.
3. Accessing the Largs Ferry Terminal
The Largs Ferry terminal can be reached by public transport or car.
a) Reaching Largs Ferry Terminal by Train
There are regular trains from Glasgow Central to Largs. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes.
Here are ScotRail’s Accessible Travel Information and Schedule and Fare Information.
The distance from Largs train station to the Largs ferry terminal is approximately 320 meters, consisting of fairly flat pavement and crossing three roads. The pavement route from the side opposite the station’s front entrance has two pedestrian crossings. Taxis are available at the taxi rank outside the station.
Here’s the route:
b) Reaching Largs Ferry Terminal by Bus
Stagecoach and McGill’s buses both stop on Largs main street by the Co-op, right around the corner from the Cumbrae ferry ticket office (see bus stops on the map above)
Here are the 585 Stagecoach and the 901/904/906 McGills timetables.
Here are Stagecoach’s Accessibility FAQs and McGills’ Accessibility Information.
c) Reaching Largs Ferry Terminal by Car
Here is the Ferry Terminal address on Google Maps. Largs is only a 40-minute drive from Ayr, 1-hour from Glasgow, or 2-hours from Edinburgh.
You can either take your car on the boat or park in Largs and travel as a foot passenger.
There is very limited street parking nearby the ferry terminal, however, is a paid public car park just along the promenade. More information on the Largs Seafront Car Park here.
4. Accessing the Ferry
The Cal Mac staff offer passenger assistance if required.
The Largs ferry terminal can be contacted on 01475 674 134 for any accessibility enquiries. Here is Cal Mac’s Assisted Travel Guide.
The ferry journey from Largs to Cumbrae takes approximately 8 minutes and costs £3.60 return. Ferries run every 30 minutes in the winter and every 15 minutes in the summer.
5. Accessing Millport Town from the Cumbrae Ferry Slip
You can reach Millport town by either car, bus or taxi. Here’s our full guide on How to Get to Millport, Isle of Cumbrae
a) By Bus
Buses meet every incoming ferry and take visitors into Millport town. The bus ride takes approximately 10 minutes and costs £3.50 return.
The larger bus lowers to the kerb and all busses have a wheelchair ramp, designated wheelchair/pram area and priority seating.
For more information about travelling by bus in Millport please visit Millport Motors’ Website here or you can call them on 01475 530 555.
b) By Taxi
You can arrange a taxi from the Cumbrae Ferry slip to our site in Millport town with Cumbrae Cabs by calling 01475 530666. Cumbrae Cabs have a wide range of taxis available from 5-seater taxis to 9-seater minibuses and wheelchair-accessible taxis are also available.
6. Accessing Jack’s Alt-Stays from Millport Town
The nearest bus stop to Jack’s Alt-Stays is across from Garrison House – just past Crocodile Rock, and across from The Newton Bar. Please ask the bus driver to let you off at the Garrison House bus stop.
The bus stop is 480 meters from our site. Here’s the route between:
The route consists of a flat tarmac pavement with a moderate incline and one road crossing.
About halfway up there are lowered kerbs on each side, by the entrance to The Cathedral of The Isles.
If you are taking a taxi, the driver will take you directly to our site.
Our address is Jack’s Alt-Stays, College Street, Millport, KA28 0HE. Click here for a Google Maps route.
Please call us on 0141 4881 559 if you need any assistance.
