Is Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry Accessible?
If you’ve been following me on Instagram or Facebook recently, you’ll know I’ve had a bit of beef with Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry about carer’s tickets and accessibility. If you haven’t heard of Enchanted Forest, it’s a light and sound installation in Faskally Wood that is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year. I attended on a press pass after reaching out to Enchanted Forest on Facebook.
So here I am, ready to talk laser light shows, wheelchair minibus drama, accessible toilets, and carer’s tickets (or lack of).
I don’t pride myself on getting on the wrong side of businesses and organisations, particularly those who do amazing things for Scottish tourism like Enhanted Forest has for Pitclochy. They’re also doing great work supporting small community groups, donating around £129,000 to local projects since 2019. Enchanted Forest have also been vocal about big improvements they’ve made in terms of accessibility for wheelchair users and other people with mobility issues.
You can feel a ‘but’ coming, can’t you? Well here it is (and it gets much worse than this by the way)...
Accessibility Starts at the Ticket Office
I was really disappointed to discover that Enchanted Forest don’t offer free carer’s tickets. They don’t offer a concession rate for, well, anyone. At £24 a ticket, it’s already one of the pricier options for winter light displays in Scotland. Not providing free carer’s tickets immediately prices out many disabled people from being able to attend the event, particularly those with paid care. For me, accessibility starts at the ticket office, and this is a big fail. Read on to read about the initial fallout, and Enchanted Forest’s response when I spoke to them after my visit.
After reaching out about it to a friend in the Facebook Group Accessible, Adapted or Disabled Holiday Lets, Places to Visit & Days Out UK, she called Enchanted Forest out on this on one of their posts about the event. Their response was so unbelievably out of touch, it stunned me.
When asked if there was a reason they don’t offer discounted tickets to disabled customers and their carers, they said “because we have always treated all visitors equally. We don’t offer discounts for everyone.”
Anybody with any experience or understanding of living with a disability knows that equality, when viewed like that, just doesn’t cut it. Effectively charging disabled people double (or more) if they need to bring a carer (or carers) with them is not equality in any sense of the word. It’s the opposite, in fact, especially when the organisers state themselves that, “Some aspects of our show may not be fully accessible to wheelchair users.” Paying double to not even see all of the show? Although I saw a few comments from disabled people saying they don’t expect discounts, I wasn’t the only one unhappy about it. People on Facebook mentioned how Enchanted Forest’s policy was short-sighted, not equality, even going as far as calling it discriminatory.
Ultimately, we need to be looking at equity instead. Equity balances the playing field and seeks to remove systemic barriers, not just physical ones. For example, understanding that disabled adults are four times worse-off financially than non-disabled adults^ a business can choose to alleviate that by providing discounted tickets, and complimentary carers tickets to anyone who needs them.
When I see a business providing carers tickets I feel that I am welcome, I am seen, that the business understands the systemic battles disabled people face, and want to do something about it.
Enchanted Forest did eventually say that they could offer carers tickets at their discretion if only two people were attending, which makes no sense. For starters, this hasn’t been reflected on their website where the response to the Frequently Asked Question, “Do you offer free carer's tickets?” is a very straightforward, “No.” Most people would not push further than that, and either reluctantly pay double, or not go at all. Enchanted Forest didn’t seem to understand that disabled people might want to go out with a group of friends, or colleagues, or go on a date, and they likely won’t want to rely on those people for personal care!
Enchanted Forest’s Response: EF have a new Event Producer who is very keen on reintroducing carer’s tickets for the 2023 show. As tickets are already on sale for 2023, they will be looking to reimburse anyone who has bought a ticket for a carer in the meantime. They haven’t decided on the rules around tickets yet (who will be eligible, will proof be needed etc) so please don’t buy a ticket if you’re depending on it being reimbursed.
The Accessibility Bus
Enchanted Forest have introduced an accessibility bus in recent years. There’s very limited parking on site and this can be reserved by Blue Badge holders, but you are very much urged to consider if the accessibility bus is suitable. You book this free service when you book your tickets and meet the bus in the Blair Atholl Distillery carpark. The bus itself is an easy access minibus with a tail lift and space for one wheelchair. When booking, you don’t state if you are a wheelchair user so I’m presuming if multiple wheelchair users turn up for the same bus, you’re just going to have to wait for the next one.
I was shocked to discover that my wheelchair wasn’t secured in the bus, and I had no seatbelt. At one point in the short journey, as the driver accelerated, my chair tipped back and I only managed to save myself at the last second thanks to quick reactions and reasonably strong arm and hand function. If it weren’t for that, I’d have been a gonner. The whole journey felt very unsafe, and if we were unfortunate enough to have been in an accident I would’ve been thrown from my chair (on the bus back, I discovered what appeared to be the straps and buckles that should’ve been securing my chair, in a pile under Kirsty’s seat).
I also wasn’t happy with the way the drivers handled my chair. I had to reverse off onto the tail-lift platform which is a bit nerve-wracking, so I was taking it very steadily. The driver just grabbed the handle of my chair without saying a word, and pulled me back onto the platform. Touching or moving a person’s wheelchair without asking is akin to grabbing or pushing someone.
Once we arrived, I realised the bus drop-off was at the top of a steep hill (the video below doesn’t do it justice, it’s very steep!). I had to zig-zag down as going straight down the hill would’ve been dangerous. For anyone with a transit propelled wheelchair, well, you’d be hoping whoever was doing the propelling had strong arms! On my way around the forest I had to stop myself from wondering how on earth I’d get back up the massive hill to get the bus home. Thankfully, the light and sound installation was a stunning distraction.
Enchanted Forest’s Response: EF were shocked by my accessibility bus experience, particularly that my wheelchair wasn’t secured. They are going to discuss this with the bus providers. They are also looking into a different route and drop-off area for the accessibility bus.
The Show
The trail around the forest is 1.8km and at every twist and turn you are surprised by glittering trees, asmospheric music, and laser lights reflecting in Loch Dunmore. The theme this year was ‘Together’ which I think is fitting, given the challenging couple of years we’ve had, and many people are still having due to chronic illness, immunosupression, and so on. Being together in an outdoor space is ideal. We found that it wasn’t too busy, though some viewing areas for the main installations did get a little crowded at times. Midweek twilight shows are apparently quieter, and Enchanted Forest have introduced more Autism friendly show times for next year.
The path is surprisingly smooth for saying it’s in a forest. It even rained before we arrived and although the ground was soggy to the sides of the paths, the centre was fine to wheel on (hello muddy sleeves though!) There are some sections that are really quite steep. I couldn’t manage to independently wheel myself around the whole show, and I’ve heard from Claire aka A Journey in my Wheels that she needed assistance in some areas with her power chair too.
There are interactive areas for kids (and big kids!) – some can be a little difficult to access by wheelchair but rubber matting has been placed down and I found that helpful as a manual wheelchair user. The same rubber matting makes the food areas easier to access too, as they are mostly barked. I was pleased to see rubber matting leading to a cosy fire under the trees where people were toasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate. It all felt very festive!
Honestly, I don’t think my words can do the show justice, so here are a few photos.
People with photo-sensitive epilepsy are warned about some effects used in the show, “While no single source of lighting regularly strobes at high frequency, the volume of light fixtures on site could raise the frequency of light flashes and strobing across multiple sources to a level where it may be considered unsafe for people who are affected by photo-sensitive epilepsy.”
Enchanted Forest’s Response: EF have invested heavily in the path network and will continue to improve accessibility, but of course there are some limitations given the nature of the forest.
Accessible Toilets
After enjoying a few hot chocolates or mulled wines, you might be wondering where the loo is! Well, if you needed a Changing Places toilet you were out of luck this year. Enchanted Forest have previously provided one but decided not to this year, because apparently 2022 is the year of disabled people not needing the toilet (I wish). Seriously though, it’s a shame they’ve backtracked on this because the Mobiloos are great. I used one earlier this year at a Spinal Injuries Scotland event and it was fab! It’s unfair to expect disabled people to be out in the winter, where food and drink is provided, for a good couple of hours without access to a suitable toilet.
There are two standard accessible toilets – one where the accessibility bus drops you off, and accessible portaloos at the blue-badge parking area.
Enchanted Forest’s Response: EF are looking into having a Changing Places Mobiloo onsite perhaps one night a week throughout the yearly event. They say funding and availability are challenging, but feel that this would be a good compromise.
2023 Show
I think Enchanted Forest made some big mistakes this year, but I’m confident that they’re taking the feedback onboard and will make some changes for 2023. Personally, I think ticketing changes should’ve been made before tickets went on sale for next year, and I hope they don’t take too long to introduce carer’s tickets and a system to reimburse those who’ve already purchased. Enchanted Forest’s new Event Producer seems keen to engage with disabled people and has experience of disability within her own family. She’s asked to keep in touch and even meet in person, so I’m reassured that this issue isn’t going to be dropped. Watch this space.
What are your thoughts on Accessibility at Enchanted Forest? Let me know in the comments!
I would like to thank Enchanted Forest for offering me and my carer a press ticket to attend the show this year, and especially for agreeing to chat with me afterwards.
