Access Statement

Introduction

We aim to cater for the needs of all visitors in this 15 bedroom hostel. There are two buildings on the site Bracken Tor House and The Lodge, both are 2-storey buildings which are set in about 4 acre grounds within the Dartmoor National Park. There is direct access over a stile to open Moorland from the grounds. The following statement is a summary of our provision. We have one ground floor bedroom that is wheel chair accessible with visual aids, the room has bunk beds that some guests may have difficulty accessing. We look forward to welcoming you If you have any queries or require any assistance please phone 01629 592700 or email customers services.

Pre-Arrival

The nearest rail station is Okehampton.
The nearest bus stop is a mile from the hostel, down a steep hill. A 15 minute walk or 5 minute taxi ride. A regular bus service runs to Exeter, Launceston and Tavistock.
A local taxi company can provide accessible taxis when booked in advance. Please see the contact information section for more details.
The roads leading to the hostel have an uneven surface and can be steep. There are no pavements and street lighting is limited.
The hostels details can be seen on YHA’s website, scroll down to the Maps and Directions section to view a map and transport options.
You can contact the hostel by phone or e-mail (please see contact information).

Car Parking & Arrival 

There is parking onsite for 10-15 cars. There are no marked bays but we would be happy to reserve a space close to the entrance if required. There is also a dropping off point outside the main entrances.

The parking area and drop off point are adequately lit, If you let us know what time you are coming we will do our best to provide assistance moving to and from cars.

Main Entrance & Reception 
The reception is at the entrance to the site, there is level paved access to a seating area and full toilet facilities including a modern disabled provision. The house can then be accessed on foot or by car, it is approximately 80m up a moderately steep gravelled slope.

We do not have any vibrating pillow alarms but we do have a system in place whereby if you let reception know on arrival of any hearing impairment, we will make you a priority with assistance should we need to evacuate the building.

Public Areas

Halls, Corridors

There is a good colour contrast to floor, walls and doorways throughout the building. All public areas, halls, stairs and landings are well lit, all exit routes have motion activated lighting, The flooring is slip resistant vinyl on the ground floors with carpet upstairs.

Unfortunately, we do not have a lift, so access to the first floor is by stairs only. The stairs have non-slip contrasting nosing and there are also two turns to take while ascending / descending the stairs. There is a handrail fitted to one side.

Public WCs

There is a unisex WC on the ground floor of Bracken Tor house and in the Dining hall with disabled provisions including a panic alarm and non-slip flooring.

Lounge

The Lounges are located on the ground floor and have level access via the foyer, they have non slip flooring and are well lit. The rooms are furnished with coffee tables, sofas and armchairs.

All furniture can be moved, please just ask at reception if you require assistance.

Self catering and Dining rooms

There are self-catering kitchens located on the ground floor in both buildings and both have dedicated dining areas. The flooring is non-slip in the kitchens and the rooms are well lit. The kitchens are quite small so space can be limited. The kitchens contains domestic size ovens, a microwave, a fridge, freezer, kettles, toasters and a range of kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery, some equipment is suitable for group catering.

Dining in The Barn

The barn is located next to reception and has wheelchair access at the entrance, it contains a toilet block with ladies, gents and disabled facilities. It has a full catering service and seating for 70, it is has non slip flooring and is a modern well lit building.

Laundry and Drying Facilities

The hostel does not have a laundry but does have a small drying room. The flooring is painted concrete and is a little uneven. There are ceiling height hanging rails in here. We are happy to assist with hanging items up in this area Bedrooms and Bathrooms Unless otherwise stated, all bedrooms have bunk beds and are not en-suite. All bedrooms are carpeted and well-lit with ceiling lights. All bedding is provided. All of the bathrooms have fluorescent lighting and non-slip flooring. The showers have a step up to enter.

Bracken Tor House Ground Floor

One 3-bedded room (one bed is a double)
One Disabled access WC with shower

Bracken Tor House First Floor

One 2-bedded room with en-suite
Two 4-bedded rooms with en-suite
One 6-bedded rooms
Two 8-bedded rooms (one of these is en-suite)
Two WCs and two showers

The Lodge First Floor

Two 1-bedded room
Four 6-bedded rooms with ensuite
Two 8-bedded rooms
Two WCs and two showers

Grounds and Garden

We are in our own private grounds, which are generally very safe for children to roam freely and enjoy a game of football on the lawn, play on the volleyball court or just let off some steam. The lawns are mostly level, and there are steeply sloped banks around them. The larger lawn is also used as the camping ground.

There are wooden benches on the lawns for guests to relax and admire the garden and extensive views Campers have 24-hour access to all of the hostel facilities and there is a fire pit on site. There is no lighting on the larger lawn or on parts of our driveway, so guests are advised to bring torches Additional Information.

We recommend walking the drive first if you are unfamiliar with it. The sharp turn causes quite a few problems with larger vehicles, especially in wet weather.
We do not permit pets in the building, but assistance dogs are very welcome with prior arrangement.
We do not permit smoking anywhere in the hostel.
Access to staff via emergency contact number or by pressing the doorbell at reception
Emergency lighting and fire alarms fitted. We ensure that all guests are evacuated in the event of fire or any emergency requiring evacuation. Arrangements for guests needing assistance to evacuate in case of fire should be discussed beforehand.
Evacuation procedures are displayed in each bedroom.
Mobile phone reception within the hostel is generally good.
Free Wi-Fi is available at this hostel
Contact Information
Address: YHA Bracken tor, Saxon gate, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1QW.
Telephone: 01837 53916
Email: okehampton@yha.org.uk
Ordnance Survey Map 181; Grid reference SX588938

We welcome your feedback to help us to continue making improvements. Please contact us directly if you have any queries or if you would like to make any comments.