My Visit to The Gobbins Visitor Centre & Cliff Path - Pre-visitor Guide

My Visit to

Gobbins Visitor Centre & Cliff Path

AUTISM FRIENDLY MEA

Welcome to The Gobbins Visitor Centre and Cliff Path Everyone feels different when visiting a new place or trying something new. There are new sounds and smells, and you may not know what to expect.

This guide will help you get ready for your trip. It will: • Tell you how to get to and enter The Gobbins Visitor Centre.

• Introduce you to some of the people who work here.

• Explain how to find your way around.

• Show you the process at the Visitor Centre and the Cliff Path.

We are here to help Here are some of the staff you might meet on your visit. They are our Autism Champions. You can ask them, or any of the staff in this uniform, for help while you are with us.

COMING SO ON

COMING SO ON

Martin Lusty Duty Officer

William Rainey Duty Officer

COMING SO ON

COMING SO ON

Alannah Greenlees Guest Relations

Emma Gribben Guest Relations

Help Keep #OurMEA Safe

Since the covid-19 pandemic began, we have all had to make adjustments to what we do in public places.

Parks and open spaces have been open throughout the pandemic as they provide an important space for people to keep fit and active in a safe place.

20 SECS

Wash hands

However, you should still remember the rules – keep 2m social distance, wash your hands regularly and wear a face mask if indoors.

We expect these rules to be in place for a long time. It might be annoying, or it might feel strange, but it also means you can relax in the knowledge that we are making the park as safe as we can for everyone to enjoy.

Cover face

Thank you for your cooperation.

Make space

Getting to The Gobbins Visitor Centre

Gobbins Cliff Path

Shore Road

Gobbins Visitor Centre

Low Road Middle Road

Larne Road

The Gobbins Visitor Centre is located in Islandmagee in a small village called Ballystrudder. Brown signposts will direct you to a large car park.

Arriving at The Gobbins Visitor Centre

This is the entrance to The Gobbins Visitor Centre. When you enter, you will be in the reception and gift shop area.

Finding Your Way Around

The Visitor Centre is all on one level.

Reception and Gift Shop: Where you will enter the Visitor Centre Lockers and Briefing Room: This is behind the reception desk The Café: On the left hand side when you enter the Visitor Centre Toilet Facilities: These can be found to the left of the café and in the locker room area There is plenty of signage and you can always ask a member of staff to help you find your way.

The Reception

The Gift Shop

Finding Your Way Around

The Reception Area When you arrive, you will enter the reception area. You can check in for a tour here. During busy times there may be a queue.

Our staff are friendly and can help with your visit.

There is also a gift shop area with lots of different items for sale.

It might be crowded and noisy but other spaces will be quieter.

From the reception area, you will go to a different area of the centre.

If you are taking a tour, you will move to the locker room.

Finding Your Way Around

The Briefing Room This room is beside the locker room and you will go here once you are ready to start your tour.

Your tour guide will run through a safety briefing with everyone on your tour. This will keep everyone safe.

This room can be crowded if it is busy but there is a quiet area you can go to if you prefer.

You will be given a hard hat to bring with you and wear for the duration of the tour.

Finding Your Way Around

Locker Area If you are taking a tour, you will go to the locker area after visiting reception. Here you can put your belongings in a locker for safekeeping.

If you need to change your shoes for walking boots, there is somewhere for you to sit.

An accessible toilet is also available in this area.

Finding Your Way Around

Toilet Facilities The toilet facilities can be found through a door beside the counter in the café.

There are male and female toilets as well as an accessible toilet.

This area can be noisy if it is busy. There can also be a smell of cleaning chemicals, as staff clean the toilets regularly.

Finding Your Way Around

The Café When you enter the Visitor Centre, the café is on your left hand side.

The café can be noisy and can have strong cooking smells.

You can order food and drink at the counter and the staff will bring it to your table.

There are a number of tables and chairs for you to sit down. If the weather is nice, you can also sit outside.

Finding Your Way Around

The Bus When everyone is ready to go, you will leave the briefing room and go outside.

The bus will be waiting to take the tour group down to the start of the Cliff Path.

The bus journey is short and will take less than 5 minutes.

Finding Your Way Around

The Cliff Path When you arrive at the Cliff Path, the tour will take 2.5 to 3 hours to complete.

The path can be narrow at times and you will be close to the sea.

There will be a railing for you to hold on to if needed.

You will stop at different parts of the path and your tour guide will give you more information.

Finding Your Way Around

The Start of the Path When you get off the bus you will be at the top of a steep hill.

You can take your time to walk carefully down this part of the path.

Your Tour Guide will tell you some information on the way.

At the end of the tour, you will have to walk back up this hill to get back to the bus. You can do this in your own time, taking breaks if you need to.

Finding Your Way Around

Wise’s Eye To get on to the main path, you will come to a gap in the rock called Wise’s Eye. You will step up to climb through and you may have to duck down as the top of the gap is quite low.

Everyone on your tour will take it in turns to walk through to the other side.

Finding Your Way Around

The Bridges There are six main bridges at The Gobbins that you will walk over above sea level. Steps will take you up and down some of these bridges.

These can seem high up but are very safe to walk across. The sea can sometimes be very noisy if the tide is high, but you do not have to stand on the bridge for long as the tour will keep moving.

Finding Your Way Around

The Aquarium One of the bridges at The Gobbins is known as The Aquarium.

Sometimes, birds nest in the cliff above this area and make lots of noise.

This is an interesting area as you can watch the birds fly in and out of the cliff and also look down into rock pools in the sea.

Finding Your Way Around

The Tunnel There is a part of the path that goes down into a dark tunnel below sea level. The tunnel will be dark at the start and then automatic lights will turn on to help guide everyone.

The passage is carved through the rock and you may be able to hear the sea through the walls.

Your guide will lead the group through the tunnel and up a set of steps to the other side.

Useful Information

Useful Information We are committed to welcoming everyone to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s facilities.

As well as producing this guide, we have signage in place around the building to help people with learning and visual disabilities find their way around.

Specific group tours can also be organised for those who would prefer a quieter time to enjoy the centre and the experience. For more details, please contact the Guest Relations team.

Fire alarms If a fire alarm sounds, please make your way to the nearest fire exit. Staff will be there to help you.

Opening/ Closing Times The Gobbins Visitor Centre is open fro 9.30 am – 4.30 pm daily Contact Details The Gobbins Visitor Centre, Middle Road, Islandmagee BT40 3SL T. 028 9337 2318

E. info@thegobbinscliffpath.com www.thegobbinscliffpath.com

AUTISM FRIENDLY MEA