Our Accessibility Commitment
At Scattery Island Tours, our team are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all our visitors. We do our very best to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, can enjoy the beauty and history of Scattery Island and we are continually working to improve our service by ensuring that all of our visitor access requirements are met to the very best of our ability.
Below, you’ll find information on the accessibility features we offer. If there is anything that we have not covered, please don’t hesitate to give us a call and we’d be happy to answer your question.
Island Accessibility
On arrival to Scattery Island, passengers departing the ferry will need to climb between five and ten steps, depending on the tide level. Our crew are located on the steps to assist passengers with departing and there is also a handrail on the pier itself.
The island itself is predominately flat with no great hills. It is suitable for all age groups and a range of mobilities. It is a small island, approximately 180 acres in total.
It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to walk from the visitor centre to the lighthouse and artillery battery at the far side of the island. All of the pathways are mainly gravel or grassy including those walked during the guided tour offered on the island.
Wheelchair Accessibility
Our ferry ‘An Breandan’ is wheelchair accessible and is one of the few passenger boats operating on the West Coast with an onboard wheelchair accessible toilet.
Access to Scattery Island itself is by steps only. As this is a protected historic pier, unfortunately ramps cannot be added, so this island itself is not currently wheelchair accessible.
We welcome wheelchair users to book on the ferry crossing and enjoy the scenic view on route and the views of Scattery from the water. This tour takes approximately one hour. Please contact our ticket office to book this type of trip.
Ramped Access
The ferry departs from Kilrush Marina. Access to the marina is wheelchair accessible. There is a ramp that is wheelchair accessible from the main marina area down onto the pontoon where the ferry departs from. The ferry can be accessed by the side door that sits at the same level as the pontoon for ease of access.
Disabled Parking prior to departure
There is a dedicated disabled parking spot right in front of the departure ticket office. There is also further onsite parking within the marina itself that is within a few meters of the marina building.
Onsite & Off Site Parking prior to departure
Kilrush Marina features limited onsite parking (approx. 30 spaces). There is further off-site parking available on Frances Street, which is approximately a five to ten minute walk to the marina, depending on where you park on this street. We advise early arrival to ensure that you can secure onsite parking.
Accessible Toilets
There are Ladies/Gents and Wheelchair accessible toilets located within the main marina building on the ground floor, which can be accessed before departure. This building is adjacent to the ferry’s departure point. There is also a wheelchair accessible toilet available on our ferry.
Baby Changing Facilities
There are baby changing facilities available on Scattery island. These are located within the toilet facilities located in the cottage to the right of the visitor centre.
While there are no dedicated baby changing facilities available within the marina, there are male and female changing facilities which can be utilized.
Seating Available.
There are individual seats available for each passenger on the ferry.
There is limited seating in the form of picnic tables located at the departure waiting area.
Once on Scattery Island there are picnic tables located in front of the visitor centre and there are also some timber benches located along some of the walking trails.
Changing Facilities
There are male and female changing facilities available at Kilrush Marina. These are all available on the ground floor area.
Assistance Dogs
Service animals are welcome on our tours. If you have a service animal, please let us know in advance, and our staff will ensure a comfortable experience for both you and your companion.
Audio Format Information
Our safety announcement is a recorded audio which is played as the ferry departs from the marina. There is a second audio as the ferry enters the lock gates and a final safety audio as the ferry approaches Scattery island.
Guided tours are offered on Scattery Island by the OPW Tour Guides. However, if a visitor is not comfortable in a group environment, we also offer a recorded audio tour, which can be accessed with a pin number on our website. Please ask our staff about this when booking your tour.
Additional Access Information
Access to the Islands lighthouse and artillery battery is across a small cobbled stream. At low tide when the water is out, this area is dry. However, at high tide, it may require visitors to take off their shoes to cross it. You will be advised of tidal levels when you check in, please take note of this when accessing the Southern side of the island to visit the Lighthouse.
Advance Notice
To better assist you, we recommend contacting us in advance if you have specific accessibility requirements. This allows us to make necessary arrangements to enhance your visit.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please feel free to contact us in advance of your visit. We are here to make your Scattery Island Tour enjoyable for everyone.