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Accessibility

House of Dun accessibility guide

Set within a designed landscape, House of Dun overlooks the Montrose Basin, and includes the main house, a courtyard, tearoom, shop, waymarked trails, a walled garden and a play area.

On this page:

Welcome

Contact for accessibility enquiries:

Email: houseofdun@nts.org.uk

Tel: 01674 810264

Web: House of Dun

House of Dun was designed by renowned Scottish architect William Adam and built in 1730 for David Erskine, Lord Dun. Today, costumed guides lead visitor tours around the main house.

At a glance

There is step-free access to:

  • the entrance to the house
  • tearoom
  • shop
  • courtyard buildings

There are relatively level paths to all of the above from the Blue Badge parking bays. There is a sloped gravel pathway from the main car park.

There is step-free access to the ground floor of the house from the courtyard, but the majority of the rooms are split across two floors and can only be accessed by the stone servants’ staircase and the main staircase.

Visual

Some parts of the property have low lighting, in particular some of the courtyard rooms and the servants’ quarters (ground floor of the main house).

Sensory

  • The Stories of Angus room in the courtyard has an audio-visual presentation.
  • The children’s playroom in the courtyard has audio of forest sounds and birds chirping.
The front entrance of House of Dun, with the gravelled driveway and lawn.
House of Dun

Getting here

House of Dun
Montrose
Angus
DD10 9LQ

House of Dun is off the A935, 4 miles west of Montrose and 6 miles east of Brechin.

By car

From the north or south, take the turn-off for Brechin (if coming from the south, ignore the Dun turn-off signage).
From Brechin, either follow the brown tourist signs or signs for Montrose. House of Dun will be found on the left.
From Montrose, follow the brown tourist signs or signs for Brechin. House of Dun will be on your right.

Please follow the brown tourist signs rather than sat navs, as these often take you to the back gate where there is no vehicle access.

Parking

  • Accessible Blue Badge parking is available. There are 4 dedicated bays off the main access drive, which is 60 metres from the tearoom and courtyard entrance, 84 metres to the shop (including the ticket desk) and 120m to the ground floor entrance of the house.
  • The main car park and coach parking is along a sloped pathway, with a mix of stone and gravel surfaces to the courtyard.
  • The driveway to the main car park is smooth tarmac.
  • Parking is free for National Trust for Scotland members.

Public transport

There is no public transport available directly to House of Dun.

  • The nearest railway station is at Montrose (4 miles).
  • A Stagecoach bus runs between Montrose and Edzell and stops on the main road, opposite the entrance road to House of Dun. It’s about half a mile from the house.
A gravel path runs between strips of grass, with bollards at intermittent points. To the right of the path, a narrow tarmac drive runs parallel. To the left of the path is a fenced off field. A smooth tarmac parking area with clearly marked disabled parking bays on the right. Just beyond the parking area is an archway leading into a stone courtyard.

Arrival

The ticket desk is located within the shop in the courtyard area, along with the main tearoom (on the courtyard exterior), seasonal courtyard café (off the main courtyard), toilets and exhibition rooms.

There is a wide gravel path up to the entrance of the courtyard.

The path around the edge of the courtyard is 1 metre wide and has gravel on either side, with a central grass area.

Mobile signal

There is generally good mobile reception at our main car park and on the wider estate. In an emergency between 9am–5pm, please ring 01674 810264. If you receive no answer or the emergency occurs outside of these times, please call 999.
Signal is very limited inside the house but there are staff and volunteers positioned at key points who have the use of radios, which can be used to raise the alarm in the event of an emergency.

Dogs

Assistance dogs are welcome throughout the estate and inside the house.

On the wider estate, dogs are welcome but must be kept on the lead and under close control. Areas of the estate have grazing sheep and cattle as well as nesting birds.

A stone arch with a clock tower above marks the entrance to a large courtyard area. Tall trees stand either side of the wide path leading up to the arch. A large planter with a sign stating Cafe stands to the left of the arch. There are a couple of other A-board signs in the area as well. The interior of a large gravelled courtyard area with single-storey stone buildings running around the edges. A grand mansion house stands at the far end. In the centre of the courtyard is some grass with small trees growing around the edges. A simple 'floor plan' of a courtyard block, detailing the function of each of the buildings around the sides.

Facilities

Toilets

Our accessible toilet is located in the courtyard.

  • Door width: 92cm
  • Room size: 2.3m wide, 2.55m long
A view of the toilets at House of Dun, forming part of the courtyard buildings. A narrow flagstone path runs around the edge of the courtyard, which is filled with gravel.

Shop and ticket desk

The shop is accessed from the courtyard and is 84m from the Blue Badge parking area.

  • There is ramp access to the shop.
  • Door width: 1.65m
  • Counter height: 1m
  • The till point does not have an induction loop.
  • Staff are available to assist with any objects too high or heavy to reach and can provide price information for items.
A single-storey building in the corner of a stone courtyard, with a black sign stating Shop. An A-board stands outside the open main door. A view inside the shop in the courtyard at House of Dun. The floor is made from large old flagstones. Products are arranged on tables and shelving units in islands around the room. A large old-fashioned bicycle wheel is displayed in the window. A view inside the shop in the courtyard at House of Dun. The floor is made from large old flagstones. Products are arranged on tables and shelving units in islands around the room. A long wooden counter stands on the right of the photo.

Erskine’s Café

The tearoom is accessed from the external part of the courtyard and is 60m from the Blue Badge parking area.

  • Door width: 1.25m
  • Counter height: 75cm
  • The till point does not have an induction loop.
  • Staff are available to assist with any price enquiries and the carrying of items.
The stone exterior wall of a cafe at House of Dun, with a pattern of pale and darker bricks. Two planters stand either side of the main wooden door. An A-board stands beside one. A smooth paving slab path leads to the main door across the cobblestones. Pale green and brown dining chairs are neatly arranged around dining tables in a cafe in a converted stable block. Old farming tools are mounted on the walls. A cushioned bench runs along the back wall.

Violet’s café (seasonal opening)

There is level access to Violet’s café from inside the courtyard.

  • Door width: 84cm
  • Counter height: 75cm
  • The till point does not have an induction loop.
  • There is a door through to the adjoining children’s playroom.
The stone exterior wall of a courtyard cafe at House of Dun, with two small windows and a small dark door on the right. A smooth paving slab path leads to the door across the cobblestones. Wooden dining chairs and tables are arranged around the edges of a small cafe. High shelves contain an assortment of old plates, pots and kettles. A modern chiller unit and an ice cream freezer stand either side of the small counter.

Getting around

The main house

Level access is available to the ground floor of the house from the courtyard.

  • The main exterior entrance to the house (and the beginning of the standard tour) is accessed by seven wide stone steps with iron balustrades from ground floor level.
  • There is a short but steep external entrance ramp; a staff member will be able to assist if required.
  • Front door width: 1m
  • The corridors on the ground floor are wide with stone floors. There are two large seats with arms, if required.
  • The ground floor includes the staff quarters and display rooms.
  • The kitchen to the left of the entrance is accessed by four steep steps with a metal handrail down to the basement level. The interior can be viewed from the ground floor entrance.
  • The main house is split across the first and second floor. These floors are only accessible by the steep stone staircase to the first floor and then the main carpeted staircases to the upper floor.
  • Information sheets are available for those unable to access the upper floors.
A stone ramp leads up to a large black wooden door in a grand stone house. A wooden bench stands beside the wall to the left of the door. A long corridor in a mansion house, with a gleaming stone floor and a long bench against the wall on the left. A long line of bells are mounted high on the wall on the left. The entrance hall at the foot of the stairs in House of Dun. It has a smooth stone floor, with a bust mounted on a pillar in the corner. Doorways lead into other grand rooms off the hall. A red runner-style rug lies at the bottom of the stairs. A young woman, dressed in an Edwardian aristocratic outfit, stands in a grand drawing room. Behind her, elaborate plasterwork can be seen on the green walls. She stands beside a leather chaise longue, with a gilded dressing screen behind it.

Courtyard display rooms

There is level access to the Angus Folk Museum collection display rooms from the shop in the courtyard, with an interior ramp down to the stables. These rooms can also be accessed from the right-hand door at the courtyard entrance, but there is a short dip in the doorway entrance due to the drainage grate.

  • There is ramped access to the Stories of Angus display room with an audio-visual presentation. The door width is 84cm.
  • There is one step into the playroom off the main courtyard. However, there is level access to this room through the Violet’s café door to the right (from the courtyard).
  • The Potting Shed and Hen House can be accessed from the main courtyard. The door width is 84cm.
Standing inside a dark room with a flagstone floor, with the door wide open out into the sunny courtyard. A screen is mounted on the wall at one end and is displaying a video. Two benches stand in the room, facing the screen. A large, full sack lies on the floor in the corner by the window. Looking into a dark room from a stone courtyard through an open doorway. There is a stone step up into the room. The edge of the step is marked with bright yellow paint. A smooth paving-stone path runs around the outside of a large courtyard area. Cobblestones and gravel lie either side of the path. A line of single-storey buildings runs along the right-hand side, with doors opening into display rooms. Standing inside a room in a courtyard that displays old farming equipment. A hessian sack hangs in the foreground. The open door is labelled Hen House.

Walled garden and terrace

There is an entrance from the courtyard through an archway (98cm wide) around the house to the walled garden. There is a flagged slope through the archway.

  • The path from the archway to the walled garden is 1m wide with relatively flat stone cobbles but it is sloped up to the gate.
  • Gate width into the walled garden: 1m
  • The path in the walled garden is gravel but is tampered reasonably firm for wheelchair access. The width of the gravel path is 1.5m.
  • There is a gate from the walled garden to the terrace (1.72m wide), where there is level access across gravel paths.
A smooth paving-stone path runs along the edge of a large grand house. Chunky gravel lies either side of the path. The path passes under a stone bridge, with steps leading to the first floor of the house. A crazy-paving path passes through a gateway in a tall stone wall, emerging onto a gravel path in a garden. An aerial view of the walled garden at House of Dun showing an immaculate lawn with four teardrop-shaped flowed beds in the corners. Wide herbaceous borders run along the walls. A wide gravel path passes between flower borders to reach a wooden gate in a stone wall. The terrace garden in front of House of Dun. Wide gravel paths run around the edges of sharp squares of lawn. A fountain stands in the middle of one lawn. Box hedging forms a swirling pattern directly in front of the house.

Play area

The play area has limited accessibility.

  • It is accessed from the main car park by an uneven gravel drive/pathways and a grassy area.
  • There is a wood-chipped surface in the play area.
  • The area includes a saucer swing, bucket swings, a slide and wooden climbing equipment.

Estate

  • There is level access to a section of Lady Augusta’s Walk.
  • Entry to the wider estate, woodland walks and play area is from the main car park. These routes are not accessible for wheelchair users.
  • Information on the waymarked trails can be found on the display board in the main car park or on the map leaflets available on site.
A gravel path leads off a main path into woodland. A small signpost stands in front of a hedge. A little waterfall drops over moss-covered rocks into a pool in a woodland gorge. A path winds through woodland. Ferns grow to the right of the path. A small stone bench stands on the left, on the bend, beneath a tall tree.

Guide last updated: August 2023

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