ACCESSIBILITY APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 WILL OPEN SOON. A LINK TO THE APPLICATION WILL BE UPDATED HERE ONCE OPEN.
Please note, as we have not opened the access applications yet and are on course for an extremely early sell out, we are ring fencing tickets for those of you who are unsuccessful in their application.
The accessible facilities are only available to festival goers with permanent disabilities, so broken legs, recent injuries, recent operations, elderly and pregnant women do not qualify.
If you will be applying for a personal assistant ticket, please do not purchase a weekend ticket or Thursday add on. You will get sent a link to book this free-of-charge ticket upon the approval of your access application.
Kendal Calling is a 3 to 4 day festival that takes place at Lowther Deer Park in the Beautiful Lake District. It’s a picturesque location that lends to an incredible festival experience. We’re so lucky to be able to host a festival in such a wondrous part of the world but please bear in mind that as a result, there are hills, long grass and sometimes mud! While we have invested in hard standing roads over the years, the ground conditions alongside the natural terrain of the Lake District should be taken into account for those with mobility impairments.
HOW TO APPLY FOR ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES
You must fill out the application once open, and a member of the access team will be in touch within 2-4 weeks.
Please note that our accessible facilities are only available to festival goers with permanent disabilities, so broken legs, recent injuries, recent operations, elderly and pregnant women do not qualify.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT TICKET
Festival-goers who are unable to attend the festival without the support of a Personal Assistant (PA) can apply for an additional ticket at no extra cost. The PA must be willing and able to perform all requirements as needed by the accessibility customer including assistance to the customer during the unlikely event of an evacuation or other emergency. The PA should be able to assist with navigating the festival site, using the facilities, and carrying luggage in and out of the festival. Personal Assistants must be 16 or older.
Please do not purchase a weekend ticket or Thursday add on. You will get sent a link to book a personal assistant ticket free-of-charge upon the approval of your access application. If the access customer has purchased a Thursday add on then Personal Assistant tickets will automatically extend.
Personal Assistants must also remain in a good enough state to support the customer who requires accessible facilities at all times throughout the entire event. PA’s should not be heavily under the influence of any substances, and failure to comply will result in the immediate ejection of both Personal Assistant and Access Customer from the festival.
CAMPSITE WITH ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES
On arrival Thursday and Friday, there will be an Access Reception in the campsite with accessible facilities where customers can collect further information on access within the festival site. Access wristbands will also be allocated here.
The campsite will be cordoned off from general camping. There will be a number of wheelchair accessible toilets and mobiloo showers, we will also have regular toilets for non-access customers sharing accommodation in this space.
Please note that our wheelchair accessible Mobiloo showers and toilets are only available to those who are in a wheelchair or in need of a hoist. We will have general accessible toilets available (these do not need to be applied for).
Soap Opera is also available for purchase, and personal assistants will be granted entry to assist, free of charge should an application be approved. The campsite will include a covered, 24-hour charging point for power chair batteries and other access aids that need charging. Please assist us with planning by letting us know if you intend to use this service when completing the Access Requirement Form.
Customers are free to leave batteries and chairs at the access reception overnight at their own risk as this service is not stewarded. Please note that we unfortunately cannot provide a power hook up for insurance reasons, we are a Greenfield site and all power is temporary so we cannot guarantee power will not cut out.
Along with yourself and PA/Companion you can have an additional two other people who are able to camp with you in this field (maximum of four people).
We don’t provide power for tents for facilities such as CPAP machines – as we are a greenfield site and all power is temporary, we cannot guarantee power will not cut out.
Near to the Campsite there are village services (bar, concessions, information point and welfare).
Facilities we provide in the campsite:
- Wheelchair Accessible showers and toilets (please note that our wheelchair accessible showers are only available to those who are in a wheelchair or in need of a hoist). These must be applied for within your access application.
- Accessible Toilets
- Regular Toilets
- Fresh water points
- Waste disposal point
- Electrical points for charging wheelchairs and scooters on a first-come first served basis.
- Live-in vehicle spaces. This is a 7m x 5m pitch space. (These are allocated on a first come first serve basis should an application be approved)
ACCESSIBLE PARKING
All accessible parking needs to be applied for within an access application, otherwise we cannot provide an accessible parking space. These are limited in availability so we recommend applying for this as soon as possible. If the access customer has purchased Thursday entry then the parking ticket will automatically extend.
We provide two accessible parking sites:
- The acccess campsite parking available to those camping within the access campsite.
- Blue Badge general parking available to those not camping within the access campsite. This is our accessible parking spaces located within general parking.
One car per group maximum, any extra parking required for members of a group are welcome to park within the general car park. This is to ensure the best service can be provided to access customers.
If you are looking to apply for our accessible Deer Lodge accomidation please note that this does not come with a complimentary parking pass. If you should require accessible parking for this, please apply for an accessible campsite parking pass.
SITE FACILITIES AND INFO
SENSORY CALM AREA
The scale of Kendal Calling alongside the lights, sound and large crowds may prove overwhelming at times, especially for those with mental health, emotional or sensory issues. To ensure, Kendal Calling is an inclusive and welcoming environment, we have a dedicated quiet space available on-site for those who require it, offering a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the main arena. The space itself has low lighting, earplugs and weighted blankets allowing festival goers to take a moment to recalibrate.
HEARING LOOPS
We have Bob-on-Com hearing loops on site, these are available at the box office, the access reception which is located in the access campsite, the information point and at the Green gate which is the entrance for customers staying in the access camping field, the boutique camping and live in vehicles.
STROBE LIGHTING
There will be general warning signs around the Main Arena if strobe lighting will be used. Due to the nature of the artists it is likely that strobe lighting will be used throughout the performances. There will not be a warning immediately before a period of strobe lighting.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TOILETS
We will have two wheelchair accessible toilets available this year, only the accessible mobiloo toilets would need to be applied for within our applications. The two accessible toilet services we provide are:
- general wheelchair accessible toilets: These are available to the public for use and will be located at each toilet block across the festival.
- wheelchair accessible mobiloo toilets: Use of this must be applied for within our access applications. This is because mobiloo services are for those customers with physical disabilities that will prevent them from using other toilets on site/who may need a hoist.
There will be a stewarded accessible toilet located beside the viewing platform in the Main Arena. A viewing platform wristband is required to gain access to this toilet. Both toilet services will also be available within the campsite with accessible facilities.
WHEELCHAIR MOBILOO ACCESSIBLE SHOWERS
This facility is limited to those customers with physical disabilities that will prevent them from using Soap Opera facilities. Our wheelchair accessible showers are located within the Access Campsite.
The Soap Opera is a sectioned off shower and pamper lounge located in the Village Green, directly next to the Campsite with Accessible Facilities. For further soap opera information, please visit our experience page here: https://www.kendalcalling.co.uk/experience/soap-opera – Soap Opera tickets can be purchased from our website.
WHEELCHAIR POWER
Wheelchair charging is available at our access reception tent, located within the campsite with accessible facilities. We don’t provide power for tents for insurance reasons – as we are a greenfield site and all power is temporary, we cannot guarantee power will not cut out.
WALK TIMES AND TERRAIN
Lowther Deer Park is a beautiful location but we believe it is important for all customer understand the challenges of the terrain and whilst we have put measures in place, where appropriate, to assist access for wheelchair users, the majority of the ground is grass and uneven.
We do not provide a buggy service for any customers to travel around the site.
There is a tarmac road running through the middle of the Main Arena however access to some areas does mean traveling over grass and sometimes mud.
The Main Arena has a number of small to moderate hills inside its perimeter. There is a gravel road that runs around the edge of the accessible campsite.
The accessible campsite parking field is adjacent to the campsite. Wheelchair friendly floor protection provides a route from the edge of this field to the access reception tent, however it will be necessary to cross significant areas of grass covered terrain while moving between the car park and individual camping spots within the campsite.
A compacted gravel road leads from the accessible campsite to the Main Arena entrance, a distance of around 400 meters total. The road becomes steeper as it follows the Cumbrian terrain and raises up to the back of the Arena for the last 100 meters.
Wheelchair friendly floor protection is provided to assist customers to get to the Main Arena viewing platform, but due to the terrain across the rest of the site, it will be necessary to cross uneven ground to get to other areas of the festival.
Whilst there is a tarmac road running through parts of the Main Arena, most venues and areas can only be accessed by traveling over uneven, grass covered, terrain which turns muddy in poor weather and can be challenging to navigate.
The arena also has a number of hills and gradients within its perimeter.
For customers accessing the event via the main gate and standard parking areas, the Main Arena entrance is approximately 500 meters from the main gate security check point, half of which involves crossing grassy terrain.
MEDICAL SERVICES
There will be a First Aid tent located in the Main Arena. There will also be Medics and First Aiders on patrol around the event.
You will be able to store medication with the medical team if refrigeration is needed. Please let us know in your applications if you will be wishing to store medication.
If you require more information, please get in touch.
ASSISTANT DOGS
We welcome assistance dogs onto the site. There will be an area provided for toileting and drinking.
We ask all dog owners to keep their dog on a lead at all times, and also to pick up after themselves.
Assistance dogs are legally allowed to assist under the Equality Act. The Equality and Human Rights Commission states an expectation that Assistance Dogs will:
- Be highly trained
- Not wander freely around the premises
- Sit or lie quietly on the floor next to its owner
- Be trained to go to the toilet on command and so are unlikely to foul in a public place
- Most are instantly recognisable by the harness or identifying dog jacket that wear they wear
(https://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/the-law/)
ACCESSIBLE VIEWING AREA & PLATFORM
We have an accessible viewing platform and viewing area located at the Main Stage. We also have a viewing platform at the Woodlands stage.
The accessible viewing area/platforms are operated on a first come, first serve basis, subject to capacity.
At the Main Stage, we have both a viewing platform and a viewing area. Access to each is allocated on a case by case basis through our application process.
1. Viewing Platform: This is primarily for festivalgoers with permanent disabilities that affect mobility. Intended for those who use wheelchairs or struggle to stand for long periods of time.
2. Viewing Area: The viewing area is a space in front of the viewing platform that allows additional space to those with temporary injuries or for neurodivergent festivalgoers.
ARRIVING ON SITE
Don’t forget your festival tickets, these will be scanned on arrival and swapped for festival wristbands.
On arrival to site, please head to the gate as described in the information pack, these are broken down into coloured gates. The information pack provided in advance, usually via email, will explain which gate to head to, where to collect your wristband and the location of the access campsite.
The site will open from 9AM Thursday, for those with Thursday tickets, and 8AM Friday for all weekend ticket holders.
