Location and travel
The conference will be held at Edinburgh Zoo. The zoo is located in the west of Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, on Corstorphine Hill. The address is 134 Corstorphine Road, EH12 6TS. View Edinburgh Zoo on Google Maps.
Attendees can access the zoo through the members' gate, located at the top of the car park, located up a steep hill. Attendees can also access the zoo through the main entrance from Corstorphine Road, where there is a taxi rank drop off and where the bus stops are located. There is ramped access to the lobby, where a member of staff can assist you.
The main hub for the conference will be the Education Centre, which is a short distance from the members' gate where most attendees will enter the Zoo. The route has step-free access, but is uphill at points. However, the route has a slope suitable for mobility scooters, and the Zoo has an accessibility vehicle if required.
Some in-person workshop sessions will take place in the Mansion House, located a short distance away down a slope suitable for mobility scooters. Lunch will be held in the Grasslands Restaurant, also located a short distance away down a slope suitable for mobility scooters. You can explore Edinburgh Zoo maps and guides to see the location of each building, and more access information about each building is included in the 'venue' section below.
We’ve chosen Edinburgh Zoo because it has good transport links. Please use public transport, walking, cycling or wheeling to get to venue if you can. If you’re travelling from outwith the Central Belt or public transport is not an option for you, perhaps consider car sharing with colleagues or other organisations from your local area.
By train
There are two stations in the city centre of Edinburgh: Edinburgh Waverley Station and Edinburgh Haymarket Station. Train timetables and ticket information are available from the ScotRail website.
From Waverley and Haymarket stations, take the buses listed below (from Edinburgh city centre) to Edinburgh Zoo.
If you are coming from further afield, please see the National Rail website for timetables and ticket information. Alternatively, Trainline is available for booking and travel information.
By bus
There are high frequent bus services from Edinburgh City Centre. There are two bus stops outside the front entrance. Lothian 12, 26 and 31 services all stop outside and can be picked up near both Haymarket and Waverley Station or in the city centre. The 100 Airlink Service also stops regularly outside the front entrance and operates between Edinburgh Airport and the city centre.
The following Lothian services pass the zoo every few minutes:
Service 12: Portobello – Newington – Tollcross – Haymarket – Zoo – Gyle Centre
Service 26: Seton Sands/Tranent – Portobello – City Centre – Zoo – Clerwood
Service 31: Bonnyrigg – City Centre – Zoo – East Craigs
All Lothian buses are now low-floor and fully accessible for wheelchairs and foldable buggies. Access more information about bus times and fares.
Other bus services that stop at the Zoo are:
900 Citylink: Glasgow-Edinburgh
909 Citylink: Stirling-Edinburgh
904 Citylink: East Kilbride-Edinburgh
For the latest Citylink timetables and fares please visit citylink.co.uk.
By bicycle
The zoo is very close to Carrick Knowe cycle route (access from Downie Grove), which in turn connects by minor roads and other cycle routes to most of the city. To work out your best route, see the Spokes Edinburgh Cycle Map. An online cycle route planner is also available.
Cycle parking (Sheffield racks) is available on the pavement immediately outside the zoo. There is currently visitor bike parking in the car park and on the main road outside the zoo.
By car
Use postcode EH12 6TS to find the zoo in your navigation device. As it is a city zoo, parking spaces are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. The car park can fill up early in the day. There are blue badge parking spots on the right as you enter the car park. There are two electric car charging points in dedicated parking bays.
All car park users will need to take a ticket and have this validated to exit the car park. Conference attendees will have their parking ticket validated for free by RZSS staff at the point of arriving at the Education Centre.
During the day, some parking can also be found within the vicinity of the zoo but please note this space is also limited due to the residential nature of the location.
Venue
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo seeks to provide equal opportunities for all visitors and they are working hard to ensure that their visitor facilities are accessible to everyone.
Many of the paths around the zoo can be accessed by wheelchair. Due to the hilly nature of our location, some routes involve steps or steep slopes which are unsuitable for wheelchairs. Please download a copy of the accessibility map, which highlights these areas and will be useful for planning your visit before you arrive.
Edinburgh Zoo has partnered with AccessAble, the UK's leading provider of accessibility information, to provide accurate and up-to-date accessibility information about the zoo. The Access Guides for Edinburgh Zoo will help you plan your visit.
The conference will take place in the Education Centre, with some in-person workshops held in the Mansion House and lunch held in the Grasslands Restaurant. There is also prayer space available for attendees in the Mansion House.
Education Centre
The majority of the conference will take place in the Education Centre lecture theatre.
The entrance to the centre is ramped. The lecture theatre has step-free access, with ramped and stepped access to the majority of seating. There are 10 designated spaces for wheelchair users in the front row. There is ramped access to workshop breakout rooms within the building.
There is a fully accessible, gender neutral toilet near to the auditorium. Baby change facilities are available within the accessible toilet.
There is an induction loop in the lecture theatre.
Some in-person workshop sessions will take place in breakout spaces within the Education Centre: the Rainforest Room, Grasslands Room and Oceans Room. All have step-free access. None of these breakout spaces have induction loops.
There is Wi-Fi throughout the venue, which does not have a password and is free to use.
We will ensure clear signage and easily identifiable staff to provide support.
Attendees are welcome to wear masks and practice social distancing. We will open doors periodically to increase air circulation and quality, so please be sure to bring extra layers to wear.
Detailed accessibility information about the Education Centre can be found on AccessAble.
Mansion House
Some in-person workshop sessions will take place in the Mansion House, located a short distance away down a slope suitable for mobility scooters.
The entrance to the Mansion House is ramped. The workshop space is located on the ground floor. There is step-free access and corridors wide enough to allow wheelchair users to pass.
There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor near to the workshop space.
There is an induction loop in the workshop space.
Event staff will be on hand to direct and assist workshop attendees in getting to and from the venue. Please bring an outdoor jacket in case of bad weather!
There is a room on the first floor of the Mansion House available for prayer space. The room is only accessible via a set of stairs. Event staff will be on hand to show you to the room.
Detailed accessibility information about the Mansion House can be found on AccessAble.
Grasslands Restaurant
Lunch will take place in the Grasslands Restaurant, also located a short distance away down a slope suitable for mobility scooters.
The entrance to Grasslands Restaurant has a 4cm step. There is ample room for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre.
There are accessible toilets in the restaurant, located within the male and female standard toilet areas. There are baby change facilities in the female toilets.
Event staff will be on hand to direct and assist workshop attendees in getting to and from the venue. Please bring an outdoor jacket in case of bad weather!
Detailed accessibility information about Grasslands Restaurant can be found on AccessAble.
Catering
We have invited all participants to indicate their dietary requirements or allergies at the time of booking, and refreshments to suit a variety of dietary requirements will be provided. If you have any additional requirements, please contact us at hello@makeyourmark.scot.
During registration from 9.30am, we will have tea, coffee, water and juice, along with dairy and dairy-free milk available. There will also be vegan and gluten free biscuit options.
There will be a comfort and refreshment break in the morning and afternoon.
Lunch will consist of a hot buffet; vegan and gluten free options will be available.
