Access

Visiting the site

Visitors should follow the signage to the nearest entrance, this is usually at the Gatehouse on the South Side of the Abbey, along a wooden walkway or at the South West Door of the Abbey. Staff are always on hand at the Nave to help with access. Visitors will be able to explore all areas of the site, including the palace and abbey nave, before moving through into the abbey church – an active church (not in our care), it was built on the site of the east end of the earlier church.

Access to the Palace is through the gatehouse welcome area, through the door, down two steps and along a narrow walkway to the Palace stairs, 23 stairs in a narrow spiral staircase.
Throughout the palace are stairs at the Pittencrieff park, taking to lower levels and two sets of steps within the palace to access the various rooms.
The undercroft of the Palace is lit and is on one level.
Alternative access can be made through Pittencrieff park, please ask a staff member to help facilitate this.
Access to the Refectory is down a spiral staircase off the wooden walkway, there is no alternative access route, entry & exit are the same route.
The abbey nave is reached through the graveyard, which has tarmac paths
The nave is entered through the southwest door. There are three steep stone steps. If you require level access to the nave, please contact us in advance to arrange this
Inside, the nave is on the level, with a floor of historic stone slabs. The nave is usually quiet and light levels can be low. The stained glass windows can look beautiful with light shining through them
After exploring the nave, visitors may enter the abbey church (not in our care). Accessible entry to the abbey church is located at the Northeast Door opposite Abbot House.
The inside of the abbey church is well-lit, with a mixture of natural and artificial lighting. It is mainly level. The flooring is a mixture of wooden boards with carpeted areas
Visitors then leave out the northeast door via a ramp which can accommodate wheelchairs if required

Car and bicycle parking

There is no visitor car park at the site. It is possible to drop visitors off near the entrance to the site.

There is on-street parking around 100m from the entrance to the abbey nave. There are no accessible bays.

There are no bicycle racks at the site. The nearest are at Carnegie library, which is a two minute walk to the abbey.

Toilets

There are no visitor toilets available on site. The nearest toilets, including adapted toilets and a Changing Places toilet, are in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries, approximately 100m from the site.

Dogs

Assistance dogs are permitted at all our sites and within roofed areas. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and not left unattended at any time. Owners must pick up after their dogs.

Visitors' dogs are not permitted in roofed areas.