Car-free adventures aroundSheffieldSouth Yorkshire
Chatsworth House, with art from four millennia and hundred-acre gardens, is a 45 minute bus ride from Sheffield and makes an entertaining day trip (see 2 below). Several scenic train rides radiate out from Sheffield, providing further great car-free days out, whether it's a journey through the wild heart of the Peak District towards Manchester or along the Rother Valley to Nottingham (see 4). Within the city itself, you can walk very easily from the railway station to some great art galleries and Europe's largest urban glasshouse (see 1). Or ride the Supertram for panoramic views (see 3).
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1. Millennium Gallery and more on foot
An easy five-minute walk from the train (and bus) station, up pedestrianised, studenty Howard Road, the Millennium Gallery is a small but perfectly formed museum of arts and crafts in the heart of Sheffield. And Europe’s largest urban glasshouse, with nearly 3000 tropical plants, is just outside the doors at the far end of the Millennium Gallery. The gallery and the energy-efficient Winter Garden were created as part of the £120 million Heart of the City project in 2001. Follow Good Journey’s directions.
- This landscaped city hub could hardly be easier to reach: it’s a fun, five-minute walk from Sheffield Railway Station (or the bus interchange next door). Cross the road outside the station and head up past the half-timbered pub. Look out on the way for huge murals and a mosaic water feature.
- The Millennium Gallery has some big-name exhibitions, like Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings, alongside shiny permanent displays of the city’s famous metalwork and a great, revamped café downstairs.
- There’s also a gallery dedicated to John Ruskin, the grumpy Victorian art critic – his passions for wildlife and social justice feel more relevant than ever.
- Don’t miss the Graves Gallery – just over the road with a really interesting selection of paintings. All the museums are free to visit.
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2. Bus to Chatsworth
Thirty rooms of art and elegance are on show at Chatsworth House, forty-five minutes bus ride away from Sheffield in the Peak District. There’s a hundred-acre garden, full of ponds and cascades, flowerbeds, rockeries and a maze. And – beyond the gardens – the thousand acres of parkland, criss-crossed by walking trails and grazed by cattle, sheep and deer. Picnic, play or have a wander. As if all that’s not enough, there’s a petting farm and adventure playground to keep the kids entertained.
- Bus 218 (Peak Line) runs every day, including Sundays, from Stand D2 at the Interchange near Sheffield Railway Station heading for Bakewell. The bus that leaves at ten past each hour stops outside Chatsworth. Follow Good Journey’s directions.
- On the way, the bus goes via the pretty Beauchief area, passing a lake and wooded gardens, before going on into the Peak District National Park. Miles of dramatic moorland stretch out to the horizon, dotted with cairns and ancient monuments.
(Thanks to Chatsworth House for the images and to Simon Broadhead in particular for the photo of the maze below).
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3. Ride the Supertram and save money
Not only is Sheffield’s tram a clean, fast, fun mode of transport – it saves you money on city sights. All three Supertram routes pass the cathedral (have a look inside!) in the middle of the city. A day ticket entitles you to discounts at some of Sheffield’s attractions.
- You could simply ride the blue line, which leaves every ten minutes, up into the hills around the city, passing the brutalist apartment blocks at Park Hill, which feature in latest series of Doctor Who.
- And there’s a great view over Sheffield from near the Spring Lane tram stop.
- Paradise Island Adventure Golf gives you 2 for 1 entry with your tram ticket. The Valley Centertainment tram stop (yellow and purple lines) is just outside.
- Entry to Kelham Island museum is free for all visitors and is just a 5-minute walk from Shalesmoor tram stop. On a 900-year-old man-made island in the River Don, the museum explores Sheffield’s industrial heritage.
- Open every day for free, you can learn more about the city’s history at Weston Park Museum, not far from the University of Sheffield tram stop (blue and yellow lines). You can get even closer on the number 51 or 52 buses.
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4. Scenic Train Rides
The railway from Sheffield to Manchester along the Hope Valley is one of the UK’s loveliest lines. Emerging from a tunnel under Totley Moor, the train arrives at Grindleford with its legendary station café.
- The railway runs on through the Peak District to Hope and Edale past spectacular hilly scenery. The 40-mile journey from Sheffield to Manchester has 80 minutes of great views each way.
- The line that runs south from Sheffield along the Rother Valley may not be quite as dramatic, but it ends in vibrant Nottingham, a city so good we’ve written two guides to it.
