Built on seven hills with a third of the city inside a national park, Sheffield is the Steel City with the greenest outlook in England.
Sheffield is known around the world as the Steel City. For centuries its workers made knives, cutlery and tools, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it became the world centre of steel making. Crucible steel was perfected here, and in 1913 a Sheffield scientist, Harry Brearley, invented stainless steel. The phrase made in Sheffield became a mark of quality.
Sheffield is also one of the greenest cities in Britain. It is built on seven hills, a third of the city lies within the Peak District National Park, and it has more trees and parks than almost any city of its size. It is a friendly, down to earth city with a lively music scene, two universities and some of the best pubs in the country. This guide covers eight things to see and do, and how to get there.
1. The Peak District
The Peak District is Sheffield’s great back garden. The national park begins on the western edge of the city, and some of its most famous places are within half an hour of the centre. People from Sheffield can be walking on open moorland within minutes of leaving home.
Stanage Edge, a long gritstone cliff above the Hope Valley, is one of the most famous climbing spots in Britain, and it appeared in a well known film of Pride and Prejudice. Padley Gorge, a wooded valley with a tumbling stream, is lovely for a walk. The views from the edges across the valleys are breathtaking.
Castleton, a pretty village beneath the ruins of Peveril Castle, is famous for its caves, including Peak Cavern, the Speedwell Cavern, where you travel by boat through a flooded mine, and caverns where Blue John, a rare banded stone, is mined. Mam Tor, a hill above the village, has wonderful views. Chatsworth, one of the greatest country houses in Britain, is about half an hour south west of the city.
Buses and trains run from Sheffield into the Peak District, but many of the best spots are easiest to reach by car. A driver for the day lets you explore without worrying about narrow lanes and parking. The weather in the hills can change quickly, so take warm clothes.
2. The Winter Garden and the Millennium Gallery
The Winter Garden, in the heart of the city centre, is one of the largest temperate glasshouses built in Britain in the last hundred years. It opened in 2003, and its huge wooden arches shelter more than two thousand plants from around the world. It is free to visit.
Walking through the Winter Garden is a peaceful escape from the busy city. It is warm and green even in winter. It is a popular place to meet friends or sit with a book.
Next door, the Millennium Gallery has collections of art, craft and design, including the Ruskin Collection, founded by the Victorian writer John Ruskin for the working people of Sheffield. It also has a remarkable collection of Sheffield metalwork, from cutlery to silver. Entry is free, with charges for some exhibitions.
The Peace Gardens, in front of the Town Hall, have fountains, lawns and flower beds. On warm days children play in the fountains. It is the heart of the city centre.
3. Kelham Island
Kelham Island, just north of the city centre, was once one of the busiest industrial areas in Sheffield, full of steelworks and workshops. Today it is one of the city’s most popular neighbourhoods, with craft beer pubs, independent restaurants and new homes in old factory buildings. It has become one of the best areas in the North for eating and drinking.
The Kelham Island Museum tells the story of Sheffield’s industry. Its star exhibit is the River Don Engine, a huge steam engine built in 1905 to power a steel rolling mill, one of the most powerful working steam engines in Europe. Seeing it run is an unforgettable experience.
Kelham Island is famous for its pubs, many of them serving beer from Sheffield’s many independent breweries. Some of them have won national awards. The area is lively in the evenings and at weekends.
The Cutlery Works, a large food hall in an old cutlery factory, has many independent kitchens and bars under one roof. The neighbouring area of Neepsend has more breweries and restaurants. Kelham Island is a short walk or tram ride from the city centre.
4. The Crucible Theatre and the city centre
The Crucible Theatre is one of the most famous theatres in Britain, known for its thrust stage, which is surrounded on three sides by the audience. It stages plays, musicals and new work. Together with the Lyceum Theatre next door, it forms one of the largest theatre complexes outside London.
Every spring, the Crucible becomes the home of the World Snooker Championship, which has been held here since 1977. For more than two weeks, the world’s best players compete in the intimate theatre, and the tournament is broadcast around the world. Tickets for the final sell out quickly.
The city centre around the Crucible has been redeveloped in recent years, with new squares and buildings. Sheffield Town Hall, a grand Victorian building, faces the Peace Gardens. Division Street and West Street, nearby, are lined with independent shops, bars and restaurants.
Sheffield Cathedral, in the city centre, has medieval parts and a striking modern lantern. It is free to visit. The Moor, a long pedestrian street, has a large indoor market.
5. Sheffield Botanical Gardens and Weston Park
The Sheffield Botanical Gardens, in the west of the city, were opened in 1836 and cover about nineteen acres. Their three great glass pavilions, restored in the early 2000s, hold plants from around the world. They are among the finest Victorian glasshouses in Britain.
The gardens have lawns, flower beds, a rock garden and themed gardens from different parts of the world. They host concerts and events in summer. Entry is free.
Weston Park, a short walk away, is home to Weston Park Museum, which tells the story of Sheffield and has collections of natural history, archaeology and art. It is free, and it is very popular with families. The park itself has a lake and a bandstand.
The west of the city, around Ecclesall Road and Broomhill, has leafy streets, cafés and restaurants. Endcliffe Park, with a stream running through it, leads out towards the Peak District. It is one of the most pleasant parts of the city.
6. Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and the steel story
Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, in the south west of the city, is an eighteenth century works where scythes and other tools were made, powered by a huge water wheel. It is one of the best preserved industrial sites of its kind in the world. You can see the forges, the grinding hull and the workers’ cottages.
The hamlet gives a vivid picture of the working lives of Sheffield’s metal workers. On special days, craftspeople demonstrate the old skills. It is a fascinating place for families.
Sheffield’s steel story is everywhere in the city. Bishops’ House, a timber framed house from around 1500, is one of the oldest buildings in Sheffield. The city’s cutlers still work in small workshops, and you can buy Sheffield made knives and cutlery.
Park Hill, a huge block of flats built in the 1950s and 1960s on a hill above the station, is one of the most famous examples of brutalist architecture in Britain. It has been renovated and is now a listed building. It is a striking sight from the train.
7. Football and sport
Sheffield has a special place in the history of football. Sheffield FC, founded in 1857, is the oldest football club in the world. Many of the early rules of the game were written in the city.
Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United, is the oldest major stadium in the world still hosting professional football, having hosted matches since the 1860s. Sheffield Wednesday play at Hillsborough, one of the grand old grounds of English football. The rivalry between the two clubs is fierce.
Sheffield is also a centre for many other sports, with the English Institute of Sport and major venues for athletics, swimming and ice hockey. Climbing is hugely popular, thanks to the gritstone edges of the Peak District. The city is home to many outdoor gear shops.
On match days, the roads around the grounds are busy. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to get to and from the match.
8. Music and nights out
Sheffield has a proud music history. Bands such as the Human League, Def Leppard, Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys all came from the city. Its music scene is still thriving.
The city has venues of every size, from small pubs with live music to large arenas. Tramlines, a big music festival held in Hillsborough Park every summer, draws huge crowds. Sheffield also hosts Doc/Fest, one of the most important documentary film festivals in the world.
Sheffield’s nightlife is lively, especially around West Street, Division Street and Kelham Island. The city has a large student population, which gives it energy. Its pubs are some of the best in the country, with a strong real ale tradition.
After a night out or a gig, a car booked in advance is the easiest way home. The city is hilly, and walking home late can be hard work.
Where to eat and drink
Sheffield has its own famous condiment, Henderson’s Relish, a spicy sauce made in the city for more than a century. Locals put it on pies, chips and much more, and it is a source of fierce local pride. You will find it in almost every café and pub.
Kelham Island and the Cutlery Works food hall have some of the best independent food in the city. Division Street, Ecclesall Road and London Road have restaurants from around the world. Sheffield’s pubs are excellent, many serving beer from local breweries.
Getting there and getting around
Sheffield station is close to the city centre, with direct trains to London St Pancras in around two hours, and to Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and York. The Supertram links the station with the city centre, Hillsborough and Meadowhall.
Manchester, Leeds Bradford and East Midlands airports are each around an hour away by road. The M1 passes the eastern edge of the city. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Sheffield and the airports, and to explore the Peak District. See our Manchester to Sheffield and other city journeys.
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