Sheffield, The Best of the Steel City.
Sheffield might not be a super obvious place to visit in the UK, but it actually makes a stunning weekend break.
Located in South Yorkshire, 61% of Sheffield is green space. It’s just to the East of the Peak District and is only an hour by train from Manchester. In the 19th century Sheffield was renowned for its steel. It played a pivotal part in the industrial revolution of the UK.
Upon arriving I was immediately impressed by the square outside the train station. There was this beautiful water feature and fountains curving up towards the City.
It was only a short walk up to my hotel. I was staying at the Mercure right in the centre. On the way there was some really cool street art to find.
I dropped my bag off at the hotel which was really nice and great location. Literally next door was this really cool urban glasshouse called Winter Garden! It houses more than 2000 plant specimens from around the world and was gorgeous. There were a couple of other cool architecturally interesting buildings nearby too.
The Millennium gallery is also just around the corner and this gives you loads of info on the history of Sheffield. It’s got some amazing pieces made of steel and some really cool art.
It’s a really nice space, I grabbed a coffee and found myself in the peace gardens surrounded by even more beautiful old buildings. I’d heard good things about Kelham Island so wandered down towards this area.
Kelham Island is a neighborhood along the river Don that’s renowned for its microbreweries and hipster vibe and it didn’t disappoint! I stopped at the Kelham Museum first to get a little history of Sheffield. This place was fab, lots to see and do and a few fun interactive bits.
It was a beautiful day so when I left so I decided to sit outside and grab a drink. I stopped at a pub called the Mill Owners Arms opposite the museum and got a couple of beers and a snack.
This got me right in the mood for a good pub crawl. So I wandered over to The Fat Cat for a pint and sat in their beautiful outdoor space. I even spotted a mural of famous Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker who was born in Sheffield.
There were so many cool murals around here, and so much choice for food and drinks. As I wandered I spotted a cool place called Salt and stopped for more food and another drink! The weather was so good and there was a really good atmosphere around. I got some dumplings and BAO buns, yum!
My next stop was a place I’d read about online called Church, Temple of Fun. Just the name made me intrigued and I’m glad I went. It was so cool inside with loads to look at, plus some really cool gaming booths.
The Jesus waving the pride flags was brilliant, definitely made me feel welcome straight away. I wanted to check out Cutlery works next, a big food hall with loads of yummy sounding food but it was too busy so I stopped at the Gardener’s Rest nearby. I was hungry again so had a quick Google of somewhere nearby and found Heist Brewery just next door!
This place was amazing, I wanted to try so many beers and they all sounded delicious. I went for a Seven Brothers B’nananut which was so tasty. Then I ordered so much good food. Fried pickles, Vegan duck loaded fries and Mac n cheese bites. Honestly couldn’t believe how good it all was, but I was so stuffed after it.
I decided to walk back to the City centre and have a little rest in the hotel before going to check out the only Gay bar in Sheffield! I knew I was close when I spotted these cool angel rainbow wings and just round the corner was Dempsey’s gay bar. It was cool inside and just your typical gay bar really. So I had a couple of drinks and got on the karaoke then was ready for my bed.
The next day I had a bit of a sore head, but I’d read about this amazing brunch place nearby called Tamper Sellers Wheel and it did not disappoint. I got these amazing corn fritters with poached egg and they sorted me right out.
This quick visit to Sheffield was awesome and I would definitely recommend visiting. The food and drink scene seemed really buzzing with something for everyone. Loads of cool murals and lots more to do that I didn’t get a chance to try. If you’re interested in more things to do in Yorkshire, check out this blog HERE.
ALWAYSANOVICE 