Anne de Buck, travel writer from the Netherlands, visits The Outdoor City

Anne de Buck, a travel writer and blogger from the Netherlands made an autumn trip to Sheffield in 2019. She summed up her adventure in The Outdoor City with insights, highlights and tips for the weekend visitor.    

Below is the translated version; you can read her original article (in Dutch) here.

Do you fancy a weekend trip that is different than usual? Sheffield is the perfect destination for a city ​​trip with a high wanderlust content. Have breakfast at a hip industrial coffee shop and then grab your Dr. Martens for a hike in the Peak District which is a stone's throw from the city. Here I list why Sheffield lives up to its name as The Outdoor City and all my personal tips for discovering it's city hotspots!

The Peak District: No visit to Sheffield is complete without a visit to the Peak District National Park. A large national park that is less than half an hour outside the city and that is easily accessible from Sheffield by train (for example to Hathersage) or bus (271 or 272). There are many different hikes you can do of different lengths and for all levels. The hilly area is also known for the many climbing possibilities, for those who want it even more adventurous!

Walk from The Fox House to Hathersage: You can make the hikes or walks in the Sheffield area as adventurous as you want. Are you in the mood for a brisk climb? Or do you mainly want to take a nice walk that is not too difficult, so that you can also enjoy the surroundings and have a good conversation? If the latter, then the walk we took from The Fox House to Hathersage is perfect. The walk starts at The Fox House, a pub and inn that everyone in the area knows. Then you head towards the Longshaw Estate, where you enter the forest for a walk of about two hours through the Hope Valley. First over the moors and along the river and then through the forest towards Padley Gorge. If you keep following the river you will eventually end up in Hathersage where you can grab a bite to eat and drink at the Bank House or Colemans Deli restaurant, before taking the bus or train back to Sheffield. 

Burbage and Stanage Edge: Next time we are in Sheffield we will make the climb to Burbage and Stanage Edge. Two famous viewpoints on a rocky outcrop. The view from there is breathtaking!

Outdoor activities: Lovers of outdoor sports can indulge themselves in Sheffield. In addition to hiking and mountain climbing, you can do a lot more. For example, we encountered several mountain bikers while hiking. If you want to get on the water, there are possibilities for canoeing and kayaking in The Peak District. Also nice: you can do stand up paddle boarding on the water in the city. Better known in the Netherlands as paddle boarding! You can book several of these activities through the DC Outdoors organization. 

Street art: I am a huge fan of street art myself. Always a surprise what you will encounter when you walk through a city where many street art artists have been at work. Sheffield is an industrial city and the many murals and graffiti pieces fit perfectly into this raw picture. If you walk from the station to the center you will already come across a number of murals, for example at Howard Pub. Other areas where you can find a lot of street art are the streets around Ecclesall Road, Division Street and Kelham Island.

Kelham Island: This district used to be the heart of the steel industry and now you can find industrial buildings that have been transformed into museums, restaurants and galleries. A must to go to for good food and drinks!

Peddler Night Market: Unfortunately we weren't in Sheffield at the weekend, but if we had we would definitely have gone to the Peddler Night Market. This night market on Kelham Island is open on Friday evenings and Saturdays from noon. A creative breeding ground with lots of good food from one of the food stands and trucks, drink spots and live music. Here the locals bring in the weekend!

Indoor Food Markets: During a city trip I always enjoy checking out the city's indoor food markets. Here you eat (affordable) tasty street food and you can also enjoy a drink. There are two indoor food markets in Sheffield. Kommune is a food market in the center where you will find food stalls with food from all directions, but also good coffee from Tamper. There is also a small art gallery. On Kelham Island you will find the newly opened food market Cutlery Works. Here you can also have a drink at one of the long beer tables and there is an indoor sandbox for the kids.

Nice streets: Of course I also went in search of the nicest streets in Sheffield where you can discover the more unique shops, galleries and hotspots. For example, go to Ecclesall Road where you mainly meet locals. You will find several restaurants, coffee shops and shops. The street starts at Hunters Bar, the roundabout at Endcliffe Park. Close to Sharrowvale Road you will find many restaurants where you can also bring something to eat to eat in the park when the weather is nice. In the center of Sheffield, Division Street is a street not to be missed. Here you will find cozy pubs and also a number of beautiful concept stores.

Winter Garden: Here you go for a piece of nature in the middle of the city. The Winter Garden is a free green house near the Town Hall, where you can relax among the tropical plants.

Good to know: We have been in Sheffield for a total of two nights / three days and explored the city on the day of arrival and the day of departure and on the second day we went out into nature. A perfect combination!

About Anne de Buck

I write travel books and I live in Amsterdam with my son Manuel and my boyfriend. Your Little Black Book is the platform for anyone who likes to be informed about the best addresses in the Netherlands and far beyond, but does not have the time (or desire) to find out for themselves.