Things to do in Sheffield
Meadowhall Shops, Crucible Theatre, Watch Wednesday or United
Sheffield had a reputation for making the world's finest steel. As the traditional industry declined, the city has become a leading entertainment centre.
Sheffield is not a name often found in travel brochures, but the area boasts an impressive array of historic buildings, sporting facilities, theatres, modern shopping , industrial heritage and, believe it or not, beautiful countryside. First time visitors often get a big surprise, finding a city with a cherished industrial history, responding to the challenges of a changing world. Sheffield can offer:
Shopping
In the city centre, the usual array of high street names mingles with smaller independent traders. Fargate, Orchard Square and the Devonshire Quarter host a wide selection of small shops, eateries and good pubs. Four miles away, Meadowhall with 270 stores and an 11 screen cinema, is one of the UK’s largest and most successful shopping malls.
Sporting Facilities
Pond’s Forge has an Olympic standard competition swimming pool together with leisure pools and slides. Excellent facilities exist for roller-skating at Skate Central and ice-skating at Ice Sheffield, while Sheffield Ski Village is Europe’s biggest all season ski resort.
If you prefer to watch, there is plenty to see. Local soccer teams, Wednesday and United, compete in the Football League and, lower down the football hierarchy, Sheffield FC proudly claims to be the world’s oldest club. The World Snooker Championship comes to the Crucible Theatre every year and international athletics events take place at the Don Valley Stadium.
Theatres And Concerts
The Crucible, Lyceum and Studio Theatre combine to form England’s largest theatre complex outside of London, offering a wide variety of live entertainment.
A short tram ride from the centre takes you to the Hallam Arena which regularly hosts music events catering for all tastes. Girls Aloud, Meatloaf, James Last, Donny Osmond and Elton John are all booked to appear in 2007.
Museums And Galleries
The Millennium Galleries are four individual galleries under one roof, featuring treasures from the past, masterpieces from Britain's national collections and creations by modern artists. Built on two levels, the Galleries are found off an internal 'avenue' leading from the entrance on Arundel Gate to the Winter Gardens.
Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, on the banks of the River Sheaf, dates from the eighteenth century. A large water-powered site produced agricultural scythes, grass hooks and hay knives. Today, exhibits include waterwheels, tilt hammers, a grinding hull and the only intact crucible steel furnace surviving in the world.
Places To Stay
Accommodation ranges from bed and breakfast or budget hotel chains to Whitley Hall, an ivy clad 16th century mansion, set in secluded grounds, five miles north of the city centre.
A Base For Touring
Visit the stately homes, castles, gardens, farms and industrial heritage sites of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, or tour the stunning countryside of the Peak District National Park, which is only a short drive away from the centre of Sheffield.
Easy Access
Situated just off the M1, with excellent rail connections, Sheffield is within easy reach of all parts of the country. International airports at Manchester, Doncaster and Nottingham (East Midlands) are all less than an hours drive away.
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