Welcome to Sheffield
Welcome to Sheffield, which has just been named the second-best city break destination in all of Europe. So, we’ve come here today to find out what all the fuss is about, starting with a visit to Sheffield Botanical Gardens.
Discovering the Botanical Gardens
Well, we found the rock garden. This is beautiful—nice little waterfall, some ducks have just landed on the water as well, they’re swimming around, and the weather is on our side. Oh, the weather is on point. Also, there are fish in the water as well. I was not expecting that. That’s koi, is it koi? There’s no need to be koi about it. It’s a wild Sheffield cat. He’s got a crushy little life, he. That’s got a crushy little life. Morning, morning, dude. Oh, oh, it was so beautiful. Oh, so beautiful. Hello, friendly locals.
The Bear Pit Mystery
So, we found the Bear Pit, and we don’t know whether this was actually a bear pit or whether it’s just ornamental. There’s nothing here with information, like a little plaque. Yeah, so if anybody knows the history of this, then let us know in the comments below because we’re not sure. There is a bear in there. We could Google it, obviously. He’s not real—well, I hope not, ’cause he’s looking pretty stiff.
A Stroll Through the Glass Pavilion
Now, I’m no horticulturalist, so I don’t know the names of many plants, but there are these little tags, and I quite like the name of this one. It’s called The Hairy Canary Clover or Lotus hutus. Does your hirsute issue, sir? Now that is a tree. Now that is very bright. I feel like I’m in Japan. I need sunglasses a bit. This is cool. We’ve come into the glass pavilion. Obviously, it’s like a greenhouse in here. It is a greenhouse, and it feels like a greenhouse. It’s very warm. It’s lovely, though. It’s really nice. This is going to be incredible because I’m assuming there’s going to be loads of exotic plants like the banana palm and everything behind you. We love—Isn’t that a chocolate something to do with chocolate, or am I wrong? I’m wrong. Oh, like the cocoa stuff? Yeah, maybe. I can’t believe this is all free to visit. I know. We didn’t think this was going to be open. We thought it was going to be 11:00, so we weren’t going to come here. Don’t listen to Google. Google will tell you it’s open at 11:00. It’s always wrong. Open at 9. Making our way through the jungles of Sheffield. So, Jason’s just looked at the temperature—actually 34°C in here, and I’m wearing a hoodie. Nice spot you find there, just taking it all in. Nice iced latte, but picture perfect. The seat’s actually really cool. Do not touch that. No, would really.
Breakfast at Joanie
Excuse me, can you tell us where we can get some breakfast? That way. That way, apparently. Over there. Thanks. Well, we’ve just been for breakfast in a place called Joanie, which is tucked in one of the corners of the botanical gardens. Absolutely beautiful place to sit and have something to eat. Incredible views over the botanical gardens as well, and the staff were really friendly, giving us loads of tips about what we should see in the city today. But critically, the food did not disappoint. Really, really good coffee, which obviously is the most important thing, and that breakfast sandwich—it was incredible. Oh, sausage, bacon, really yummy bread. You could tell it wasn’t cheap food, and it wasn’t that expensive in there either, though. So, you know, it looks like it should be expensive. It’s expensive. It’s a bit of a bougie-looking place, but the price really wasn’t that bad.
Western Park Museum and Art Gallery
Our next stop was the Western Park Museum and Art Gallery, which has a little bit of everything from natural history to ancient Egypt. But there’s a big focus on the history of Sheffield, way back from prehistoric times all the way up to modern day, including exhibitions on some of the industry and people that have made the city what it is, as well as local archaeological finds and artwork by local artists. Josh, there’s the head of a T-Rex. Go on, go and pose with your idol. Resemblance is uncanny. Just been in the ancient Egypt section as well, and there was a sarcophagus in the middle. They call it sarcophagus—the tomb thing, something—and I was reading there’s actually a mummified person in there. Oh, is there? There’s a mummy of a woman. Oh, you know this museum’s haunted. 100%. All of these stuffed animals definitely come alive at night. Imagine being here, and that woolly rhino comes alive. That thing’s huge. Have you ever watched Night at the Museum? Yep, that’s this museum. Well, it’s not, but it does the same thing.
Kellam Island Museum
Lower Walkley, please, driver. What? Lower Walkley, please. 10p, please. Oh, cheap. Like it. Oh no. This is the Kellam Island Museum, built on a man-made island that’s over 900 years old in one of the oldest industrial districts in Sheffield. This museum took us completely by surprise, focusing on the heritage and industry that made Sheffield what it is, with a big focus, of course, on the steel-making industry, with Sheffield being known as the Steel City. Well, she looks like she’s been buffering still for a little while too long. Of course, the good thing about this museum being free to enter is it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. All right, time for you to clock on for your shift. Worst part of the day. All right, get dressed. Looking good, Josh. You’re ready for a day now. Thank you. Well, we were really enjoying this museum, but we got so lost in the maze downstairs that is the steelworks museum part that we nearly completely missed this whole upstairs section, which is the transport gallery. Well, we were going to leave. It was like, we haven’t seen the cars yet—or car. We saw on Google. Google told us there were cars, and we were like, where is it? There were some stairs that were blocked off, but we found it. It’s fine. Yeah, we didn’t turn left at one point. There was a tiny little room with some stairs up, and we found it. Now, I’m glad we did because there’s like an old stagecoach here that’s really cool. And then there’s a clock next to a big maiden. I keep hearing ticking. It’s really throwing me off. Like, every time it does it, I’m like, what’s that? And then I realize it’s the clock. Yes, so this is the boiler that powers the River Don engine, which we’ve just seen, which is the largest, most powerful surviving steam engine in Britain. A little bit disappointed because it’s not actually working at the moment. They’ve got an issue with gas supply, apparently, which powers this massive boiler. Also, it smells like butter in here, and I don’t really know why. Odd. Who’s whistling? That’s creepy. Oh, it’s an owl. Josh, did you need the loo? Need a toilet. Be right back. I like the way they’ve actually put the thing there. What do you mean, a thing? Put like a sheet on it. Oh, so you can’t use it. So wee or poops on it, basically.
The Peace Gardens and Winter Garden
Now, we saw this green police box last time we were here, and it still fascinates us because it is an actual old working police box. Obviously not used anymore, but I’m still convinced there’s like some sort of secret society or something behind there. It’s like a TARDIS or something, and there’s like a secret nightclub for only special people allowed. Come on in. You need to know the password. Now, this has to be one of our favorite parts of Sheffield city center—the Peace Gardens. Right outside the town hall, it’s described as the heart of the city, and it’s easy to see why because there’s just people everywhere around here playing in the water fountains and just sitting, chilling out, enjoying the weather. Brave enough to run through like that kid just did? Maybe in summer. Now, no. And then right next door is the Winter Garden, which is like this massive indoor tropical house that you can just wander through and sit down, take a bit of a chill if it’s cold or raining. We’ve literally just sat in there for 20 minutes because we’ve done a lot of walking today. Now, we saw this elephant last time we were here, and people in the comments pointed out to us that it was an Arctic Monkeys elephant, and we can definitely see it this time because it literally says it on the back of the elephant’s leg. I don’t know how we didn’t notice that last time. I don’t know how. I just hit my head on this tree.
Comfort Food at Brusi
Anyway, I’m starving. I mean, to be fair, we haven’t eaten that much all day. No. How about I take you somewhere really nice? Oh my God, Brusi was amazing. So good. They describe themselves as a comfort food emporium, and I think they just about nailed that spot on. They weren’t wrong. That mac and cheese was unlike anything I think I’ve ever tasted in the UK before. We even took some home. We did. I’d like to say we finished it all, but I’m absolutely full to the brim now, though, so I think we definitely need to walk that off.
A Walk Along Sheffield and Tinsley Canal
Where better to walk it off than the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal? Now, we’re not going to walk too far along the canal tonight. It’s very peaceful out here, apart from Josh standing on sticks, and there’s not many people walking along here, probably because we’re leaving the city center behind. But we have seen on Google Maps that there is some street art somewhere along here, so we’re hoping we’re going to go and find that. And one of the reasons we love walking along canals is because you never quite know what you’re going to see, like the boat we’ve just walked past that’s got loads of skeletons around it, which is a bit strange and a little unnerving. They obviously want to scare us away. Well, they’re not going to. I’m finding this street art even if I end up as bones. Grim. Grim. Well, there is street art, and there is graffiti, and there’s definitely both of them here. Unfortunately, some of the wannabe graffiti artists—I was going to call them artists, we use that term loosely—have graffitied over the top of the street art. I don’t know why people bother. Why spoil it? Because they haven’t got the talent to recreate it, that’s probably why. Jealousy. But it didn’t ruin our enjoyment of it, though. Some of that is really, really good. Very, very good. Go, go, go, go. I was not expecting you to do that. You talk into a monster on the wall.
Ending the Day at South Street Park
We decided to end our day at South Street Park, where there’s this incredible amphitheater built into the hillside. And as you can see, it’s a really popular spot with the locals for sunset, and it’s easy to see why. Another title that’s been given to Sheffield, though, is the greenest city in the UK, with more trees than any other city. And it’s helped by its close proximity to England’s first-ever national park, the Peak District, which is another fantastic reason to visit Sheffield and use it as a base because it’s literally right on the Peak District’s doorstep. So why not join us as we explore some of that incredible national park? Click the video on screen now as we hike from Ladybower Reservoir all the way up to Bamford Edge. We’ll see you over there.