Sheffield lies to the east of the South Pennine hills. It is at the south east corner of the 3 main cities of the north of England: Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield.
Like the other cities, it has an industrial past, but now is quite modern with lots of green space and an abundance of trees.
It is a pleasant city to live in for many, with the hills of the Peak District national park to its west within easy reach, and the green fields of Derbyshire to its south.
It is known as a city of hills, and much of the city is built on hills. I remember visiting it by bicycle in my twenties and the hills from the south side of the city into the Peak District were long and tough.
It has a history of steel making especially cutlery, and Sheffield cultlery was known across the world for its fine quality. Also around the city was a number of steel plants including some near Rotherham just to the east of Sheffield. Coal mining too was historically a major industry in the area.
Many 1000’s of students attend its Universities and the areas of Crookes, Broomhill, Sharrow and Netheredge have a high ratio of students living in them. There are plenty of pubs and shops aimed at them, giving these districts a youthful feel.
The city has many parks and these break up the urban aspect of Sheffield. Endcliffe Park was closest to where I lived and often hosted part of Sheffields festivals.
Tramlines festival has been a major festival for the city through the years, and is something I have returned to many times. It started as a free festival in the city centre and it was possible to see some music acts and reacquaint oneself with the changing city with a yearly visit.
Sheffield’s closeness to the Peak District means it is easy to get to the eastern side of the national park. With Snake Pass going over to the west past Ladybower reservoir, then to the south, roads lead to the Hope Valley with the interesting Winnats Pass, also taking you to the west side of the national park. Crossing to Manchester in snow over Winnats is something I will never forget.
The south side of the Peak District is more rural, the north side more hilly and good for walking. Both areas can be easily reached from Sheffield. Stannage Edge is known for climbing and has good views across the park.
On the east side of Sheffield is the enormous Meadowhall shopping centre. Not really for me, but the food hall had plenty of options. So if you like shopping it can be reached easily from the east of the city and also the M1 motorway.
When I go back, I tend to stay in the city centre and there’s is plenty to look round. The Winter Gardens are a beautiful oasis of green, the area near the Leadmill and station has some interesting hangouts in the industrial buildings, and Division Street and West Street are lively with many interesting shops and bars to check out.