Sitting in Endcliffe Park with a plateful of egg and chips and a cup of tea from the cafe: we can't think of a better start to a summer's day in Sheffield. It's not just the brekkie that keeps us coming back to Endcliffe, though; just off Hunter's Bar roundabout and set back from busy Ecclesall Road, Endcliffe is a surprisingly peaceful park, and its paths lead in the direction of the not-too-distant Peak District.
The park opened in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Which explains her stern-looking statue standing by the entrance, offering its regal welcome. The park's paths wind past a big green, through leafy shade and by sparkling streams, leading its many walkers and runners to a play area, picnic benches, a bouncy castle and rides (in summer), and a duck pond beyond.
For a round walk of an hour or so, follow the Porter Brook all the way through the park, take a look at the grinding workshop at Shepherd Wheel as you pass by (one of the oldest industrial sites in the city), and head on to Forge Dam, where you can pick up an ice-cream at the cafe before turning back or continuing on the Sheffield Round Walk path.
Endcliffe Park is also great for a bit of nature-spotting: we’ve spied kingfishers by the ponds and, during autumn dusk, bats swooping between the branches of the oak tree by the park’s gates. The park's not shy of throwing a party either – it puts on the Great Sheffield Duck Race each spring, launching a couple of thousand of yellow rubber ducks down the Porter Brook, and in summer it hosts Pride Sheffield.
- Words by
- Claire Thornley
- Images by
- Gemma Thorpe