Route: Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Area: West Yorkshire
Date of walk: 2nd November 2016
Walkers: Andrew, and later on Gilly, Lucy, Phoebe and baby Bobby
Distance: 7.1 miles
Weather: Weak sun morning, brighter in the afternoon
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is a 500 acre outdoor art gallery set in the rolling parkland of Bretton Hall and featuring the work of British and international artists, including Henry Moore. After picking up a map of the grounds at the YSP Centre I set off down the hillside towards the Upper Lake
I followed a path through attractive woodland which took me round the Upper and Lower Lakes before returning to the Centre to meet up with my fellow walkers (the description ‘walkers’ is used very loosely here since Phoebe is still a toddler and Bobby can’t walk yet). Progress from here on slowed down a little as we made our way around some of the highlights I’d identified earlier
We all had a brilliant time and I can recommend a visit to this place. Even though I covered 7 miles I missed out large areas of the estate including the whole of the Longside area
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The start of the walk as I leave the YSP Centre and enter into the gardens
‘Let 100 Flowers Bloom’ by Swiss artist Not Vital
As I passed through the gardens, these are a few of the sculptures that caught my eye…
Riace III by Elisabeth Frink
‘Arcadia’ by Leo Fitzmaurice (the artwork is the sign in case you’re wondering, as was I - and I still am)
‘Ten Seated Figures’ by Magdalena Abakanowicz
‘Lady Hare’ by Sophie Ryder
‘Small Lie’ by Kaws
I enter Bridge Royd Wood beside the Upper Lake
Bridge over the River Dearne
The river is dammed to form the two lakes in the parkland, so is more like a steam here
The Boat House and underneath it ‘Eddy’ by JocJonJosch - a collective of three artists
‘Tree and fallen leaves’ by God
Bretton Hall seen as I approach Lower Lake
I cross the stepping stones over a small stream
Autumn reflections
Menagerie Wood
‘Seventy-One Steps’ by David Nash
Looking across to the lake as I walk through the parkland back to to the YSP Centre
One of several Henry Moore bronzes in the park
A rare selfie as I join up with Gilly, Lucy, Phoebe and baby Bobby
The Kaws’ sculptures were a great hit with Phoebe
Near Cascade Bridge we decided to walk along the left bank of Lower Lake (I’d followed the right hand side earlier)
A heron…
One for the family album - Lucy, and Bobby making his first appearance on Andrew’s Walks
Looking along Lower Lake just before we started to head back to the YSP Centre
‘Reclining Figure Arch Leg’ by Henry Moore
A last look back over the park - it had been a superb visit which we’d all enjoyed
