Kelham Island started life as one of the first industrial districts of Sheffield with factories and houses jostling alongside each other. At the heart of the area is the River Don and the goit that created the original ‘island’. 800 years later, Kelham Island has been named Britain’s greatest urban neighbourhood and its pubs were listed by the New York Times as one of the best places to visit in the world.

Led by a local resident Anders Hanson, this tour will tell you the story of Kelham Island’s origins growing from countryside the heart of the city’s metal working industries. It will show you some of the great architecture and art such as Green Lane Works, Cornish Place and Globe Works. You’ll discover the life of one of Britain’s foremost anti-slavery campaigners, a notorious murderer, and a groundbreaking poet. At the heart of all this is the industrialists, manufacturers and workers whose wares were world famous, putting Sheffield on the map, but often at great personal cost.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Walks are £10 and take around two hours. You need to book online in advance.

Walks start outside Kelham Island Museum next to the Bessemer Converter (S3 8RY - map here) and finish nearby. The distance is around 1.2 miles (2 km).

Kelham Island is about a 10-15 minute walk from the city centre, or the free Sheffield Connect bus SC2 stops on Millsands around a 5 minute walk from the meeting place for the walk. If you are driving, on-street parking in Kelham Island is now pay and display which has made it easier to find a parking space. Do check the signs, but the streets nearest the museum are usually £2 to park all day on a Sunday. Alternatively, there is a pay and display car park a 5 minute walk away at Brookshaw Park opposite the Kelham Island Tavern on Russell Street (S3 8RW - map here). Although Kelham Island Museum has its own car park, it is only available to those who are also visiting the museum (more details on their website). Entry to the museum is free, with parking free for the first hour but £1.50 per hour after that.

Most of the walk is accessible, however one part of the walk involves a uneven surface with cobbles. Well behaved dogs are welcome.

You can also find the answers to more general Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

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WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT KELHAM ISLAND WALKS