Inter-Railing Sheffield Style

In which we took to the trams to explore all over Sheffield!

The exam period is always a stressful time, one which apparently I deal with by getting a bus/tram ticket and going on an adventure. The week before we went on the tram, myself and Ian went to Eyam and Bakewell (a nearby village and town respectively) on the bus just because we could.

A few weeks ago, I went and bought a day-rider tram ticket and travelled across Sheffield with a friend. Currently, with a 'Zoom Card', a single journey costs 80p, so for us to maximise the day rider ticket we bought (£5 each) we would have to make at least 6 journeys. Well, 6 journeys plus 20p spare if we bought a new ticket every time we got on and off of the tram.

In the end, we made what can be split into 8 journeys, and that's how I've decided to organise this blog post. We didn't make it to Herding's Park or Rotherham Central (meaning we didn't take a Purple tram or the TramTrain) but given there was daylight for just under 9 hours (between 07:51 and 16:48) and we didn't start until after 10am, I think we pretty effectively used our time and day-rider fare.

1. Netherthorpe Road - Malin Bridge

We met at Netherthorpe Road, a tram stop in the middle of well, Netherthorpe Road (maybe not too surprising that). Netherthorpe Road (to my knowledge) is the only tram stop in Sheffield that's an island tram stop (meaning the doors open on a different side to the other stops on the route). We went from here to Malin Bridge, the end of the Blue Route where a Lidl and a bridge can be found.

2. Malin Bridge - Halfway

We then travelled the entire Blue route and found some lovely views by Arbourthorne Road (which we came back to later).

3. Halfway - Crystal Peaks

Then, we took some time away from the tram and visited Crystal Peaks shopping centre. I collected an Argos order and Ian found some Hot Cross Buns for the blind tasting session he'd planned for later in the week. We also had coffee and cake to refuel as at this point we were both quite hungry and had several plans before we would get over to IKEA. We tried to visit Crystal Peaks Library as they have a book I want to read that Central Library doesn't, but we discovered it is shut on Wednesdays.

4. Crystal Peaks - Arbourthorne Road

We then got the tram back to the amazing views that we'd seen on our way up. Because again we fancied a bit of a break, we walked through Norfolk Park, a green space in the area. It was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday lunchtime and we found a trampoline that was built into the floor which was quite fun.

We ended up by Park Hill Flats and stopped to take some pictures with the Polaroid camera I'd bought with me.

5. Fitzalan Square/Ponds Forge - Carbrook

Having walked just barely into town, we then got the tram from Fitzalan Square to Carbrook (where IKEA and Hobbycraft). We saw another of our friends who happened to be at IKEA at the same time and had lunch in the restaurant there. We also stopped in Jollyes (a pet shop) and looked at the menagerie of birds, fish, and rodents that they had there.

6. Carbrook - Middlewood

Having eaten, we decided to go to the other end of the Yellow Route (having done Blue earlier and having been to the Meadowhall tram stop numerous times). This tram was much busier than the one we'd caught to go to Halfway earlier that day given it was nearing 5pm at this point.

7. Middlewood - Hillsborough

by the time we got the tram to Hillsborough, the sun was fully setting but we had decided we'd go to the huge Morrisons up there (it was built in a former army barracks) and I needed something to eat for tea.

8. Hillsborough - University/West Street

We then got the final tram of the day, from Hillsborough to town. We got off at different tram stops because we live other sides of Netherthorpe Road and neither of us fancied the hill back up from that tram stop.

Both of us have said we'd like to do it again in the summer when it's a bit lighter for longer and maybe take more people along for the ride (we went towards the end of exam period but a lot of our friends hadn't finished at this point).