Entertainment For Lively Minds
Favourite Places for a day out
It was the GLW's birthday earlier this month. One of the big ones that people tend to make a fuss about, with expensive gifts, trips away being the norm.
All of these ideas were suggested but her choice was impeccable as always, a family day out at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
It's a place that ought to be far better known and possibly would be if it wasn't just off Junction 38 of the M1 on the border between Wakefield and Barnsley.
We have been going there for years, since our lads were nippers and we used the 500 acres of magnificent landscape and brilliantly designed exhibition halls to run the legs off them.
Now one is off at "Uni", the other has moved away for employment. Both were there to join us for a picnic to explore yet again the 60 (mostly) wonderful exhibits from the museum's own collection and the current stunning show by the Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa. A show that left even our hardnosed, science obsessed son speechless with admiration;
The weather was foul, the picnic was eaten in the car but it will remain a day like many others we have had at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park that I won't forget.
So Massive, you're a cultured bunch, where is your favourite place for a day out with or without the family?
- More from Sebastian Beach.
- Login or register to post comments
-
Brilliant
I had no idea of its existence - the photo is fabulous. I willc be going there. Thanks Sebastian.
Free Admission!
£5 for carparking. An absolute steal.
Great photo
Like an out-take from The Division Bell!
Too far from me for a half term day trip with the nippers. Alexandra Palace again for me tomorrow! Still a fantastic place.
I took my grandchildren to 'Ali Pali' last weekend
They have some new style 'boats' on the lake. I was stunned to find that they wanted £14 for us to have a go. I took them to that lovely little toy shop in Muswell hill where they spent the money there instead. I could afford the £14 but I'm sure that an awful lot of the families that go there could not. Rant over.
It is a lovely place to go with spectacular views over London.
Alexandra Palace
Sat my accountancy finals there many years ago.
All I can remember of the place is being sick with nerves beforehand and the vast hall set out for 900 exam entrants.
I have been 3 or 4 times
Just to see Jaume Plensa's work. The room with the five foot heads is literally awe inspiring - see Image 7 on this slide show:
http://www.ysp.co.uk/exhibitions/jaume-plensa
If I am ever on Desert Is. Discs I want to take it as my luxury.
Know it well
I'm wondering why you think it would be much better known if it weren't where it is. It's signed off the M1 which is very busy every time I'm on it. It's very well-known to the people in the locality and every time I go the car park is full.
And, I note, that they're currently advertising it on the London tube as a possible weekend break destination. Mind you, you've got to deal with Wakefield first.
Mostly used by locals?
Although it's easily accessible for much of the North and East Midlands, I always get the sense most people wandering around with their dogs and kids are locals, who use it more as public park rather than as a space to view art. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Our own use of the place has changed over time, as our family have grown up.
I'm not sure people in the North are as willing to travel for a day out as they may do in the South East. We are Derbyshire based and most folk around here in my experience rarely travel north of Meadowhall. I was also thinking of a good friend who lives in Manchester, rarely misses a big show at either Tate, but looked completely blank when I recommended the Plensa exhibition. I doubt he could conceive of any reason to make the trip across to South Yorkshire.
Wasn't aware that the place is advertising on the tube. Perhaps combined with the new Hepworth galleries it might encourage more to visit the region.
The new Barbara Hepworth museum in Wakefield
Is also very very good and well worth the visit. Who'd have thought Wakefield would become an artistic centre.
The Parks always busy so no idea why it needs to better known.
On a beautiful day
or a cold and snowy day the FPO and I love a wander to and around Richmond Park.
I have been
to the sculpture park a couple of times now during visits to my friends in Clayton West nearby. Great place to allow kids to run free and you can go time and time again and find something new each time. During my last visit to Yorkshire in September I also paid a visit to the National Coal Mining Museum for England on the outskirts of Wakefield which is well worth a visit. Wakefield cathedral is also wonderful if you like that sort of thing. Audio tour headsest available at no charge but donations welcome.
and its free
the coal mining museum free also - and you get to wear a hat with a lamp and go down the mine in the lift- proper boys stuff!
Whilst in Wakey
you could also go and look at my old school (and Heppy's). I think we may have over-lapped a bit too, so I have been in the presence of genius (crawl, crawl).
"Overlapped"?
Were you one of the older boys?
HURRAH!
I only live 10 minutes away and its been my favourite place since it opened years ago - the Andy Goldsworthy exhibition a couple of years ago was exceptionally brilliant, really suited the landscape and gallery site.
Cafe a bit expensive (as these places usually are) but it does do cracking lunch meals with proper local sourced produce.
the Jaume Plensa exhibiton is fantastic, really immense human sculptures in gorgeous outdoor settings.
Another fan here!
Haven't been in years (well, since I loved away from Yorkshire), but next time I head north, I'll definitely take my girls there.
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Lovely old steam and diesel trains clank at a funereal pace through a tranquil valley. The waiting rooms have coal fires and there are immaculately-dressed porters at each station.
On the way you'll pass the Railway Children house and the hill the children ran down to greet 'the old gentleman'.
Destinations include Haworth, which us slightly spoiled by shops selling Bronte tat (I'm sure I've seen a Heathcliff soap-on-a-rope) but the Bronte Parsonage Museum is great and the Fleece pub is one of only a handful to sell a full range of Timothy Taylors beers.
I never tire of the sculpture park and Salts Mill, in Saltaire, is great for Hockney fans although his works sometimes play second fiddle to the shops.
Salts Mill
I've only been there once, not long after they started redeveloping the mills and before the Hockneys arrived. I was fascinated by the history and architecture of the place as Salt's model village had/has remained so little altered from its original foundation.
It's a bit of a trek from here but will a further visit is overdue.
you didn't mention the gongs!!!!
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/everything-i-know-i-learnt-pop
Love the ysp especially that us lot in Barnsley persuaded Wakey to build,run and pay for place when it's over the hill in tarn!! It use to be Bretton Arts college campus allumni including the league of gentlemen . Think the natural accident of the valley is wonderful giving great views and setting for the pieces. Oh and yep the new Hepworth is good too especially on the inside! Never really got her work seemed a bit tasteful and pleasant but the galleries really show her work.in context well and I'm at least a partial convert.
As for people from further a field coming you'll need a car as they've not cracked public transport between the 2 yet.
The Gongs
Yes they are brilliant.
The underground galleries are a superb creation and imho one of the best conceived exhibition spaces I have visited anywhere in the UK.
Salts Mill
If you've done battle with Wakefield and won, then you'll be ready for Bradford. Salts Mill is well worth a visit, (great bookshop, excellent cafe / restaurant and The Home - a shop selling beautiful but often prohibitively overpriced furniture). All this minutes away from the Dales if you fancy a post lunch yomp..
http://www.saltsmill.org.uk/
After Salt's Mill
there is the Shipley Glen Tramway on the other side of the valley. I remember Peel did an article about it on Home Truths. Wonderful place.
http://www.glentramway.co.uk/
We are near the Wetlands and Willdfowl Trust at Arundel
although there are, I think, 9 around the country. Not so much a day out, more an afternoon but the kids still enjoy feeding the birds and looking out for watervoles. There's even one in Barnes, in That London. Good value for an annual family membership if, like us, you can get there quickly. Good tea and sticky buns too.