One of the things that makes me instantly, irrationally angry is when someone uses the word ‘staycation’ to mean a holiday that doesn’t involve leaving the country.
No. That’s a holiday.
A staycation is when you stay in your own town and city and make the effort to explore it in a deeper, more curious way.
There’s something inherently snobby about assuming that holidaying within your own country is not really holidaying, but more to the point, an actual staycation – reminding yourself that the place you live is actually fascinating and interesting – can work wonders if we’re getting bored or habituated to the place we live.
I live in Sheffield, a city with more trees per person than any city in Europe. We also have 180 designated woodland sites, of which 70 are ancient woodland, all in this northern English city.
It’s honestly remiss of me to not be constantly taking advantage of being in such greenery and beauty.
Yet I often forget to explore. I forget to delight in what’s around me, instead going repeatedly to the same places, getting bored, and ignoring that there are wonders surrounding me.
These last few months, I have been making a concerted effort to go to different places, especially green spaces and blue spaces. It’s good for my mental health, it’s good for my physical health, and it reminds me to marvel in my surroundings again.
When we go somewhere new, for instance on holiday, we often make an effort to See Everything. Why do we not do that on our days off work at home? I can highly recommend making the effort, wherever we live.
You may not be blessed to live in glorious Yorkshire, but the place you live will also have things you have forgotten about, or things you never know about in the first place.
For you, that might not be greenery and water. It might be a vibrant nightlife or a thriving restaurant scene (that you somehow forgot about when you ate out at the same three places for the last 12 months).
But finding your thing, and being intentional about being open to new experiences and new places, can be so enriching; I’m having a great time.
In Sheffield, some of the places I’ve been lately include:
Crabtree Ponds Nature Reserve
This is one of those truly “I had no idea this was here!” places, hidden away in Burngreave near the Northern General Hospital. Despite being by two very busy main roads, Crabtree Ponds Nature Reserve is a little oasis of calm with water, ducks, plants, trees and flowers.
I took a book but ended up just staring wistfully at the water for an hour. Absolutely stunning.
Disabled access-wise, it was fairly nightmarish, so I’m not sure I’ll be visiting again in a hurry, but for anyone wondering what to do in that part of town, Crabtree Ponds is a lovely spot.
Upperthorpe Peace Garden
Hidden behind a library and swimming pool, Upperthorpe Peace Garden is a cute, small space with interesting plants and a blackboard where you can write your thoughts and messages, and there are plans to make this small space “a refuge for native British herbs and edibles”.
Cholera Monument
I’ll be honest, people told me how great the Cholera Monument was many times before I went there – it just sounded so unpleasant!
However, they were right. There is indeed a monument to “the memory of 402 persons who died of Asiatic cholera during the epidemic of 1832”, and there are also absolutely cracking views across the city.
Manor Lodge
These ruins in Sheffield held Mary Queen of Scots captive for many years, and are visible but protected from direct exploration by the public. However, they are fascinating to wander around and there are some exceptional views of the city in the green spaces around it.
I frequently forget that this place is here, quite incongruous in the neighbourhood it’s situated in. It really is a lovely gem that merits a visit.
Low Bradfield (specifically the ducks)
Slightly outside of the city, Low Bradfield and its cricket pitch make me think of what The Archers must look like, if it was real. The water, where Smithy Bridge Road meets Mill Lee Road, has very friendly ducks and is a lovely place to chill out if you need to be near a small body of water. Which I frequently do.
Low Bradfield can be quite popular and busy, especially at weekends and in nice weather, but it’s worth a visit.
Crookes Valley Park
Like Low Bradfield, this isn’t much of a hidden gem, but it’s an absolute beauty of a park just outside the city centre. I enjoyed the geese and goslings in particular.
It’s a student hotspot, for sure, being situated by the university, but it’s a great place for anybody to hang out with a kids’ playground, a bowling green, and a big lake (with big signs not to swim in it, which the wild swimmers of the city seem to joyfully ignore).
Go and explore!
Wherever you live, this is your encouragement to discover, or rediscover, somewhere within a couple of miles of where you live that you’ve overlooked. You really might be surprised by the beautiful and exciting places you can find.