Sheffield, the greatest city in the UK in my opinion. Why? I’ve lived in Hartlepool, Cambridge, Bristol and Sheffield and after living and seeing a lot of the UK I’ve come to the conclusion that if I’m going to live in the UK I’m only ever going to live in Sheffield. Here are 10 reasons why I love Sheffield…

1. The Peak District is right on your door step

Wherever you are in Sheffield you are within walking distance of nature and greenery. Nature is a natural mental health remedy and being able to get away from the noise and hustle bustle of the city is pretty incredible. I love going for walks on my days off work and because there is so much nature surrounding Sheffield there is always somewhere new to explore. Which brings me nicely on to number 2…

2. Sheffield Walking Group

When I moved back to Sheffield I had a burning desire to explore the Peak District but with no knowledge as to where to go in the Peaks and no form of transportation I didn’t have a clue where to begin. Sheffield Walking Group provided me with group walks to the best spots in the Peaks with advice on how to get there by public transport or car shares with other lovely walkers. I also ended up becoming Social Secretary for this amazing group a year after I joined. I love planning gin fuelled socials for these wonderful people.

3. The cost of living

After living in the south of England for 5 years it was so good to come back up north where everything is reasonably priced and you can have a fairly decent quality of life with a low paid job. You notice the price difference mainly in your social life as bars and taxi fares are considerably less expensive in the north of England. You also notice it in terms of renting. I can afford to live in a lovely 1 bed flat on my own on a support worker wage in Sheffield. However in Bristol I would only be able to afford a bedroom in a less than adequate house share. But as a general rule you can get way more for your money in all aspects of your life in the north of England.

4. Good Public Transport

Sheffield has buses, trains and it even has trams! I’m like a big kid riding the trams. I first discovered Sheffield and it’s trams 13 years ago and even now I still get excited when I go on the tram. Anyways… there’s trains, buses and trams connecting you to everywhere in Sheffield and the surrounding Peak District which means you never have to worry about getting anywhere. If all else fails you can grab a taxi. Sheffield is small enough and cheap enough that an Uber isn’t going to cost you the earth.

5. The small town feel in a big city

Sheffield really does feel like a small town. It’s bizarre to think it’s one of the biggest cities in the UK. I think what with the city centre being small and the great public transport meaning you can get around quickly you do think it’s smaller than it actually is when you live here. Which is great if like me you have anxiety and don’t like big cities or crowds.

6. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming

I firmly believe that the north of England is friendlier than the South of England and Sheffield perfectly illustrates my point. You’ll always get a warm welcome wherever you go in Sheffield. We’ll welcome anyone and everyone in to our beautiful city. Which I illustrate in point number 6…

7. Sheffield is so diverse and multicultural

All the racism and grief I got growing up in Hartlepool for not being white and now I live in Sheffield and no one notices that I am mixed raced, the irony! Thing is though in Sheffield the majority of people don’t see the colour of your skin anyway because we have a culture of having respect for everyone regardless of their background. I think this is why Sheffield attracts people from all over the UK and other countries. I love meeting people from different ethnicities, listening to their stories and hearing about their background, hence the love of travel. For all these reasons I’m in my element living in Sheffield.

8. Five Rivers Vietnamese coffee house

This place is so colourful you actually feel like you’ve stepped in to a street café in Vietnam. They have both table and chairs seating and seating on the floor (I always pick the seating on the floor option) which I think adds a twist to the dining experience. They offer hot drinks and cake but they also do breakfast and lunch options too. They do a scrumptious Vietnamese breakfast so I go there for brunch any chance I get. The décor and lanterns are so beautiful, it really is an instagrammers dream. I could go on about this place all day but in short this is why Five Rivers is my favourite coffee shop in Sheffield.

9. There’s bars and pubs to suit everyone

Want a rock bar? Dove and Rainbow. Want hipster bars? Kelham Island. Indie bar? The Washington. Trendy bars? Leopold square is the place to be. There really is something to suit everyone’s taste. I pick pubs/bars depending on my mood(and financial situation). If I want cheap and cheerful ‘let’s have a catch up’ pub I go to the Benjamin Huntsman Weatherspoons. If I want some classy cocktails I will go to the Bamboo lounge in Leopold Square. If I want to dance the night away to old indie tunes I’ll go to the Washington. You literally are spoilt for choice in Sheffield.

10. Peddlers Market

Peddlers market is a hipsters paradise. However the crowd it attracts is so diverse, which is what makes it so magical. The food stalls conjure up all kinds of unique tastes, I just want to eat everything every time I go. There’s a range of delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on offer to suit everyone. It’s also great if you’re in to photography due to the artistic atmosphere and venue.

These are all the reasons why I love my amazingly beautiful (adopted) hometown. I hope I’ve done a good job in selling Sheffield to you and that you’ll want to come and visit this fabulous city. If you do drop me a message through my Instagram account and I’ll happily be your tour guide.

Edwina xx

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