Five Weirs Walk

A Walk Along The River Don.

  It was a warm and pleasant, if somewhat overcast Sunday afternoon in June, almost a month to the day from the first tentative easing of the UK’s lock-down, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson had announced in early May, the first stages of relaxing the strict protocols governing travel and outside activities, that had been in place since late March. Even though we had been granted the relative freedom to venture outside, I felt a certain reluctance to do so. The stress of the unprecedented circumstances, and the severe curtailment of personal freedom and liberties, resulted in an over-cautious aversion to activities that many of us had taken for granted and had never given second thoughts to previously. The dawning realisation that life must carry on, if we were ever to regain some semblance of normality, led me to making the spontaneous decision to pack up my camera in a small shoulder bag and set off. But where? Catching a train to the Peak District was out of the picture, so my choices would have to be local. Then I remembered how I used to cycle along the Five Weirs Walk, following the River Don. Many years had passed since then and now seemed to be as good a time as any to get reacquainted.

  The Five Weirs Walk is a well signposted route, beginning at the historic Lady's Bridge in the Wicker area of the city centre. Following the course of the River Don via numerous bridges, the river flows over five weirs, from where the route takes its name. Winding its way through the industrial areas of Attercliffe, Brightside and Carbrook, before finally reaching Meadowhall Shopping Centre. The roughly 8 km (5 mile) route is made up of surfaced footpaths and cycle-ways that also incorporate sections of the Trans Pennine Trail. The walk passes through urban landscapes that have seen some of the heaviest industrial development in Sheffield’s history, along with the resulting dereliction and ultimately, urban renewal. It is thanks to the hard work of a group of volunteers who formed the Five Weirs Trust, (supported by local authorities, private businesses as well as charities and national funding bodies), that the Five Weirs Walk was conceived, and carried through to completion over a period of twenty years, becoming the focal point of the regeneration of the heavily polluted and scarred river-way. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this, sections of the walk are inaccessible due to flood damage, and this includes at least one footbridge.

  Two o’clock had come and gone by the time I set off from my front door. Luckily, it was a short walk past the train station to a tangle of pedestrian walkways over Park Square roundabout, arriving at Victoria Quays. I then walked along Furnival Road, until it crossed over the A61, under the massive archway of the stone-built viaduct. Emerging from the damp darkness of the archway, where Furnival Road joins Effingham Road, I noticed a side road running parallel with the viaduct for a short way before being cut off by the River Don. The Five Weirs Walk begins here, on the other side of the river, over the Cobweb Bridge. 

The Walk Mill Weir seen from Effingham Road.

  The river bends slightly, running for a while directly alongside and below Effingham Road, which I privately renamed The Road Of Birds, because of the multitude of pigeons and gulls perched on the railings of the low wall. There’s a vantage point here with a great view of Walk Mill Weir. Dominating the local horizon is the Sheffield Energy from Waste Plant, an incinerator that processes some of Sheffield’s waste into electricity, and heat that is then used in a local district heating scheme. It certainly feels like you’re getting a view of the backside of the city, as it were. Scruffy side streets and dilapidated industrial units with occasional buildings of mysterious appearance, that gave the strong impression of illicit activities.

The Sheffield Energy from Waste Plant.

  The weather was very warm but continued to be overcast, occasionally interrupted by bright, glorious sunshine through the thick cloud. The river is crossed by an unusual footbridge, made up of what looks like an oversized Meccano set. A thoughtfully placed information board provided the surprising history of the unassuming bridge: a Rotherham man who studied at the University of Sheffield, Sir Donald Coleman Bailey, OBE (1901 - 1985) devised the Bailey Bridging system in 1939, featuring standardised and interchangeable parts that allowed the crossing of rivers by erecting bridges which could be built quickly and without heavy lifting machinery; each section could be transported by a 6-man team. For the purposes of an assault, a Bailey Bridge could be launched from just one riverbank.

The Sheffield Bailey Bridge.

  490,000 tonnes of Bailey Bridging Sections, 240 miles in length, were produced during World War 2 and it was considered to be one of the three most important inventions of the war, the Heavy Bomber and Radar being the other two. Updated designs continue to be used all over the world, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters. The Sheffield Bailey Bridge was erected across the River Don between 2005 and 2006, and it is thought to have been used in Normandy, on or just after the D-Day Landings , after which it travelled the world with the British Army.

  I crossed over the river and the footpath became enveloped in a green tunnel, formed from climbing plants that had grown over metal arches, that echoed the lighting supports on the bridge. This has always been one of the most memorable sections, especially when the plants are in flower, which contrasts against the jumble of car parts and tires belonging to the back-street garages and repair shops that can be glimpsed on the other side of the fence, behind the dense leaves and intertwined vegetation. 

The footpath passes through Sheffield's industrial heartlands.

  The route emerges as part of a cycle network on to Attercliffe Road, where it joins Savile Street, and the river turns as it passes under a railway bridge and Leveson Street. A footbridge would normally follow the river under the bridge, but it was fenced off, luckily the detour was a small one. I recognised the busy junction from my cycling days and knew to turn almost immediately on to Warren Street, a slightly seedy looking lane, hemmed in by the  featureless walls of large industrial buildings. The junction itself is unmistakable thanks to a distinctive building at the top of the street, that has a somewhat notorious reputation but more on that a little later.

Burton Weir, seen from the wooden boardwalk.

  A metal archway, squeezed between two buildings indicates the way forward and the Five Weirs Walk returns to the riverside after the brief deviation. Despite the surroundings, this section is a really pleasant surprise as a broad wooden walkway takes you along the river with views of the Burton Weir. I was a little apprehensive about exploring some sections of this walk, as the route weaves its way down back streets and through the ruins and remnants of an industrial past. I had been worried about meeting some unsavoury characters, but this section bathed in warm sunshine, with the river glinting in the light and bright flowers humming with insects, put my mind at ease. So far there had hardly been anyone else around but now couples passed by holding hands, joggers, walkers and even photographers. We were all enjoying our newly found freedom to be outdoors after so many  long weeks inside. 

  The footpath was wide and well surfaced as it periodically left the shade of the trees and thick vegetation, while on the right the river became narrower and more fast flowing. I remembered the area ahead fondly, where a nature reserve consisting of a small meadow surrounded by a wall of trees called Salmon Pastures is set a little way off and above the footpath. 

  A large dedication stone set in the bank marks the former site of Salmon Pastures School, originally built in 1908 but closed by the late 1950’s and demolished in 1997. A nearby information board provided more details: until the 18th century, the River Don was rich in salmon, so much so that it was considered a food of the poor! The name Salmon Pastures suggests that the area was well known for its fishing, however as industrial development spread along the river, up to 160 weirs were built along its length, preventing the migration of the salmon and the growing pollution decimated the fish population. Happily, the water quality is much restored, allowing the fish to return. 

  The area was originally a water meadow and the river had low sandy banks, that changed in 1868 when a local company built its new coke ovens on the site to provide fuel for Sheffield’s many steelworks. Waste from the process built up on the site, until the river itself was threatened. The City Council acquired the land in 1959 and used the waste material from the coke ovens to rebuild the riverbanks.

  I turned off the footpath at the dedication stone and walked into an open patch of meadow-land that glowed in the sunshine and despite a noticeable amount of litter, it was a lovely oasis in the midst of the city's industrial heartlands. Returning to the path, as it curved upwards, surrounded by trees, I presently emerged through another iron gateway on to  Attercliffe Road, as it crossed the river over the Washford Bridge. It is believed that a river crossing has been here for the last 400 years, while in 1751 a turnpike road (a toll road, or privately owned and operated highway that charged a small fee or toll for its use) connected Sheffield to Tinsley, which was the furthest point boats could travel up the River Don. This important route for trade and commerce became the present-day Attercliffe Road.

The distinctive archway opening on to Attercliffe Road.

  I crossed the road and returned to the Five Weirs route but unfortunately, that is where my progress abruptly ended; a metal fence barred further travel and a notice informed me that the footpath was unsafe due to flood damage. This was disappointing because the next section was a memorable one, where it once again became a tunnel with climbing plants growing along a framework of metal, against the towering walls of an immense industrial building. There were clear signs that some people ignored the posted notice and walked around, but I decided not to risk it. I had walked far enough for the afternoon, and it had been an enjoyable reintroduction to the Five Weirs Walk.

The view of Burton Weir walking back.

  I turned around and retraced my steps to Salmon Pastures and continued back to Warren Street and before too long, I found myself at the busy junction, where my attention rested on the distinctive building, now showing signs of being uninhabited and neglected. It had gained local notoriety after featuring in the Channel 4 TV programme ‘A Very British Brothel’ (released in 2015) that followed the trials and tribulations of a mother and daughter team managing City Sauna and catering to the diverse range of clientele. It had been a lively topic of conversation at the time and certainly gave an insight into a side of the city that not many people see.

  Making my way back home, I reflected on the walk. I don’t think there could be a better way to become reacquainted with the city, both its “public face and private parts” to borrow a quote from the writer Bill Bryson. There’s certainly a lot to discover, especially since the Five Weirs Walk links up with the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal towpaths to form a walking route called the Blue Loop. Further adventure calls!

References & Attribution.

The Five Weirs Walk. How voluntary action transformed an urban riverside.

Produced by the Urban River Corridors & Sustainable Living Agendas Project (URSULA),

in collaboration with the Five Weirs Walk Trust.

With thanks to the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Research by Margi Bryant & Peter Moug.

Text by Margi Bryant.

Designed by John Conibear/CDA.

© University of Sheffield 2012.

I found a lot of information on the Public Information Panels posted on the route, so my grateful thanks:

Sheffield Bailey Bridge:

Five Weirs Trust.

Salmon Pastures: 

Panel renewed by the Don Catchment Rivers Trust.

Designed by Genie Creative.

Dedicated to the memory of Stanley Charles (1908 - 1996).

 

Stainless steel salmon panels on the archways near Salmon Pastures:

Designed by David Mayne.

Donated and manufactured by Ancon Clark Ltd.

Additional information from the IMDb website, an online database of movies, television and related media.