After several failed attempts at getting to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park - bad weather and train failures are not my friend - I finally got there with my sister. It is a fair trek but definitely worth it as it has some beautiful pieces set in stunning countryside that make it like nowhere else I've been.
Both me and my sister had different favourite pieces and were drawn to certain artists, so it was really interesting to see which sculptures we liked and which we didn't. But even if we weren't fans of individual sculptures or collections, it isn't hard to appreciate the work that have gone into everything.
Both me and my sister had different favourite pieces and were drawn to certain artists, so it was really interesting to see which sculptures we liked and which we didn't. But even if we weren't fans of individual sculptures or collections, it isn't hard to appreciate the work that have gone into everything.
The Iron Tree was my sister's favourite sculpture in the park.
Before we even got to the Sculpture Park we had a long day. We had to get a bus into the city centre, a train to Wakefield Kirkgate and then hang around for another bus. Sadly the bus company that goes to the park had to cancel a lot of their trips, so buses are no longer available every hour. This also means that the last bus back to Wakefield is a lot early than we had planned for.
The bus also didn't drop us off at the park and we had no idea how to get there. Luckily, the lovely of people of Yorkshire stepped up again, as a local woman walked us part way and then explained where we had to go from there so finding the park was simple.
The bus also didn't drop us off at the park and we had no idea how to get there. Luckily, the lovely of people of Yorkshire stepped up again, as a local woman walked us part way and then explained where we had to go from there so finding the park was simple.
The information centre is also really helpful. They explained the map to us, marked key points of interest and showed us the best walking route to take so we could see all the sculptures we were most excited about. We were also given the new bus time table and had the stop pointed out to us so we knew where we needed to go at the end of the day.
First up was the Kaws Sculptures, which were my favourite and are a temporary addition to the park. I love the whole idea behind them, which was to create figures that take inspiration from old wooden toys. While the sculptures don't really have faces, you really want to comfort them despite the fact that they are huge.
First up was the Kaws Sculptures, which were my favourite and are a temporary addition to the park. I love the whole idea behind them, which was to create figures that take inspiration from old wooden toys. While the sculptures don't really have faces, you really want to comfort them despite the fact that they are huge.
As well as the amazing sculptures dotted around the park, the Old Chapel is also home to a video exhibition, which we dropped in to see. While it wasn't really our cup of tea, the chapel had a great atmosphere for watching the short films and the acoustics were amazing.
We ended our visit with a cup of coffee in the upstairs cafe - it is a little bit on the pricey side so I'm glad we didn't buy lunch there but everything was really nice - which meant we could rest our feet - they were a bit sore after so much walking - and make the most of the view. Not only could we see several sculptures from afar, we got to make the most of the stunning countryside.
We ended our visit with a cup of coffee in the upstairs cafe - it is a little bit on the pricey side so I'm glad we didn't buy lunch there but everything was really nice - which meant we could rest our feet - they were a bit sore after so much walking - and make the most of the view. Not only could we see several sculptures from afar, we got to make the most of the stunning countryside.
I definitely want to go back to the park with more than just my phone camera and with a picnic - just so long as it isn't raining!
If you're planning on going to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, it is a good idea to check the weather as it means a lot of walking over fields that will easily become muddy. However, it is a real must-see and I can't wait to go back for another explore and to see what we missed.
If you're planning on going to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, it is a good idea to check the weather as it means a lot of walking over fields that will easily become muddy. However, it is a real must-see and I can't wait to go back for another explore and to see what we missed.
