YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK

WEBSITE:WWW.YSP.CO.UK
LOCATION: WEST BRETTON WAKEFIELD WF4 4L
NEAREST AIRPORTS: LEEDS-BRADFORD, DONCASTER-SHEFFIELD AND MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL, OR 20 MINUTES DRIVE FROM LEEDS

Pray for sun and head to the north of England where 500 acres of landscaped bliss awaits in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. As the scenes of rolling green hills unfold, peppered with sculptures great and small (though each with presence), it is hard not to feel elated.

The park itself consists of varying backdrops of fields, lakes, woodlands and grasslands, so the scenery is constantly changing. The sculptures are placed for full effect and finding them becomes a treasure hunt that will last all day. It is hard to grasp the full scale of it.

The park was first opened in 1977 but the property dates back to the 18th century and is part of the Bretton Hall estate. It is the largest sculpture park in Europe with works by mostly British sculptors such as Barbara Hepworth, Andy Goldsworthy and the divine Henry Moore (this is really the best way to see his sculptures). The James Turrell is more akin to a chapel where, meditatively, you can gain a new appreciation for the sky looking up at his Skyspace.

The pavilion hosts temporary exhibitions where you can gain insight into the process of making sculpture, as well as enjoy some of the more fragile pieces. There is a restaurant where you can buy lunch but try bring a picnic to enjoy on the grounds among the sheep.