Sheffield

A day in Sheffield and no cruising. It was generally a grey day but at least it kept dry (at least whilst we were outside).

Sheffield Indoor Market

After a slow start we walked across to the covered market and spent some time gathering a range of food items from many different stalls. It is a comprehensive market, particularly plentiful in meat and fish as well as several greengrocery stalls. Cheese was a rare commodity but we did find one specialist stall - not, perhaps, up to Devizes standards! Sadly, the lady who served us said that they will be closing when the market is transferred to a new site - with rents doubled.

Sheffield Indoor Market

We also had a call from Derek, the alternative lock keeper, about tomorrow's passage through the Tinsley Flight. We had arranged with Dave to be at the top lock for 9 am but Derek was keen for us to be there by 8 to fit in with a boat coming up the flight. He should have set the locks by then and we are to work our way down until we meet him esc orting the boat in the other direction!

The Straddle Warehouse

The Arches

A few more views of Victoria Quays - according to the information board, the site was largely derelict for 20 years before a successful development scheme took off. Some of the original buildings have been retained including the Arches. The swing bridge that guards the entrance to the basin needs both a Watermate key and a windlass to operate it.

Swing Footbridge

By the time we walked back and had a mug of coffee it was pretty much lunch time! Afterwards we set off for the Fitzalan Square, the nearest Supertram stop, and caught the service out to Meadowhall. Since it is a 10 minute service at least, it is never a long wait and we were there only a few minutes before the next one arrived.

Supertram

Meadowhall Shopping Centre

Meadowhall was built in 1990 on the site of a former steelworks. Despite its huge size - claims to be the sixth largest shopping mall in Britain - with an entertainment sector on one side, there still seemed to be plenty of undeveloped land around, right across to the Tinsley Viaduct.

Meadowhall

We spent the whole afternoon looking around the shops - Christine had a couple of items to track down - but Mike had a chance to sit and ponder the world. On his first 'sit'the shop in front of him was Happy Feet, a set of tanks with fish that nibble at feet. It is supposed to be refreshing . . .

Later, Mike watched the skillful construction of large pretzels on the level below.

Eventually it was time to catch the Tram back to the city centre and thus to the boat. Before settling down, we turned the boat around to save ten minutes in the morning, as well as the usual water and sani station servicing.

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