February found me travelling across to Sheffield to see Matt, my daughter Jenna and my new grand daughter Emily once again. 

The date was determined by the fact that Matt's parents were in town for the weekend, having travelled up from North London.

Chance today for the "in-laws" to meet for the first time, enjoy a walk together and also go out for a meal in the evening.

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In the afternoon we go for a short walk together.

Mandy, Jen, Matt and Emily plus Mel.

It was just a short walk on the outskirts of Sheffield, with view of the Burbage and Hathersage Moors once we were higher up.

Late February and the snowdrops are making a magical spring carpet.

They cover a lot of the verge alongside Woodthorpe Hall, which appears to be a delightful old building.

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A couple of days later, after Mel and Mandy had left, Loes and I met Jen and Emily at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

This was Loes's first chance to meet them both, which was much appreciated.

	- - - o o o - - -     The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is at West Bretton, conveniently situated alongside Junction 38 of the M1, halfway between Sheffield and Leeds. - - - o o o - - -

The main reception building, meeting point and one of several cafe's on site.

Time for a light lunch and a cuppa.

Loes' chance to hold Emily . . . just like a natural.	Not all the time though !

Time for as walk around the park. 

There are numerous outdoor sculptures including this famous Henry Moore "Spindle" bronze, about eight or ten feet high.

- - - o o o - - -   The park prides itself on hosting all sorts of contemporary art installations.   This one needs explaining . . . it's James Turrell's "Skyspace". It is a square opening in an underground room built into a hollow in the ground.   You are invited to come in and sit around the edge of the room and stare upwards and contemplate the sky.   Fortunately for us today it was blue and dry, not grey and raining.   - - - o o o - - -

The Art of Numbers alongside the indoor art gallery.

Inside were several sculptures that are not so weatherproof,

including this illuminated sculpture by Robert Indiana with constantly changing colour.

Out in the garden, Daniel Arsham's "Relics in the Landscape".	Classic statues that seemed to be decaying as they stood.

The features were etched away to leave crystal formations, both here and within Bugs Bunny at the back.

Mosaic covered sculptures added colour and contrast to the garden.

Around the corner, this almost brutalist mechanical steel arch.

Kalliopi Lemos's "Bags of Aspiration" providing inspiration.	A most realistic sculpture, again in beaten metal.

A circle of Zodiac Animal Heads down by the lake.

The sculptor was Ai Weiwei and I've created the panorama by spinning within the circle.

Click here or on the photo above for a double sized image

Building blocks, Stonehenge style make up Sean Scully's "Wall Dale Cubed".

We cross over the River Dearne that flows through the park and feeds the large landscaped lake.

Sadly it was no dogs in the wildlife are upstream of the bridge.

- - - o o o - - -     On the side of the track that rises from the bridge a Thomas J Price statue, inspired by watching the people who he has met in life (not me). [ It featured on the poster at the entrance to the park.]   Photo by Jenna - - - o o o - - -

Sadly we couldn't follow the river side path either, as they powers that be didn't fancy the mix of highland cattle and pets in the same place.

They've obviously never been to Buttermere !

We were offered a suitable, if slightly muddy alternative path which took us the same direction but outside the woodland area.

Had we not done so we would have missed this lovely spectacle of the gulls following the plough.

	- - - o o o - - -   The two paths combined once more at the Dam Head Quarry, passing several sculptures and art installations within the later part of the woodland.   This was Lady Eglington's Well, where she commissioned an extravagant entrance for a spring on the estate. It once incorporated a large drinking trough and dates to approximately 1679.   - - - o o o - - -

Over the modern Bridge and weir that holds back the large lake on the estate.

There seems to be a small man walking along the parapet ?

In fact it was a large man standing a long way away !

As we circled round to visit it we found it was not a man at all.	It was a Damien Hurst "The Virgin Mother".

One of four major Damien Hurst pieced currently on show in the Park.

	- - - o o o - - -     Damien Hurst's "Charity" based on the Scope Handicap Charity boxes that used to be common on British Streets, even down to the oversize coins at her feet.   - - - o o o - - -

The Cumbrian artist Andy Goldsworthy replaced a broken wooden sheepfold with a beautifully made stone replacement.

The structure, though artistic in origin, is a working sheepfold for the estate.

The Estate Church at the top of the hill has been turned into another indoor display area.

It was shut today however, so there was just the spring flower display amongst the gravestones to delight us.

Back to the start and close up to the first large artwork that you see as you enter the Sculpture Park.

It is an outdoor version of the Robert Indiana's Sculpture we saw earlier.

I was going to end with the fact that the park could be complete with just this one piece, after all they do say "All you need is ....... "

but in fact walking round this day and later reading the website at home, it highlighted the multitude of Sculptural pieces throughout the estate.

There's sufficient there to keep you interested and we saw so many . . . more than I could possibly show here.

Do check out The Yorkshire Sculpture Park website in advance if you are in the area and planning a visit.