Visit a Sculpture Park

Posted on May 01, 2016

Image credit: Jaume Plensa at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

If persuading your family to wander round a gallery this weekend would prove to be a struggle, there are other ways to ensure they get to see some amazing works of art. Visiting one of the many sculpture parks or trails across the country might help them realise there’s much more to art than old masterpieces kept in museums. These attractions show off artworks to their best effect, often in beautiful settings.

One of the most established is Grizedale Sculpture, in the forest just south of Hawkshead in Cumbria. (I’ve been to Grizedale Sculpture Park a couple of times and it didn’t disappoint). This stunning woodland area is managed by the Forestry Commission and has been a popular sculpture trail for more than 35 years. About 60 sculptures of varying sizes and shapes are dotted around, many of them made from natural materials found in the forest. New exhibitions are frequently being added to the ever evolving collection, which is one of the Lake District’s most popular attractions. It’s free to wander through, though there is a car parking charge.

Another huge draw for families is the Yorkshire Sculpture Park at West Bretton near Wakefield. It’s one of the largest such attractions in the world and among the exhibits, which are scattered over the 500 acres of rolling parkland, are works by Henry Moore, Andy Goldsworthy and Barbara Hepworth. It’s open all year round and it’s free to visit too.

Another inspiring outdoor sculpture collection is the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail at Coleford, Gloucestershire. This idyllic spot houses both a permanent array of sculptures as well as new exhibits by contemporary artists. Again the admittance is free.

But there are many others worth visiting. The grounds of a ruined monastery is the site for the Norton Priory Sculpture Trail near Runcorn, Cheshire, while at Burghley House, the elegant Elizabethan stately home in Stamford in Lincolnshire, modern sculpture is set against the 16th century backdrop.

One of the longest trails is the Irwell Sculpture Trail. The 33-mile long route starts at Salford and winds along the River Irwell to Bacup in Rossendale, Lancs, passing 70 sculptures along the way.