Route Developer: Dave Buckle
[1] Leaving the centre, turn left onto the main Burngreave Road. After a short distance, turn left at the Burngreave Vestry Hall and head for the small roundabout.
(A)The Vestry Hall was built in 1846, originally to help the poor. In the 1990s it fell into disrepair but was renovated in 2006. The nearby shopping precinct of Spital Hill contains a variety of shops, especially those selling food.
[2] At the roundabout, turn left into Ellesmere Road and follow this road until you reach the third traffic calming speed ramp with bollards. Cross the road here, with Ellesmere Children’s Centre to your right. Then turn left into a small park and follow the footpath that runs parallel to the road.
[3] As the path exits onto Earldom Street, cross the road at a safe point and turn right. Almost immediately, turn left to follow the cycle/footpath sign posted ‘Northern General Hospital’. Stay on this path, passing a basketball court on your right and Pizza Cottage on your left as the path exits onto Sutherland Road, until you reach the junction with St Peter’s Church.
[4] At the junction cross over into Ellesmere Road North, pass the Sikh Temple on your left, and follow the road to the end. Then turn left into Osgathorpe Road and continue until you see a narrow pedestrian path on your right, just past the turning into Osgathorpe Drive. Cross the road and take this path into Osgathorpe Park, which is also known as Earl Marshall Recreation Ground.
(B)You are now at the highest point of this walk and you will see the park ahead of you. The name Osgathorpe suggests that Vikings once settled here some 900 years ago, as ‘Thorpe’ means farm and ‘Osga’, of the man.
[5] Taking the path to your left, passing the large well maintained children’s playground, continue until you exit the park back onto Osgathorpe Road. Cross the road and go left along Abbeyfield Road.
For a shorter walk, you can use the 75/76 bus from here to return to the centre. Instead of going along Abbeyfield Road, turn right and walk the short distance to the bus shelter on the main Barnsley Road, by the Masjid Umar Mosque. As mentioned, you can also take this bus to the park using the stop opposite the centre. You will need to get off just past the Mosque.
[6] Walk along Abbeyfield Road, past the small Devon Gardens Park on you right, until you reach the junction with Scott Road. You will see St James Church on your left. Crossing Scott Road with care, continue along Abbeyfield Road until you see the entrance to Abbeyfield Park on your right. Cross the road and enter the park. Walk through the park, passing the children’s playground in the left-hand corner, and take the exit onto Burngreave Road. Turn left and follow the road back to the centre.