About kelham island walks
Kelham Island Walks started life in 2018 when local resident and historian Anders Hanson was asked to take some visitors to Sheffield around Kelham Island. As someone who is fascinated by the hidden bits of local history, active in local community groups, and who loves going on walking tours in other cities, he had a hunch that that something like that would work in Kelham Island. That led to the creation of Kelham Island Walks. In the summer of 2021, Anders started to offer regular walks, along with pre-booked private tours for a range of groups including universities, history groups and local businesses. The people who come on the walks are share a fascination with the city, its history and how it is changing. Some of them are relatively new to Sheffield, but others are people who maybe last visited Kelham Island 20 years ago when it was a very different place.
Kelham Island Walks continues to offer regular walking tours of Kelham Island, but this is now supplemented with regular walks of areas close by such as Neepsend. The latest addition is public art walks of Kelham Island and Neepsend, run by a local artist who knows the area well.
Since then is a two hour walking tour that brings to life one of Sheffield’s first industrial districts. You’ll discover fascinating stories about its history, the successes and the tragedies of the people who made the area what it is, and an insight into how the area became the Kelham Island of today.
Included in a regular walking tour:
The story of Kelham Island’s origins and how it grew from countryside to the heart of the city’s industry
The architecture and art of the island including highlights such as Green Lane Works, Cornish Place and Globe Works, as well as the artists working in the area today
The great industrialists, manufacturers and workers whose wares were world famous and put Sheffield on the map, but who faced huge personal costs in making that possible
The explosive incident that put the area in the national news but also helped to improve working conditions for factory workers across the city
The life of one of Britain’s foremost anti-slavery campaigners and a local benefactor who was born in the area
The connection between Kelham Island and one of Sheffield’s most notorious murderers
The Great Sheffield Flood, the devastation that it brought to the local area and how it affected the lives of those who lived and worked there
Walks are £10 and to join you need to book online in advance. A number of dates are publicly advertised throughout the year, mainly on Sunday mornings and Summer evenings. Groups can also arrange private walks at other times - more information here.
what people ARE sayING about kelham island walks
Kelham Island Walks is getting rave reviews on Tripadvisor, it’s currently rated as Excellent, as well as receiving some lovely comments by email afterwards. Here’s just a selection of comments from Tripadvisor, as well as from a company that went on a private tour as part of a staff away day. Read more on Tripadvisor.
“We would highly recommend a walking tour of Kelham Island with Anders. It is a great opportunity to discover the history and see the city in a whole new light. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing the fascinating stories of the people from Sheffield’s past.”
“Anders certainly knows his history! He was very informative and really interesting to listen to. I would highly recommend this walk.”
“Very enjoyable walking tour around Kelham Island with our guide Anders. Even though we are local it was really interesting and enlightening... Would highly recommend this tour.”
“A excellent couple of hours touring Kelham Island with an interesting guide who has clearly well researched its history and keeps doing so”
THE GUIDES
anders hanson
Anders Hanson relaxing by the Bessemer Converter at Kelham Island Museum
Anders Hanson is the person who has created Kelham Island Walks. When he moved to Kelham Island nine years ago he fell in love with the place, its community and its history and is now passionate about showing it off to visitors. As a keen historian he’s built up an amazing knowledge of the area, from its buildings to its people along with many of the fascinating stories from its past. For Anders, it’s about bringing the area to life, instead of a dry set of facts. Anders also loves what the area has become today and as a resident who is active in the local community, he can also tell you all about what makes the area tick in the 21st century.
You can find out more about what led Anders to create Kelham Island Walks in his first blog post.
As befits a geography graduate, Anders loves a good map and is fascinated by how communities grew up and developed into the places they are today.
In his day job, Anders works for a national organisations that support and advice to town and parish councils. He is also actively involved in the Kelham Island and Neepsend Community Alliance.