10 Things Sheffield and Leeds Students Should Do At Least Once
19 September 2018 • 5 min read
If you're at university in Leeds or Sheffield, you're bound to have a fab time. Here's a bucket list of this worth doing up north, so you can make the most of your time at university.
Join the Otley Run, Leeds
The Otley Run is the legendary sixteen-pub-long test of alcoholic endurance. Stretching from Woodies in Headingley to the Dry Dock, this infamous pub crawl is perfect for celebrations, initiations, club socials or a good old-fashioned day sesh. Pace yourself, eat well beforehand, and choose your drinks wisely. Fancy dress is always encouraged.
Visit Tramlines Festival, Sheffield
Sheffield’s citywide music festival is a must-visit to students in the city. Considering the festival’s humble beginnings on Devonshire Green almost a decade ago, Tramlines is always one of the biggest parties in South Yorkshire. This year the line-up boasts the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Stereophonics, Blossoms, Milburn and Jake Bugg. The city’s many independent venues also get in on the action as part of the Tramlines Fringe - offering countless unsigned bands and artists a platform to perform. Tramlines might not be free these days, but the cost of a weekend ticket is worth every penny.
Relax at Hyde Park (Leeds)
Sunning it out on Hyde Park is by far the best way for students to spend a hot spring day in Leeds. When the sun's out, so are the students, and you'll see hundreds of people charging up Woodhouse Lane - juggling cases of cheap cider and lager as they descend on the LS6 park. This is Leeds student living at its best.
Explore the Peak District (Sheffield)
Sheffield students can enjoy nature right on their doorstep, courtesy of the UK’s first-ever national park, the Peak District. Visited by approximately ten million ramblers a year, the Peak District covers parts of Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire, and is easily accessible from Sheffield. For students without a car, the public transport services serving the area have never been better. If you’re in need of a timeout away from the hustle bustle of city life, or a day of reflection among some of the most breathtaking countryside the UK has to offer, a day in the Peaks might just be what the doctor ordered.
Cure your hangover at Popina’s, Leeds
Even the most vicious, crippling hangover is no match for Popina's famous Mega Breakfast. Situated in the heart of Leeds’ student campuses, Popina’s is a student-friendly haven of hangover-banishing comfort food solutions. And if you can manage to finish their colossal breakfast platter, you’ll get your money back and be immortalised forever on Popina’s wall of fame. We dare you to try it.
Drink a blue pint at Corp, Sheffield
We've all tried to figure out the secret recipe behind Corporation’s range of rainbow-coloured pints. They're delicious. Besides the club’s sticky floors, slippery staircases and grungy charm, Corp is best known for its mysteriously coloured vodka pints. Speaking from experience, we reckon they’re roughly 40% home-brewed vodka, 10% alcopop and about 50% regret. Start with just the one at first. Seriously.
See a film at Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds
Like Popina’s, Hyde Park Picture House is found right in the middle of the city’s student patch. At a whopping 104 years old, this independent cinema is one of the oldest of its kind in the UK, offering film fanatics an authentic experience rarely found at the mainstream chains. Showing everything from arthouse and independent films to the big, new releases, there’s something for everyone here. It's perfect for a cosy date or a quiet evening off the sauce.
Support the local music scene at West Street Live, Sheffield
Not only is West Street Live one of the most popular and unique bars in the city, but it's full of a quirky array of cocktails. The bar also doubles up as a venue, playing a great role in keeping local music alive. Offering opportunities to both young and emerging unsigned bands from the region and afar, WSL stages gigs seven nights a week. Sheffield certainly has a knack for producing world-beating musicians, like Arctic Monkeys, Def Leppard, Pulp and Bring Me the Horizon, to name a few. So whenever you’re planning your next night out, why not head into town a few hours earlier and catch a gig at West Street Live? You might just discover your new favourite band.
Eat at Whitelock’s, Leeds
Having been Leeds’ very own ale house institution for over three centuries (meaning it is literally older than the USA), what would your stay in Yorkshire be without a taste of the finest regional cuisine in the city? Their beer-battered fish finger sandwiches, home-made Scotch eggs and beef and ale pies are unreal. Long live Whitelock’s!
Visit Heeley City Farm, Sheffield
A farm in the middle of a city? It could only happen in the hilly, green pastures of Sheffield, and we love it. Heeley City Farm is perfect for a budget day out among your favourite farm animals, reptiles and even a few creepy-crawlies. Managed entirely by friendly volunteers, the farm does wonders for the local community and is well worth a visit.
