LOCATION

Description
The three adjoining woodlands of Wheata Wood, Prior Royd and Birkin Royd lie immediately to the north west of Grenoside, which lies on the edge of Sheffield, roughly 8 kilometres north of the city centre. Parts of Wheata Wood lie immediately adjacent to Grenoside village.

Grid reference:
The Ordnance Survey grid references for the three woodlands are:

• Wheata Wood SK328943
• Prior Royd SK322943
• Birkin Royd SK318941
  

VISITING BY CAR

Parking
There is a car park in the northern part of Wheata Wood from which access can also be gained easily to Prior Royd. The car park is on Woodhead Road, which leads northwards from Grenoside village. There is room for coaches and minibuses to park at or near the car park entrance, although care should be taken not to block the access road.

Some parking is also available in Grenoside village but the amount of this is limited and, if used, consideration needs to be given to local residents.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Buses
The village of Grenoside is easily accessible by bus from Sheffield City Centre. The number 42 from Flat Street, which runs every half-hour, terminates close to the woods on Norfolk Hill.

Other buses to Grenoside are the 77 and 80, which run every 15 minutes from Flat Street, and the number 74 from Angel Street, which runs every half hour. These buses stop near the Norfolk Arms public house on Penistone Road, at the bottom of Norfolk Hill.

All bus routes and times are of course subject to change and so you are advised to contact South Yorkshire Traveline on 01709 515151 to confirm these details.

ACCESS TO THE WOOD
Please refer to the access map below.

Access Points
The main access points to Wheata Wood are:

• from the car park on Woodhead Road
• from other access points along Woodhead Road
• off Bower Lane in the village of Grenoside

Prior Royd can be entered through Wheata Wood, either along a short length of path to the south of the car park, which connects the two woodlands across fields, or at the point where the two woodlands meet at the south-western corner of Wheata Wood. Prior Royd can also be entered at its southern edge, along paths running across fields from Stephen Hill, the road that connects Grenoside and Oughtibridge.

Paths
The bridleways and paths in Wheata Wood are of a good standard and some are accessible to wheelchairs. The Trans-Pennine Trail, which runs parallel with Woodhead Road, all the way from the northern to southern tip of the wood, is a broad, well surfaced path suitable for a wide variety of users.

Both the path along the eastern edge of Prior Royd and the path leading from here downhill to the wood's south-west corner are generally wide and well surfaced and the first of these is also mostly flat. However other footpaths and bridleways in Prior Royd, although well used, are steeper and narrower, as well as being slippery or muddy in places.

Birkin Royd and the adjacent lower part of Prior Royd have no footpaths and being on difficult terrain are not recommended for visits. In addition, this area is designated as a 'sanctuary area' to which access is discouraged.

Wheelchair Access
Wheata Wood, being largely flat is relatively easily accessible by people in wheelchairs, the Trans-Pennine Trail providing a particularly useful route.

Because some parts of the Prior Royd are relatively steeply sloping, disabled access to this is more restricted than to Wheata Wood.

TOILET FACILITIES
There are no toilet facilities at or in the immediate vicinity of the site.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Wheata Wood, Prior Royd and Birkin Royd are all owned and managed by Sheffield City Council.

For further information, see Get in Touch elsewhere on this website.