Black Diamond

Spend the day cycling round the estates of the grandest house in South Yorkshire - the Fitzwilliam Estates of Wentworth Woodhouse.

This is a fantastic route from Meadowhall Park and Ride, taking in some great local history spots. The route travel along the old railway track that took Fitzwilliam coal into Sheffield, then climb up to Thorpe Hesley – with its church and older houses built by Earl Fitzwilliam. From here the direction heads across country to Wentworth – home of Fitzwilliam estates, and home to the village of Wentworth Woodhouse – the largest private home in the United Kingdom and the longest country house façade in Europe. The route then continues on to Elsecar where the Earl housed many of his workers and based his workshops. There's a great opportunity to stop at a cafe here.

Continuing from Elsecar it’s onwards and past the site of the old Elsecar Main colliery to remind us that where all the wealth of this estate came from. The route then heads back to Wentworth, passing the Needle's Eye – built by the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham to win his bet “to drive a coach and horses through an eye of a needle”, and seeing the 30-metre tower of Hoober Stand in the distance. Then past the “big house” and onwards to Scholes, formerly the family seat of the Earls Fitzwilliam. Back down the hill and onto the former railway and back to Meadowhall.

There are two short sections of this route that are off-road. They are suitable for touring bikes, hybrids, mountain bikes, etc. Road bikes with very narrow tyres may need to be walked.