A city welcomes the Tour de France Yorkshire

The other day we saw how our local villages are preparing for the Tour de France Yorkshire.

Today I had to go into Sheffield to do some shopping and found that the city centre was buzzing with activity. Parties of school children were being taken around to see the decorations in the streets and gardens, visit the Festival of Colour, Space and Light where there's a giant  walk-in inflatable installation in front of the Cathedral and the Yellow exhibition in the Millennium Gallery. My mind was on looking for some new clothes for a family wedding that we're going to in a couple of weeks, but afterwards I did have a wander around as I was curious to see the street art especially installed for the Sheffield Festival and the Tour de France weekend. 

There's a continental market going on with a French-themed section and it's 'spot the special bicycles game' again.

Yellow bicycles near the golden post box specially painted for the Olympic 2012 achievements of Jess Ennis-Hill, the gold medallist in the heptathlon event and another by the Lyceum and Crucible Theatres.

Yellow flowers everywhere. Some of the large artificial ones have been crocheted or have crochet centres.

There's a poem in English and French in the Winter Garden describing some of the areas in and around Sheffield that the cyclists will pass through.

The race starts off in Leeds tomorrow (Saturday) and will finish in Sheffield on Sunday afternoon before moving through other counties and then on to London.

Everything is ready.... so let the Tour begin!  

'A grand day out'

This coming weekend Yorkshire hosts the first two stages of the 101st Tour de France before setting off again in Cambridge, moving through Essex with a finish on The Mall in central London. Hundreds of cyclists will be competing for the prestigious Yellow Jersey.  The race includes sprints for the fastest riders and hills and climbs for the King of the Mountains. The hills and dales will prove challenging for the Yorkshire Grand Depart, but the cyclists will race through spectacular scenery and for the spectators it will be 'a grand day out'.  Let's hope the weather stays dry - we've had some sunny days this week - as this would be a bonus in making this event special as the host towns and villages along the route have been busy planning ever since it was announced that the Tour de France would be held in the UK in 2014.

In recent weeks all kinds of displays have been set up along the route and now the bunting is being put up whether the cyclists pass by or not.  We live close to the route that's being taken at the end of stage 2, but we shall have to walk there as all the roads will be closed on Sunday except for emergency vehicles.  Yesterday we went to have a look at some of the preparations nearby and then on to High Bradfield and combined this with a walk around the village green in Low Bradfield

 The cyclists will race up the hill from Low Bradfield to High Bradfield

The former blacksmith's workplace

It was a hot day, but there are shady places around the village and this is the winding hill going up to High Bradfield.

High Bradfield

The view down the hill for those that manage to get a seat in the inn gardens on Sunday.

The next part of the route will be through the hills and lanes where we can get to on foot and have a good vantage point.

We met some people along the way either watering the plants on the displays, putting up flags and bunting or taking a quiet walk before the crowds assemble at the weekend.  Some of the fields are being used as camp sites and there's going to be a beer festival with locally brewed beer.  As I've said before the area will be closed to vehicles for miles around and in most main city streets so it will be necessary to walk to a chosen place well before the welcome team, the sponsors and then the cyclists go by. We wish all those taking part or spectating an enjoyable, safe and successful weekend in Yorkshire.

Another stretch of a lane nearer to where we live.  The photo is deceiving as it's quite undulating, but with a gentler incline!

Here's a map of the Yorkshire route.  The black X shows the location of High and Low Bradfield.

Lastly a few more related photos of images spotted in Sheffield.