With a longer Christmas break this year, Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) invites visitors to wrap up warm and experience walking in acres of stunning landscape, connecting to nature and art, guided by audio meditations.

This winter’s walking experience is enhanced by Of the Oak, a new immersive installation by international art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, displayed in YSP’s Chapel. The work explores the hidden life of an oak tree through sound and moving image. Visitors can then take the experience outdoors, connecting to nature and the land by following a mediative guided walk. There are seven audio routes available on Bloomberg Connects, which can be downloaded or accessed through web browser. It offers gentle audio prompts that encourage awareness of breath, sound, texture and the living rhythms of the landscape. 

Winter brings a quiet beauty to YSP’s 500-acres of rolling parkland, lakes and ancient woodland. Frosty grass, soft winter light and drifting mist create a peaceful backdrop for walking, while sculptures emerge along the paths, offering moments of surprise and reflection. It’s the perfect season to wrap up warm, pull on walking boots and enjoy fresh air and have a cultural experience close to home. 

A recent survey by outdoor clothing company Regatta found that 61% of respondents said going for walks is an important part of their Christmas tradition, with people planning around six walks over the festive period. The same polling reports that almost three quarters of these “holiday walkers” want fresh air, 63% like the physical activity, and 38% see it as valuable family time, all framed specifically as part of Christmas. Earlier research into Christmas habits found that about 42% of Brits go for a walk on Boxing Day, typically covering around three miles, explicitly described as a response to long hours sitting indoors over Christmas. YSP is open on Boxing Day, and invites you to take advantage of what it has to offer at this time of year.

A network of trails and pathways makes YSP ideal for winter walking, whether visitors are looking for a gentle stroll, an accessible route suitable for wheelchairs and trampers (which can be hired for free at YSP), or longer energising walks. Lakeside paths offer flat, accessible routes, while hilltop trails reward walkers with expansive views across the Bretton Estate. Along the way, around 100 sculptures and installations can be discovered, including works by Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Damien Hirst and Andy Goldsworthy - each engaging with the landscape in different ways as the seasons change.

The routes also pass heritage features such as the Deer Shelter, Greek Temple and Camellia House, with woodlands and lakes providing ever-changing scenery. For many local walkers, a winter visit to YSP has become a seasonal ritual - a chance to enjoy art, movement and nature in a calm, open setting.

After a bracing walk, visitors can warm up in YSP’s cafés. The Weston Restaurant offers delicious seasonal dishes as diners enjoy panoramic views of the Park, whilst the Kitchen Café balcony offers unrivalled views across the rolling landscape and lakes. Here visitors can enjoy hot meals and drinks, soups, sandwiches and homemade cakes - perfect for a winter refuel.

Dogs on leads are also welcome in the Park and in the Kitchen Café. The YSP gift shops provide an opportunity to browse art-inspired gifts, jewellery, clothing and homeware, ideal for post-Christmas shopping without venturing too far afield.

Kevin Rodd, Yorkshire Sculpture Park Interim Director, said: “Winter is a wonderful time to walk at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, including over the Christmas and New Year break when people have a little more time to slow down. The landscape feels calm and restorative, the paths are quieter, and the sculptures really come into their own in the crisp winter light.

“Whether visitors come for a short meander or a longer walk, we hope people from across the region enjoy taking some mindful time outdoors, reconnecting with nature and returning home feeling refreshed.”

Yorkshire Sculpture Park is open throughout the festive period, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission is £11 with Gift Aid, and parking is free. Advance booking is recommended.