Last summer we talked about the benefits and restrictions of location sessions (you’ll find the blog Location Sessions: Pros and Cons here). We’ve given it some thought and decided that we’d kick off the New Year with some location suggestions. Below we’ve listed some of our favourite photography locations in Barnsley, with all their positive and negative sides.
Langsett Reservoir
Langsett is a huge space, meaning you can always find a quiet spot even on the busiest of days. There’s a free car park, and walks for all abilities too. The car park can get super busy at peak times and the nature of the reservoir means straying from the path can get very muddy after rain.
Locke Park
Locke Park is in the heart of Barnsley. There’s a free car park, landscaped gardens and features such as Locke Park Tower and the Bandstand. There’s also the play area itself which can be a good break for little ones. The whole park is accessible by paths and has been made to be family friendly. A variety of events are held in Locke Park, so it’s not always possible to park or use some of the space inside.
Monk Bretton Priory
Monk Bretton Priory was built in the 12th century and is now a combination of grassed areas and ruins. Some of the walls are still built in their entirety whereas others are just a few stones high. There’s a free large car park here that is attached to the park next door. Due to the nature of the building and the lack of paved areas it’s not fully accessible and can get very muddy.
Newmilledam
Newmiller Dam is accessible, and beautiful. There are different length walks all with benches available throughout. The water is a key feature of this location and will make an appearance in any photographs. There is a pay & display car park, but it does get very busy at peak times. Some of the footpaths are slightly uneven, and flooding can happen in bad weather.
Wentworth
We realise this is a full village, but there’s so much here we couldn’t narrow it down! This is one of the most diverse photography locations in Barnsley (we know – it’s technically Rotherham but we needed to include it in our list!). Our favourite spots are the walk between the church and main road, the areas surrounding Wentworth Woodhouse and the fields up towards The Needles Eye. The car park in Wentworth is free for up to three hours, and there are plenty of spots for beautiful images regardless of abilities. To get to any of the locations there is a fair amount of walking needed from the car park.
Worsbrough Mill & Country Park
Worsbrough Mill and Country park is a well maintained park owned by Barnsley Museums. There’s a working water mill, numerous walks around the countryside and a range of backdrops including their reservoir. There’s a pay and display car park on site which usually has spaces free. The paths aren’t all paved, so some areas can be very uneven and muddy.
For information on any of our location photography sessions in Barnsley or anywhere in the UK get in touch.