'Sheffield mountain bike attraction is world class'

Ian Williams fully admits penning ‘On My Way’ was a part of the cathartic process that brought him back from the brink. In fact he’s already set to speak to a mens’ mental health group about his experiences.

The critically acclaimed book tells the story of how he swapped a collapsing second marriage for weeks exploring Malaysia with – at times - only killer snakes, lizards and his camera for company.

The book is available from www.i-williams.com for just £12.95.

My family heritage

My grandfather, Joe, carried home the odour of soluble oil on his brown nylon trousers as he returned home from Presto tools (formerly Esterbrook and Alcards) each night after his shift as a capstan lathe operator on Halifax Road, most of his working life before both his son and his only grandson followed in his footsteps. It’s a fond memory of a time when I thought industrial hamlet was a Shakespeare play about all those engineering factories that outnumbered pubs around Hillsborough and Attercliffe back in the day.

The underground music scene

Sheffield, like me, has a love for music and it has loved us back since before I can remember. It seems unthinkable that it is four decades since the rise of my favourite Sheffield heavyweights Human League and Heaven 17. Strutting our stuff in red winkle pickers and double breasted crossover shirts under the hole in the road, passed the murky depths of the fish tank and up the ramp to Roxy’s was the done thing on a typical weekend. And those size 12s have kept being filled ever since by such musical royalty as Def Leppard, Pulp, Moloko, The Longpigs, Reverend And The Makers and the up and coming Club Shefficana.

Peaty’s Steel City Downhill

Most directions heading out of the city lead to further, yet more dense, green spaces. One of which starts nestled gently against the village of Grenoside. Nearby at its highest point, Wharncliffe woods provides another one of the things I love about Sheffield – a secret underground reservoir of relish hidden in 1972 by the great-grandson of the late Henry Henderson. Only joking!

It’s the world class mountain bike track designed by former world champion, Steve Peat from Chapeltown. This year it’s the tenth anniversary of “The biggest little race in the world.” All who dare tackle its banked curves, double crescent jumps and high-speed drops into craters should be aware you might end up with ten screws in your shoulder like I did.

The Wicker camp

If like me, you got hooked on the passion and honesty of the basic philosophy of “practice makes perfect” at a gym where mortals come and champions leave, you will know why I love what Mick and Trix, who run the most deliberately understated powerhouse of British Thai boxing establishments. This humble, inclusive community hub hidden in plain sight on Effingham Street lets its record of 9 world, 12 European, 8 commonwealth, 4 Intercontinental, 33+ British and 17 English titles speak for itself.

Phlegm

The world renowned Welsh import responsible for iconic monochrome murals across the city has lived round our end for years now. Phlegm could never be mistaken. Hessian braced freaky hybrid robot humanoids and demonic eyed tentacles interconnected to medieval structures are a speciality of a guy who has showcased large scale pieces world wide but most importantly, around our beloved Sheffield.