rich_jacko | Elephants on parade (part 1)

"Lizzie the elephant packed her trunk
And trundled back to the steel mill
Off she went with a trumpety-trump,
Trump, trump, trump!
The Little Herd was hidden
All over town
And fifty-eight large elephants
We searched for up and down!"

I've gone a bit elephant mad this past month. The Herd of Sheffield has arrived, to celebrate the centenary year of Lizzie, the elephant who helped keep Sheffield's steel industry going during the First World War.

I love that everybody seems to have taken the elephants into their hearts. It's no wonder really. As well as being a celebration of local history, they're a fantastic community art project, and are helping raise money for Sheffield Children's Hospital. But I also love the way they've brought the whole city together. I've struck up more conversations with random strangers over the past few weeks than I have over the past few years together.

I've been on a mission to find 'em all. (Who needs Pokemon Go?) My quest has taken me to parts of the city I'd never normally visit, and I've discovered hidden corners I never knew were there. It's been tremendous fun.

Friday 15th July

The elephants had just arrived and I wasn't being particularly systematic yet; I just wanted to see some! Work sent me down to London that day, so I found the three around the station early morning before I caught my train. I managed to get back to Sheffield after work sooner than I expected, so wandered into town to find more before heading for the Third Friday Social. I followed the tram line round from the station to find the Park Hill elephant, then just went for the first few I can across. Special mention for the two outside the Crucible, which are both fab!

Total large elephants: 14/58
Total Little Herd: 0/72
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: First large elephants!

Elephants herded:

- 27) The Warrior

- 25) Gulal Graffiti

- 26) A Sheffield Summer

- 2) Our City, Our Home

- 4) Effie

- 5) Izzy

- 6) Fairytale Elephant

- 10) Sheffield Elephant

- 9) An Elephant Never Forgets Where He Came From

- 18) Heard Sheffield?

- 19) It's Parade Day

- 20) SnookHerd

- 8) Jackophant

- 7) Inconelly

Saturday 16th July

No serious herding today, but as there's one practically just over the road from me, it would be remiss not to find her! Be warned, she's in the walled garden, so check the opening times before you go searching.

Total large elephants: 15/58
Total Little Herd: 0/72
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: First elephant outside the city centre!

Elephants herded:

- 54) Yorkshire Rose

Sunday 17th July

Sunday was the day I started getting down to this herding business properly. I went for a swim at King Ted's, then gathered all the elephants between the University and Hunter's Bar. I really liked all three in the Botanical Gardens, all very different but each great in their own way. The Hendophant is, of course, a dazzling vision in orange and black.

Total large elephants: 23/58
Total Little Herd: 4/72
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: First Little Herd!

Elephants herded:

- 44) Henry the Constructor

- 42) Small Beginnings

- 43) In it together

- 41) Donkeys in Elephant Land

- 40) Elmer the Patchwork Elephant

- Little Herd 10) All Different, All Equal

- Little Herd 10) A splash of Sheffield Colour

- Little Herd 10) Tembo

- Little Herd 10) Tulli

- 39) Bugsy

- 38) Hendophant

- 37) Lizzietron 2.2

Monday 18th July

Just two elephants today, one before work and one after. Marjorie was actually the first elephant I saw, the previous week, but I didn't have my camera with me to photograph her until today.

Total large elephants: 25/58
Total Little Herd: 4/72
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: 25 large elephants herded!

Elephants herded:

- 53) Marjorie

- 52) Peace Elephant

Tuesday 19th July

It was another glorious day for a walk after work. I tackled the north-east corner of the city centre (a task made trickier by all the footpath closures), going first to Victoria Quays and then to Ponds Forge. The Elephant in the Hive must be one of my favourites. You will notice in the photo of Erin there's a sign saying the trail continues further in. I failed to spot this...

Total large elephants: 29/58
Total Little Herd: 8/72
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: Half the large elephants herded!

Elephants herded:

- 51) Forest Spirit