The urban and outdoors collide at Cliffhanger festival

As well as the headline event, The British Bouldering Championships, other events included mountain biking, parkour and skateboarding. Picture Scott Merrylees

But Devonshire Green, in the heart of the city, was transformed into a climbers’ haven as the British Bouldering Championships drew top flight climbers from across the country to Yorkshire this weekend.

The Championships were the headline event at this year’s Cliffhanger festival, a celebration of all things high-octane, with displays, activities, and challenges transforming the centre of Sheffield into a playground for outdoor adventure.

Sheffield Council’ deputy leader, Coun Leigh Bramall, said bringing the festival into the city centre for the first time for its tenth year added a new dimension to Cliffhanger.

He said: “It has changed the feel of the festival. Despite downpours on Saturday morning it was packed with visitors, and being in the city centre has brought a whole new audience.

“Bringing Cliffhanger into the city, instead of one of our parks, is part of Sheffield being The Outdoor City, bringing that juxtaposition of the urban and the outdoors together.”

While the British Bouldering Championships has been a highlight, there were also many events and activities for people to try, from have-a-go climbing walls, BMXing and skateboarding on Devonshire Green, to kite-making and assault courses in the Peace Gardens, parkour displays and dry-land canoeing at Barker’s Pool, and even a 100m long water slide down Howard Street near the railway station.

Coun Bramall said: “Sheffield has always been a great city for events. Having the bouldering championships on Devonshire Green, where we’ve held Tramlines in the past, and seeing people on the climbing walls and listening to live DJs, has created a very cool atmosphere.”