The Dream St Helens

Have you ever noticed the large head sculpture next to the M62? This it The Dream St Helens and it’s a great place for a short walk. The 20 meter high head is located at the former Sutton Manor Colliery in St.Helens, Merseyside. It’s a great place for dog walks and family walks too. The paths are suitable for prams too. Find more Family walks North West here.

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Where is the Dream St Helens?

The Dream sculpture is located in Sutton Manor Woodlands which it the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery in St Helens. This former coal pit closed in 1991.

It’s not far from junction 7 of the M62. The postcode is WA9 4RU.

flame shaped metal sculpture on grass with trees behind

Parking for the Dream walks

There is a small free car park on Jubits lane which is right across the road from one of the entrances to Sutton Manor woodlands. It is also the playground for King George V Playing Fields Sutton Manor.

White dog on a gravel path with lots of woodland

The Dream sculpture

The 20 meter high head designed by the Spanish artist James Plensa. It was revealed in 2009. It was commissioned by St Helen’s Council and a group of former miners. They wanted something to mark the areas coal-mining history whilst also looking forward to the areas future. The giant white head is a young girl with her eyes closed.

Black metal bench on grass with woods behind

The Dream sculpture featured in the 2021 Netflix adaptation of Harlan Coben’s Stay Close. You can get up close to the sculpture but don’t expect to be able to go inside it like in the Netflix show!

Paths through woods and grasslands up to a 20 meter high head sculpture

Walks at the Dream and Sutton Manor Woodlands

There are various paths around Sutton Manor woodlands that you can explore. The area is popular with dog walkers so you might encounter dogs off leads. It’s also a great place for family walks due to the paths, the added interest of the giant head and the playground by the car park.

Woodlands and grassland with path through

There is a path all around the perimeter of the site which is flat so it is perfect for pushchairs and prams. It’s a loose, fine gravel paths. There are paths with a steep gradient though if you want to go up to the summit where the Dream is. I’d say these paths are fine for prams but I don’t think they would be easy for a wheelchair.

Close up of a giant white head sculpture with trees behind

As well as the Dream, there are other sculptures, benches and information points so you can learn more about the history of the sight. We love the benches and 6 flame shaped sculptures with tributes to the miners and the area engraved on them.

Metal flame sculpture on grass with woodlands behind

There are picnic tables and benches around the woodlands, including near to the summit. These are great for picnics and just taking a quick break.

We have visited a number of times and have always enjoyed this walk. On our most recent visit this weekend we saw litter pickers cleaning the area and there was very little graffiti on the head sculpture (the area was noticeably improved since our last visit a few years back).

Playground near The Dream sculpture

There is a small playground across the road from Sutton Manor Woodlands. It’s right next to the car park so it’s perfect to let the kids have fun on before or after your walk.

It is a small playground and best suited to children up to around 8-10 years old. There are also paths around these playing fields too.