About
Devil's bridge has straddled the River Lune since around 1370, where hard rocks form a natural narrowing of the river.
Local legend has it that the Devil appeared to a local woman who could not retrieve her cow from across the river. The Devil appeared offering to build a bridge in exchange for the soul of the first to cross it, and the woman agreed. Once the bridge was completed, the woman threw a load of bread over the bridge. Her dog chased it across, hence outwitting the Devil!
The bridge has three spans each measuring over 40 feet, constructed from gritstone ashlar. It's believed to have been built by the monks of St Mary's Abbey, York. The bridge was eventually closed to all vehicular traffic in 1932. Now vehicles cross the river along the Stanley Bridge, just to the south.
The river under the bridge is popular with scuba divers looking for something a little different. The maximum depth is sometimes as much as 20 feet (6 meters).
Know Before You Go
There is a small car park that shares the bridge's name at one end, which provides easy access.
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Published
June 13, 2019
