Walk 2501 - printer friendly version

Devil's Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale Walk

Author - John Munro

Length - 1.5 miles / 2.4 km

Ascent - 0 feet / 0 metres

Grade - easy

Start - OS grid reference SD610786
Lat 54.201657 + Long -2.5993469
Postcode LA6 2JR (approx. location only)

Whilst touring Britain in April/May 1998 we stopped for a break in Kirkby Lonsdale, en route to The Lake District, to view The Devil Bridge, which we had read about before leaving Australia.

The walk to the Bridge starts from a sign-posted lane in the south east corner of the town square. A relatively short downhill walk brings you to the medieval bridge which spans the River Lune. The original bridge was supposedly provided by the Devil to enable a poor widow to reach her cow on the other side of the river. In return for this, the Devil was to acquire the soul of the first being to cross the bridge. The poor widows only other possession was a small dog and on provision of the bridge she picked the little dog up and threw it across the bridge, thus thwarting the Devil and saving her own soul.

From the bridge a bridle path runs along the River to the North. A walk along the river bank for about a mile brings you to a high bank overlooking the Vale of Lune at a vantage point know as "Ruskin's View". It was from this point that John Ruskin (the 19th-century Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Author & Reformer) said "I do not know in all my own country, still less in France or Italy, a place more naturally divine".

After savouring this view proceed further along the path to the rear of the Churchyard of St Mary's, an 11th-century Norman Church. A stroll among the gravestones in this yard is also quite interesting. It is then only a short walk back through the town to the Market Square. The whole walk only took us about an hour or so but the memorable "Ruskin's View" will remain with us for a long, long time. There are further riverside walks in the area for those able to spend more time.

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