God's Bridge


Useful Information

Location: Pennine Way, Barnard Castle.
A66 between Brough and Bowes Castle. 3.6 km from Bowes Castle there is a parking lot, 300 m, behind teh farmhouse. Follow the Pennine Way.
(54.508600, -2.067811)
Open: No restrictions.
[2023]
Fee: free.
[2023]
Classification: GeologyNatural Bridge
Light: n/a
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address:  
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History


Description

God's Bridge is a quite unspectacular bridge across the small river Greta in the Yorkshire Dales. Located on a farm it is crossed by a single land farm road, which is actually at the same time the Pennine Way, the famous long distance trail. But the name God's Bridge actually has a reason: it was actually created by God, as it is a natural bridge.

There are at least three natural bridges named God's Bridge in the Yorkshire Dales. The bridge is very low and rather wide, it is actually a layer of hard limestone with a low cave below where a softer layer of limestone was eroded by the river. If there is water in the river, it often fills the gap completely, the river also falls dry as this valley is at the brink of becoming a dry valley, and during dries seasons the drainage is underground. The bridge becomes a small cave which is quite low and requires crawling.

The bridge is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is definitely unique, and quite interesting, but it is rather small and not one of the spectacular arches found in other countries. Nevertheless, it is said to be the best example in Britain of a natural bridge formed by karstification. There are two others in the Yorkshire Dales though, both also called God's Bridge.