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I visited Bedford on Monday and had a walk along The Embankment - the River Great Ouse. With not too much walking you can encounter a number of bridges.
First up, the Butterfly Bridge opened in 1997. The bridge design was the result of a RIBA architectural competition in 1995
The Butterfly Bridge Bedford by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
The Butterfly Bridge has wings but it doesn't fly! A pedestrian bridge but also good for cyclists and wheelchair / mobility scooter users.
The Butterfly Bridge Bedford by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Next up is the Bedford Suspension Bridge, opened July 1888
Bedford Suspension Bridge - Opened July 11th 1888 by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
The Suspension Bridge is also a pedestrian bridge but not step-free it has some steep steps.
Bedford Suspension Bridge - Up and Over by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
The river divides around some islands called Mill Meadows and Longholme. This one is a pedestrian bridge crossing near the weir. I think it's called Abbey Bridge.
Weir and Footbridge - Great River Ouse at Bedford by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Another view of the weir and this pedestrian bridge where the river divides
Great River Ouse Bedford - Weir by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Further along there is the central main road bridge - the Bedford Town Bridge completed 1813. The river looks high but this is pretty normal, I usually follow the path under the left-most arch but need to duck!
Bedford Town Bridge over the River Great Ouse by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
After the Town Bridge there is a modern footbridge, called the Riverside Bridge. It's near Bedford College so the students can cross here to get into the centre of the town.
Riverside Bedford Bridge by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Looking back from the other side of this pedestrian bridge you can see it isn't that far from the old road bridge, the building in the background here is the Bedford Shire Hall building
Riverside Bedford Bridge by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Finally this last bridge is another road bridge called the Bedford County Bridge built in 1992. Apparently it was named for the county because 70 percent of the £1.5m cost at the time came from county level taxes. There was some controversy as it should have been called "Prebend Street Bridge" for the name of the old bridge and the street it carries over the river. The bridge with graffiti that can be seen beyond is a railway bridge (I don't know if "It came home"!).
Bedford County Bridge by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
This last bridge was really needed at the time for the traffic passing through Bedford. In the early 1980s I remember my father driving us though Bedford to get to the brand new Central Milton Keynes shopping centre and it took ages to get through the town on the old bridge! There is now a fast bypass / link road around Bedford from the A1 to the M1, the A421.
So a good number of bridges for crossing the river on a walk but not as handy as you may think because the earlier ones get you to the islands where the river splits requiring some walking to get the full river crossing!
Thanks for looking,
Bill
First up, the Butterfly Bridge opened in 1997. The bridge design was the result of a RIBA architectural competition in 1995
The Butterfly Bridge Bedford by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
The Butterfly Bridge has wings but it doesn't fly! A pedestrian bridge but also good for cyclists and wheelchair / mobility scooter users.
The Butterfly Bridge Bedford by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Next up is the Bedford Suspension Bridge, opened July 1888
Bedford Suspension Bridge - Opened July 11th 1888 by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
The Suspension Bridge is also a pedestrian bridge but not step-free it has some steep steps.
Bedford Suspension Bridge - Up and Over by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
The river divides around some islands called Mill Meadows and Longholme. This one is a pedestrian bridge crossing near the weir. I think it's called Abbey Bridge.
Weir and Footbridge - Great River Ouse at Bedford by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Another view of the weir and this pedestrian bridge where the river divides
Great River Ouse Bedford - Weir by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Further along there is the central main road bridge - the Bedford Town Bridge completed 1813. The river looks high but this is pretty normal, I usually follow the path under the left-most arch but need to duck!
Bedford Town Bridge over the River Great Ouse by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
After the Town Bridge there is a modern footbridge, called the Riverside Bridge. It's near Bedford College so the students can cross here to get into the centre of the town.
Riverside Bedford Bridge by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Looking back from the other side of this pedestrian bridge you can see it isn't that far from the old road bridge, the building in the background here is the Bedford Shire Hall building
Riverside Bedford Bridge by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
Finally this last bridge is another road bridge called the Bedford County Bridge built in 1992. Apparently it was named for the county because 70 percent of the £1.5m cost at the time came from county level taxes. There was some controversy as it should have been called "Prebend Street Bridge" for the name of the old bridge and the street it carries over the river. The bridge with graffiti that can be seen beyond is a railway bridge (I don't know if "It came home"!).
Bedford County Bridge by Bill Dennis, on Flickr
This last bridge was really needed at the time for the traffic passing through Bedford. In the early 1980s I remember my father driving us though Bedford to get to the brand new Central Milton Keynes shopping centre and it took ages to get through the town on the old bridge! There is now a fast bypass / link road around Bedford from the A1 to the M1, the A421.
So a good number of bridges for crossing the river on a walk but not as handy as you may think because the earlier ones get you to the islands where the river splits requiring some walking to get the full river crossing!
Thanks for looking,
Bill
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