Sally Mair - Loving life

By Sallymair

Devil's Bridge

It continued to rain in Cumbria today so we Jacob into Kirkby Lonsdale just a few miles away to have a look around. We walked along the river Lune and across the so called Devil's Bridge in the pixie. The curious cut off rainbow effect beneath it is actually a glimpse of the coloured new road bridge about 100 yards beyond it. The old bridge which is only 12 feet wide and too narrow for modern traffic, dates from 1370 and like many bridges of the same name has a legend which claims that the Devil appeared to an old woman, and promised to build a bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross over it. When the bridge was finished, the woman threw bread over the bridge and her dog chased after it, thereby outwitting the Devil. 
Sadly the bridge, which is 40ft above the river, is used for tombstoning, jumping into water from great heights, and people have been killed. The local byelaw notice in the extra relates to this.
The village also has a famous view across the River Lune which John Ruslin described as "one of the loveliest in England and which was painted by JMW Turner.
We enjoyed a good wander around lots of interesting wee shops and a delicious lunch in the local bakery. St Mary's Church was also worth a visit, 13th century, a good wee guidebook and lots to see including a green man and some stunning stained glass and mosaic.
Got the 6.30 train from Oxenholme and was home before 9pm. I really do not like Pendolino trains, I even tried taking some crystallised ginger en route but still spent most of the journey feeling nauseous and unable to read. Next time it'll be travel sickness tablets which seems a bit OTT for a 2 hour train journey, or else I'll just avoid the faster and more comfortable seats of the Virgin trains.
Yuck
13360 steps so target met for the week

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