Newbridge, River Dart
Encyclopedia
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
, Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, Devon, England. It is on the road between Ashburton
Ashburton, Devon
Ashburton is a small town on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, adjacent to the A38 Devon Expressway.It was formerly important as a stannary town , and remains the largest town within the National Park, with a population of around 3,500...
and Two Bridges
Two Bridges
Two Bridges is an isolated location in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England. It is situated around north east of Princetown on the old turnpike road which was built across Dartmoor in the late 18th century ....
, and connects Aish Tor to Holne Chase. A car park is located next to the bridge and is often frequented by families, walkers, and watersports enthusiasts, though the narrowness of both this bridge and Holne Bridge means that the size of vehicles is restricted on this road.
The bridge is constructed of local granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and has three semicircular arches, one smaller than the others. It was built in 1413, at the same time as the nearby Holne Bridge
Holne Bridge
Holne Bridge is a Grade II* listed medieval bridge over the River Dart, Dartmoor, Devon, England. It is on the road between Ashburton and Two Bridges, and connects Holne Chase to Ausewell...
was reconstructed. The two pillars have cutwaters to deflect the flow of water; these extend up to road level and provide triangular refuges for pedestrians.
Whitewater
British Canoe Union
The British Canoe Union is a national governing body for canoeing in the United Kingdom, whose stated purpose is "Helping and Inspiring people to go canoeing”....
access and egress point for kayakers and canoeists. The creation of bank reinforcements and steps leading down to the river have been overseen by the BCU. The bridge marks the end of The Upper
Upper Dart
Upper Dart is a section of the River Dart, Dartmoor.It is perhaps the second most popular section of whitewater for kayakers and canoeists in England, particularly for experienced paddlers...
section and beginning of The Loop
The Loop, River Dart
The Loop is a section of the River Dart, Dartmoor, also known as the Dart Loop.It is perhaps the most popular section of whitewater for kayakers and canoeists in England...
. A nearby rock ledge, known as "The Slab" is used as a visual guide to the river level.