Exmoor bridge construction 'to begin this summer'

Exmoor National Park Authority said the bridge will be “fully accessible"

Work to build a new bridge on Exmoor is to begin this summer, the National Park Authority (NPA) has said.

The 92ft (28m) Great Bradley Bridge will cross the River Barle between Tarr Steps and Withypool.

It will form part of the long-distance walking route the Two Moors Way.

The NPA said the bridge will make it easier for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to explore the area, boost tourism and protect local wildlife.

The current footpath on the east side of the river was damaged by heavy floods in 2012.

The new bridge will reroute walkers across the river to a public bridleway on the west side.

The Great Bradley Bridge will cross the River Barle between Tarr Steps and Withypool

NPA chief executive Sarah Bryan said the £120,000 bridge will be "a crucial link” in the route.

“The bridge will help reduce erosion and reduce disturbance to important habitats full of local wildlife from otters to pied flycatchers,” she said.

Locally-sourced oak will be used to build the bridge, which has been designed to “blend in with the local environment", the NPA said.

The authority's access and recreation manager, Dan Barnett, told BBC Radio Somerset that the bridge “will be in place for decades to come”.

He said it will be “fully accessible" for walkers, horse riders, cyclists and people using tramper wheelchairs.

“It’s a pretty remote location but we try and build these things so that they're there for everybody," he added.

Mr Barnett said construction is due to start in June, depending on river conditions.

The footpath will be closed “on a few days" during the construction period but will mostly remain open, he added.

The £120,000 project is being crowdfunded through donations from members of the public, local landowners and organisations including the British Mountaineering Council and the West Somerset and Exmoor Bridleways Association.

The association's chair, Amanda Hamley, said: “The bridge will make an enormous difference to walkers and horse riders, enabling them to cross the river safely all year round, and joining up access to the bridleway networks for riders to enjoy.”