Bridge of sighs

My mother and I take a week each year to tick off long distance paths. From

The Dingle Way to the Northumberland Coast Path, we choose a week and set off, whatever the weather. One year we had to stop off in Coniston to buy crampons to complete the Cumbria Way…

In contrast, last month we found ourselves in the sunshine on the South West Coast Path between Bideford and Padstow. Your sections on the Forth Bridge and Ironbridge reminded me of the amazing new bridge at Tintagel. Also painted red, it’s a remarkable span between the steep slopes and the peninsula associated with Arthur’s legend. It’s incredible how manmade structures can so effectively complement the unforgiving landscape – and indeed the RIBA Stirling prize shortlisted Tintagel’s bridge last year.

Some of the slate quarries towards Port Isaac seem equally dramatic as the tin mines I read about. Unlike the men who boldly took the engineering underground, we ‘boldly’ kept to the clifftop path and enjoyed the views. We can only hope for the same weather next year!

Canterbury