Highlight • River
Reeth Swing Bridge
Hiking
5.0
(105)
Cycling
3.8
(3)
Running
5.0
(1)
Cycling is not permitted at this location
This Highlight is in a protected area
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Tips
Wandering Cloud
December 16, 2023
Running
This interesting swing bridge is not the first one that was built here. The original one was built in 1920 and stood here for 80 years until September 2000 when it was damaged in some severe floods (the River Swale, in spate, can rise up to 3 metres in 20 minutes). Since then, this new bridge has been put here to replace the badly damaged previous one.
RichD
February 15, 2026
Hiking
Allegedly built so children from Harkerside could reach school in Reeth, and used by farmers moving sheep across the river — a very Swaledale sight if you catch it happening.
David Howells
September 1, 2024
Hiking
One of the focal points of Reeth and the surrounding area is the suspension footbridge built over the River Swale, known locally as Reeth Swing Bridge. It is known as a swing bridge, even though it is not a swing bridge on a central span, because in bygone ages on the older, more rickety bridge, kids used to get the old bridge to swing like mad by grabbing hold of the support wires and jumping up and down. Naughty kids, how dare they have fun!
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Elevation 180 m
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Thursday 2 July
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