Far Moor bridge. Photo: Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
A timber bridge carrying a national trail, and which is thought to be the longest of its kind in the world has won a second award.
Far Moor bridge in the Yorkshire Dales picked up a special award at a British Construction Industry event.
Officers from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority thought they had missed out on a win after another project gained the award in the bridge’s category, but the structure, over the River Ribble, was given a judges’ special award in the London ceremony.
The award adds to the highly commended accolade for the bridge in the structural category of the Wood Awards.
The timber bridge, near Selside, is a joint project by the authority and Natural England and forms part of the Pennine Bridleway.
The Yorkshire Dales authority’s Pennine Bridleway project officer Peter Lambert, who received the BCI award at the ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, said: “Winning the award is fantastic and real recognition for all the hard work and dedication from all involved from the initial planning stages to the completed build.
“When we didn’t win the category in which we had been shortlisted, I thought ‘Oh well, it was good to see the project make it this far’.
“Then it came to the judges’ special award, which had no shortlist, and they announced our project was a winner – it was bit of a shock.
“The award goes to a UK or international building or civil engineering project of any size that the judges consider to be particularly inspirational in one or more aspects. The judges cited the bridge’s design in terms of how it fitted so well in to the landscape and how it allowed for such a build in a remote location with difficult access.”
The bridge uses an innovative design developed by the Forestry Commission’s civil engineering design team based near Edinburgh that involves short lengths of timber to create a bridge with three arches spanning 53m.
Graeme White, left, senior project engineer with the Forestry Commission’s civil engineering central services, and Peter Lambert, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s Pennine Bridleway project officer
Work began in July last year on the bridge and on a new path that forms part of a new bridleway from the B6479 road near the village to an existing track at Dalemire Barn and the Cam Road – a length of about 2.5km.
Malcolm Petyt, the YDNPA’s member champion for recreational management, said: “The fact the bridge has been so highly placed in two national competitions is itself a recognition of its qualities. It will be an outstanding feature of the landscape of upper Ribblesdale and an invaluable link for riders, bikers and walkers.”
Anna Righton, Natural England Pennine Bridleway’s project officer added: “This second accolade is fantastic news. We hope it will inspire horseriders, cyclists and walkers to explore and enjoy the 200-mile Pennine Bridleway national trail when it opens next year.”
