Looking Glass Moon: CARDIFF

Thursday, November 29, 2012

CARDIFF

We headed for Cardiff, but stopped along the way to view The Devil's Bridge, Ceredigion Wales.

According to legend of Devil's Bridge was built by the devil in an agreement with an old woman whose cow had wandered across the river and she couldn't get her back. The devil told her he would build a bridge for her and in return he could keep the first living thing that crossed the bridge. He told her to go home and come back the following day. The next day she took her dog and returned and was amazed to see a wonderful bridge across the river. She told the devil she remembered their bargain and started walking toward the bridge. Then she stopped, and took a loaf of bread out of her apron pocket and hurled it across the bridge. Quick as a flash, before the devil could stop it the dog ran across the bridge. The devil screeched, "you stupid old woman, your hairy old farm dog is the first living thing to cross the bridge, he is no good to me." The devil was never seen in Wales again as he was so embarrassed at being outwitted by and old lady. Near Aberystwyth there is a village where a very old bridge crosses a deep gorge. Above it are two other bridges built at later dates. But the lowest one...well, they say the devil built it himself.

The bridge is unusual in that three separate bridges cross the span, each one built upon the previous bridge. The most recent is an iron bridge (1901), which was built over a stone bridge (1753), which was built over the original bridge (1075-1200).

The bridge is at a point where the River Mynach drops 90 metres (300 ft) in 5 steps down a steep and narrow ravine before it meets the River Rheidol. The set of stone steps leading down to the lowest bridge at the waterfall are known as Jacob's Ladder. The river Mynach has carved beautiful, large pot holes into the rocks, called the Punchbowl.