Tarr Steps is a wonderful, very old, clapper bridge that crosses the river Barle in Exmoor National Park in the UK. It's 180 feet long with 17 spans each weighing 1-2 tons. Slabs are raked against the ends of each pier on the upstream side (on the right in this image) to break the force of the river and divert floating debris. However some parts could not withstand the 10 foot high floods last year and the fallen trees being swept downstream. Several spans had to be recovered from downstream and put back in place.
Regarding their age, "..several theories claim Tarr Steps date from the Bronze Age, while others date them from around 1400 AD". Pretty old in either case.
ETA: I was in Somerset, England visiting my brother and his family. Before the trip, when he asked if there was anywhere in particular I would like to visit, I mentioned this place, Tarr Steps, which I'd never been to. This challenge was announced a couple of days before we made that outing. Perfect timing!
PS. My interest in seeing this bridge was in part because as a child I always loved the clapper bridges on Dartmoor.
Taken from part way over the bridge.
HDR from IMG_9082, 9083 and 9084.
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I like the subject and it is perfect for black and white. I wondering what effect shifting the perspective of the bridge to run a bit of angle across the photo would bring. Good work.
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