Rumbling Bridge

The tiny village of Rumbling Bridge lies on the A823 on the boundary of Fife and Kinross-shire. It takes its name from the bridge which crosses the River Devon, also the boundary. The bridge in turn gets its name from one of several possible origins, all of which relate to a rumbling noise which occurs when the river is in spate.

The older, lower arch

The river is actually crossed by two bridges, one above the other. The lower span is the older bridge, constructed in 1713 and originally reached by steep roads on either side of the bridge. This, and the lack of parapets or railings on the roadway, made the structure a perilous experience in poor weather and so eventually, just over a century later, a new bridge was built. The old structure is a single span stone arch spanning between small ledges in the deep gorge that the river has cut.

The new bridge was built directly above the old, with the old structure now partially enclosed by the newer abutments. It is considerably wider and built higher to eliminate the old steep approaches, it also has parapets on either side to eliminate much of the danger! Again, the bridge is a single span stone arch, which now carries the road 120 feet (36m) above the river and so offers some stunning views of the gorge below. For an even better view, follow the circular walk upstream which heads off from either end of the bridge.