Aldwark Toll Bridge No2 Traditional Cache
Dalesman: The cache owner is not responding to issues with this geocache, so I must regretfully archive it.
Please note that if geocaches are archived by a reviewer or Geocaching HQ for lack of maintenance, they are not eligible for unarchival.
[ST]
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(micro)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is one of two caches both 35mm flim cases, very close to each other!!!!! but with a river between them. If you want to do both - you can cross the bridge or drive round to the next bridge crossing. Car driver have to weigh up the cost versus the 25 mile detur!!!!!! Have fun! Go on cross the bridge.
ALDWARK TOLL BRIDGE
Each time you drive over a bridge you probably never give it a second thought. After all you pay your road tax so you can go anywhere, right?
Wrong! Because try going across the River Ure near Linton-on-Ouse and you'll get a vivid reminder that we once used to have toll booths all over the country and to get from A to B was rarely free.
At Aldwark they've still got the market cornered. If you can't bear to part with your cash then you'll have a very long round trip to the nearest bridge over the Ure. In fact you'd definitely spend more on petrol making the detour. So how come it's still in private hands? Well that's down to how it all began.
It is known that there was an ancient ferry at this point on the river, but was quoted as being "very inconvenient, dangerous and sometimes impassable". That damning phrase appears in the Act of Parliament in 1772 which led to the creation of the toll bridge.
The quaint looking cottage is home to the toll keepers when they're on duty.
A character called John Thomson was given the power to erect a bridge over the Ure. He agreed to do this at his own expense on condition the bridge was vested in him and his heirs and successors. The same Act of Parliament granted him the right to charge those that use the bridge and according to the company that now administers it the tolls have only risen twice in living memory.
Believe it or not the bridge was struck by an iceberg in the 19th century and had to be rebuilt. Of course even then it was only designed with small horse-drawn vehicles in mind.
In 2005 each passing car had to part with 40 pence with heavier vehicles paying more. A team of toll collectors work shifts to keep the cash rolling in. One of the keepers, confides that he spends a penny before clocking on so that no-one can nip past the toll booth while he's indisposed.
As the bridge exists by law, the company that runs it is obliged to keep it open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and it can't hike up the charges without the consent of the Secretary of State.
Remote as the bridge is there's a steady flow of traffic.
Recently the bridge surface was given a complete refit with specially imported wood.
It can be a bit disconcerting taking a heavy van over the wooden gangway but it can support vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Purpx bhg gur srapr.
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures