Devil’s Bridge

A dive in the River Lune underneath the famous Devil’s Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale.  This dive is only possible when the flow of the river is slow.  It’s suitable for all grades of qualified diver, but be prepared for a tricky entry/exit, poor visibility, a drift, and possible underwater hazards such as fallen trees.

Planning

It’s important to check on the flow of the river earlier in the day of any planned dive.

The Lancashire Fly Fishing Association have fishing rights on the river at Devil’s Bridge, and permission should be sought from them prior to the planned diving day, to ensure that you won’t be disturbing their activities.

If possible, it’s useful to have surface cover, as members of the public have been known to throw things off the bridge, into the water, where divers might be below.

Getting There/Parking

Turn off the A65 on the west (town) side of the river onto Bridge Brow, and park as close to the river as possible.  Car parking is free.

Facilities

There are public toilets on Bridge Brow, near to the river (charge applies).  During the daytime on the opposite side of the river there’s a caravan from where drinks and snacks can be purchased.  Picnic tables can be found in the adjoining Jubilee Park. The town of Kirkby Lonsdale is a 5 – 10 minute walk away, with a variety of shops, pubs, cafes etc.

Dive Site Access

Access from a number of different points may be possible, but we usually go in from Jubilee Park on the west side of the river, and the south side of the footbridge.

It’s a tricky site to access, as it involves squeezing through a narrow style, down some stone steps, then down the steep, muddy river bank, onto some slippery limestone rocks, from there you enter the river.  It isn’t suitable for anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable carrying the weight of their kit over steep, rough and sometimes slippery ground.  Extreme care should always be taken.

In the Water

Maximum depth is about 5 metres, but much of the dive will be less than this.  From the rocks, we usually descend as soon as we find sufficient depth.  We then swim towards the middle of the river, before turning north and swimming upstream, under the stone footbridge, and keep going until the flow of the river becomes too strong to swim against, where the rapids are.  Then just turn around and float back with the flow.

There are interesting limestone rock formations, particularly under the bridge, where the river narrows.  Look out for fish and sometimes eels, hiding the cracks between the rocks.  It’s usual to find all sorts of ‘treasure’ that’s either been thrown into the river or floated down from upstream. Past finds have included golf clubs, golf balls, fishing rods, coins, plastic buckets, items of clothing.  Who knows what might be there next time!

Site Specific Hazards

• Danger of underwater entrapment against items such as fallen trees, if the flow of the river is too strong to swim against.
• Danger of entanglement in fishing line.  A line cutter or knife should be carried by all divers.
• Slippery rocks and steep, muddy bank to be negotiated to enter and exit the water.
• Members of the public throwing stones etc. off the bridge into the water
• Poor visibility could result in losing sight of buddy.