Tourists have called for handrails on a 400 year old fairytale bridge that looks like it’s straight out of the pages of a Harry Potter novel.
But locals have hit back at the daft requests saying that with supports less care could be taken when people cross the beautiful bridge situated in Mallwyd, near Snowdonia, North Wales.
The picturesque landmark is covered in grass with the river Dyfi beneath it and was once a 17th-century packhorse crossing before it was given Grade II listing as a scheduled monument.
A visitor to the idyllic site said: “If health and safety see that, it’ll have to be fitted with handrails and a high-grip surface,” reports The Mirror.
Another worried visitor said: “They should put up some metal barriers, someone could get hurt.”
A third person absolutely loved the location but thought it needed additional measures to keep people safe saying it was “gorgeous, but too unsafe”. A fourth commenter joked that people warned people “don’t go drinking if you live there”.
The public is not actually permitted to use the crossing – called Pont Minllyn – but it can be seen from a footbridge opposite.
And local people said not only would handrails ruin the peaceful spot – it’d make it even more dangerous. One said: “Without safety rails, people tend to pay more attention and look after themselves better.
“With rails, they tend to blame someone else for falling off the bridge.”
Others simply took the time to share how beautiful the bridge is, saying it was “a sight to behold”.
It is among three crossings in the area which are financed by Dr John Davies who has published a Welsh grammar guide.
The landmark is the only surviving bridge built by Dr Davies in Snowdonia. Pont-Y-Cleifion and Pont-Y-Ffinant were the other bridges – but sadly they didn’t stand the test of time.
The UK has plenty of places that seem like they inspired JK Rowling’s fictional classic Harry Potter.
“Magical” Lacock may then be the perfect destination for you if you love all things Harry Potter – as the village was one of the key locations for the movies.
The 800-year-old village is located in Wiltshire, England, and about two and a half hours from west London.
It is unique as it feels like it has been trapped in time and is entirely owned by the National Trust in order to preserve the number of medieval homes and buildings in the area.
