A contemporary access bridge has opened at Caernarfon Castle in North Wales. It was designed by Ramboll Whitbybird's bridges team in collaboration with Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service, as part of a larger project to improve access to the monument.
Caernarfon Castle has about 200,000 visitors a year, making it one of the most popular ancient monuments in Wales, but access had only previously been possible through the main King's Gate entrance via an external stone staircase. The modern ramped bridge over the Castle Ditch is now the principal entrance for all visitors.
The new bridge follows 'S' shape in plan to complement the angular castle walls and elongate the route slightly to allow it to rise more gently, at a gradient of 1 in 15.
The 24m-long bridge was fabricated in Wales by LM Engineering of Wrexham. The main contractor for the project was Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, with local firms engaged to carry out specialist work. Masonry alteration works were subcontracted to Chester Masonry, Cerrig of Pwllheli supplied and laid stone and slate and DJ Williams (Brunswick Ironworks) of Caernarfon provided railings.
