The sign ‘Al ponte Tibetano’ (‘To the Tibetan bridge’) entices one to expect a vertiginous rope affair cast over a fathomless abyss, reminiscent of a scene from that Powell and Pressburger film ‘Black Narcissus’.

In fact, when one comes across these bridges in our part of the world they turn out to be suspension bridges for walkers and, instead of ropes cast across a chasm, they are supported by steel cables.

I’ve described the most spectacular of these suspension bridges, the one spanning the Lima River near Mammiano at:

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/suspense/

There’s another one I’ve written about at Vagli di Sotto in my posts at:

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/10/10/a-tibetan-bridge-in-the-garfagnana/

and

https://longoio3.com/2017/10/11/vagli-lakes-circular-walk/

However, I hadn’t quite realised that Bagni di Lucca has its own ‘Tibetan bridge’. It’s near the Pian di Fiume village rescued from oblivion and turned into an ‘agriturismo’, or country holiday resort, by our resident chemist and former mayor Massimo Betti.

The bridge spans the Lima about a couple of kilometres outside Bagni on the way to Abetone on the Brennero road and we crossed it a couple of days ago. It offers delightful views over the river which at this point also provides good bathing opportunities.

The first modern suspension bridge was built by Thomas Telford in 1826 and crosses the Menai straits in Wales connectingYnys Mon (Anglesey) with the mainland. Nottolini, the Luccan architect and engineer, visited Britain specially to study Telford’s methods and returned to build the iconic chain suspension bridge known as ‘il ponte delle Catene’ at Fornoli. I’ve written about this pioneering bridge in my post at:

https://longoio3.com/2018/09/20/bridging-a-much-needed-gap/

There is a smaller version of the bridge, for pedestrians only connecting the Circolo dei Forestieri square with the Brennero road.

I love bridges of all types but the suspension ones are my favourite!