A BRIDGE leading to a hidden glen has been rebuilt next to historic Ponden Mill at Stanbury.

The wooden bridge is proving popular with families and walkers who want to get to the other side of the fledgling River Worth.

Members of the River Worth Friends have already given the seal of approval to the work by Ponden Hall owners Richard and Barbara Trainer.

The restored Katherine’s Bridge is named after Katherine Chapman, sister of Barbara, who died of cancer in February.

It lies just below Ponden Reservoir, with the source of the River Worth only a few hundred yards past Ponden Hall at the top side of the reservoir.

Richard said there had been a bridge at the site for many years, and he and Barbara had long planned to revive the crossing.

He said: “When Barbara’s sister died in February we thought the bridge would make a suitable memorial.

“It’s on all the old maps. In the old days, workers would go across the bridge to get to the mill. They used to have a vegetable patch on the other side.

“The bridge fell down about 35 years ago and was never repaired. I think when Ponden Hall became a shop they didn’t want people playing on a rickety old bridge.

Richard said the bridge had attracted a lot of interest in recent weeks.

He added: “It’s a nice addition to what we have here. We have a campsite, bed-and-breakfast, and we have a café that’s open four days a week.

“We have parking at the mill and we are the closest to one of the Brontë sites, so we get a lot of people coming for walks. The bridge gives them another place to go for a walk.

“The bridge leads to a picnic area. It’s quite popular – stable and childproof. Children are often playing and collecting things along the river.”

The River Worth Friends visit the area to clear up the river, and posted a picture of Katherine’s Bridge on their Facebook site to great delight.

The Trainers bought the derelict three-storey Ponden Mill several years ago and transformed it into an outdoor activities centre with café, campsite and bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

The couple were last year featured on TV’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces thanks to their two-bed holiday home that was built around an existing waterfall.