home Spinning The longest suspension bridge in the world is Capilano, Canada. Suspension Bridge in Canada: a walk over the fir trees Journey through the treetops

The longest suspension bridge in the world is Capilano, Canada. Suspension Bridge in Canada: a walk over the fir trees Journey through the treetops

One of the most amazing, memorable and outstanding attractions of Canada is the longest suspension bridge in the world, Capilano, which we will talk about today.

Where is the Capilano Suspension Bridge?

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is located in Vancouver, the largest city in British Columbia, a province in western Canada. It is located above the river of the same name - Capilano. Surrounded by dense forest thickets. The bridge is 136 meters long and rises 70 meters high. Although there are longer bridges, for example, 36 km long.

The air full of the aroma of spruce is simply intoxicating. Imagine the picture: you, around hundreds of trees, fresh and clean air enveloping you, and below there is an abyss.

Have you already wanted to find yourself in the middle of such an outlandish suspension bridge and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area in Canada?

No matter who you ask, no matter who you consult, anyone who has been there will say that a trip to Vancouver in Canada should begin with a visit to this wonderful suspension bridge.

How the Capilano Suspension Bridge was built

Capilano was built in 1889 by George Grant Mackay, a Scottish engineer. It was originally designed for easy access to the sawmill, and it was not until 1956 that it was reconstructed and turned into a tourist attraction.

Cedar planks connected by hemp ropes are all that a suspension bridge was at that time. And after 8 years the ropes were replaced with steel cables.

Even the most experienced travelers are very worried and worried before setting foot on this bridge.

Well, it’s not surprising. After all, to walk more than 100 meters along a swinging suspension bridge, you need to have sufficient courage and willpower. But, despite everything, tourists continue to come here from all over the world to walk along it.

What is special about the Capilano Suspension Bridge?

By the way, the park can also be visited during the cold, snowy season. So, if someone likes “beautiful cold” and snow-white forest expanses, then it is better to go to Vancouver in winter. After all, it is during this period that the suspension bridge becomes even more beautiful surrounded by trees “sleeping” under a blanket of snow.

Interesting fact: 96 elephants can walk safely without damaging the structure of the suspension bridge. And at the same time!

From them you can admire the beauty of the Vancouver forest.

Now the suspension bridge is absolutely safe! However, during strong winds, or when it is overloaded with tourists, it begins to sway strongly, which adds adrenaline to all visitors.

We had such an interesting adventure today. We hope you enjoyed it.

Where is the Capilano Suspension Bridge located on the map?

Capilano Suspension Bridge- sight North Vancouver And Province of British Columbia (Canada). The Capilano Bridge is visited annually by more than 900 thousand tourists. Hanging at an altitude of seventy meters above the river of the same name. Heavy-duty and reliable, this bridge can support 96 elephants. Residents of Vancouver advise starting to get acquainted with their city from this bridge.

Capilano River and the bridge itself got its name from the leader of the Squamish Indian tribe, who once lived in the territory of modern Vancouver. In his memory, totem poles depicting animals and the mythical soul of the Squamish tribe were installed at the entrance to the bridge.

The bridge is very old; it was built back in 1889 by a civil engineer from Scotland, George Grant Mackay. He used cedar boards and hemp ropes as building materials. In 1903 they were replaced with metal cables. In 1910, the bridge was purchased by Edward Mahon, who sold it to McEachran in 1935. McEachran diversified the cultural program by inviting local Indians to place their totems in the park. In 1945 he sold the bridge to Henri Abenau.

It is currently 136 meters (446 ft) long and 70 meters (230 ft) above the river. The bridge is a private facility and charges a fee to cross it, yet it attracts more than 800,000 visitors a year. The bridge was completely rebuilt in 1956.

The park and attractions were sold to Nancy Stibbart, the current owner, in 1983. Annual attendance has since increased, largely due to the Treetops Adventures attraction, which opened in May 2004. This attraction consists of seven pedestrian bridges suspended between ancient trees on the western side of the gorge, which create a passage up to 30 meters (98 ft) high above the forest.

After many reconstructions and strengthening, the bridge is absolutely safe and reliable; you can walk along it calmly and not worry about the cable not holding up or the steps falling through. However, when there is a strong wind, or there are a lot of people on the bridge, it sways very much, which adds adrenaline.

In addition, you will find guided eco-tours, an introduction to the culture of the indigenous people of Canada, the History Center art and history museum, and performances by amateur groups. Complete your West Coast adventure with some great shopping at the old Trading Post and some traditional West Coast food.

Entrance fees to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park are C$32 for adults, C$17 for students over 17 years old (ID card required), C$20 for youth 13 to 16 years old, C$12 for children 6 to 12 years old and C $30 for those over 65 years of age. You can also purchase a family ticket for C$65 for two adults and two children under 16 years of age; This offer is valid only until January 5, 2013. Admission for persons with disabilities is free. The price includes admission to all attractions inside the park, including the suspension bridge. The cost is indicated in Canadian dollars, which are approximately equal to US dollars.

The park's opening hours depend on the season. At the moment, the schedule has been announced until April next year. From December 1 to January 5, the park is open from 9:00 to 22:00; from January 6 to March 8 - from 9:00 to 17:00; from March 9 to April 26 - from 9:00 to 18:00; from April 27 to April 30 - from 9:00 to 19:00.

On the territory of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park there are restaurants and cafes, souvenir shops for tourists and observation decks built a short distance from the river. In addition, tourists can walk along seven suspension bridges laid through forests at a height of thirty meters, watching squirrels jumping along tree branches. Another attraction of the park is the Cliffwal paths, laid along rocky outcrops; some of them are made with transparent fabric.

Every year for a month, from early December to early January, the park hosts Canyon Lights light and music shows. Performances start at 16:00 daily. This year, the first show will take place on December 1, and the season will end on January 5, 2013.

The bridge is located 11 kilometers north of downtown Vancouver, on the other side of Vancouver Harbour. Follow West Georgia Street towards Stanley Park; further along the Lion Gates Bridge. Turn right onto Marine Dr, then left onto Capilano Road, then follow it for about two kilometers to the exit for Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of British Columbia's most popular attractions; more than 900 thousand tourists visit it annually. Hanging seventy meters above the river of the same name, it was built in 1889 for sawmill workers. But in the middle of the 20th century, a complete reconstruction of the structure was carried out, and Capilano became a tourist attraction.

An extreme walk over the canyon is a test, if not of courage, then certainly of composure. The 137-meter walk along the wind-swaying bridge is unlikely to seem like an idle pleasure, but it is the best way to see the tops of the fir trees at eye level. It is not recommended for particularly impressionable people to look down where the flows of the Capilano River rage. However, there is nothing to be afraid of: the steel cables of the bridge can withstand a weight of 90 tons, that is, more than a thousand people can be here at the same time.

The Capilano River and the bridge itself got their name from the leader of the Squamish Indian tribe, who once lived in the territory of modern Vancouver. In his memory, totem poles depicting animals and the mythical soul of the Squamish tribe were installed at the entrance to the bridge.

Cost of visit and opening hours

Smoking is prohibited within the park.

How to get there

Free transfers for tourists start from Canada Place, located in the center of Vancouver, also passing by the central entrances of the city's largest hotels Hyatt Hotel (655 Burrard St.), Blue Horizon Hotel (1225 Robson St.) and Westin Bayshore Hotel (1601 Bayshore Drive) . During the Canyon Lights Festival, shuttles depart every hour, from 10:00 to 19:00; the rest of the year - from 9:00 to 14:00. A detailed schedule can be found on the official website of the park www.capbridge.com.

You can also get to the park by bus number 246 to the Lonsdale Quay stop with a transfer to number 236, which goes to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

Location

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is located in the park of the same name in the northern part of Vancouver, southwest British Columbia.

The Capilano Bridge today is an entire entertainment complex, which is visited by more than 900 thousand tourists annually. We invite you to go on a journey with us and find out why it is so famous.

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At the end of the 18th century, Scottish engineer George Grand Mackay acquired 24 square kilometers of land in British Columbia. These places are rich in natural resources, but the most important and profitable of them is forest. Red cedar, Douglas fir, western hemlock - all these trees are very valuable in construction, especially since their height reaches 90-100m.

The local humid climate prevents fires from spreading and creates all the conditions for their full development. McKay began cutting down forest on his property. To make work more comfortable, in 1883 he built a suspension bridge across the canyon that divided the site.

The Scot did not even suspect that such a seemingly simple creation from ordinary boards and hemp ropes would make him famous not only in Vancouver, but throughout the world. The longest in Canada, 136 m, at an altitude of 70 m, the bridge instead of a logging assistant became a magnificent attraction. Its next owner, McEachran, understood this.

Beginning in 1935, household items of local Indians and their totems began to appear in the nearby park. The bridge turned into an open-air panopticon, a city landmark. Since 1983, Nancy Stibbard has been the next owner.

Remembering the Squamish Indian Tribe

Today it is an entire entertainment complex for recreation and entertainment, which is visited by more than 900 thousand tourists annually. And there really is something to see here. A large collection of totems of the Squamish Indian tribe, their utensils, which you can touch with your hands, get acquainted with their living conditions, their creativity.

This tribe had a leader named Joe Capilano. This man, according to his people, knew the language of birds and animals, and knew how to negotiate even with the sky about good weather. In some ways they were right, since Joe visited Ottawa, and even London, to talk with King Edward VII of Canada about the fate of the indigenous population and their rights. He achieved the preservation of the memory of the tribe and perpetuated his name. "Capilano" is the name in Vancouver for a lake, river, highland, road, park, suspension bridge.

Walk on the bridge

Now this bridge plays more of an entertainment role. Walking along it, as they say, “tickles your nerves.” Ropes with boards, of course, have long been replaced with more durable materials. The engineers involved in the repairs calculated the carrying capacity at 100 tons. There is even a joke about 96 elephants that can cross to the other side without fear. But even confidence in the reliability of the structure does not eliminate the influx of adrenaline during the promenade along the surface swaying over the abyss.

The centuries-old pines, the tops of which are nearby, sway in time with the wind, its noise leaves an indelible feeling of the power of nature. The river, deep below, turns stones in turbulent streams, trembling the hearts of travelers who decide to test their courage. Of course, on a calm, fine day it is very beautiful here and, one might say, calm.

It’s good to stop, watch the squirrels jumping on the branches, listen to the murmur of water, admire the greenery caressed by the sun’s rays, merge with nature, so to speak, before the next stream of tourists starts moving across the bridge. Again, trembling, swaying, and the “leaving” of the support from under the feet, delighted exclamations and children’s laughter. Before reconstruction, local Indians called the bridge “Laughing” for the sounds it made when it moved from the wind or people walking. He remains so “cheerful” to this day.

Treetops Adventures

In 2004, the park acquired another attraction - Treetops Adventures. These are seven tracks on the west coast, suspended at a height of 30m. Tourists move from tree to tree, looking at samples and models of everything that these lands are rich in. Something like a local history museum, only on the trunks of three-hundred-year-old fir trees. And all around are fascinating pictures of a dense forest from a fairy tale. The role of a “hut on chicken legs” here is played by life-size models of Indian dwellings.

The bravest ones visit the Cliffwalk. This is an unusual path attached directly to the rock of the canyon. Some parts of it are made of transparent material, that is, you can see the abyss under your feet. Such experiences are not for the faint of heart, although they are very interesting. At the end of this path, a surprise awaits brave tourists - a charming waterfall.

There are also many wooden paths along the ground, carefully bending around every trunk encountered along the way. There are many gazebos, places to relax, and observation decks that offer stunning views of pristine nature, preserved for posterity as an example of caring for the ecosystem. Even the souvenir shop and cafe are arranged very harmoniously here.

The park and the Capilano Bridge are closely connected with the history of the conquest of these places by “white people”, the fate of the Squamish tribe and its leader. It is gratifying to see how the echoes of distant times live and delight contemporaries, warming their souls with love for the world around them.

Vancouver, Canada, like many cities on the planet, has its own attractions. But one deserves special attention. This is the famous Capilano suspension bridge. 137 meters of air path at an altitude of 70 meters above the Capilano River.

The bridge was named after an Indian chief who lived in this area in the past. It is with this attraction that you should start your acquaintance with Vancouver.

The bridge was first built by Scotsman George Grant Mackay in 1889 to cross the river. Why for the first time? Because the Capilano Bridge was periodically improved and rebuilt. For example, the hemp ropes that were used in the original version were replaced with metal cables in 1903. In 1956, the bridge was completely rebuilt. According to today's owners, the bridge is absolutely safe and will support the weight of 96 elephants. But this fact has never been demonstrated, so we’ll take his word for it.

The bridge is privately owned and was sold several times until it was acquired by Nancy Stibbart in 1983. The guy was no slouch. The totems, which were placed by local Indians at the request of the former owners as an additional attraction for visitors, were added in 2004 by the dizzying attraction "Treetops Adventures". These are 7 additional pedestrian bridges up to 30 meters high, also laid between trees.

One of the bridges is shaped like a semicircle and is suspended from a nearby rock.

It’s especially extreme to walk across the Capilano Bridge during a strong wind, when it sways quite violently. Not every tourist at this time is able to overcome such a path.

Not only is the bridge a landmark, but so is the stunning beauty of the surrounding Canadian nature.