Nithvale Bridge (Nith Rd Bridge)

Nithvale had 2 sawmills and not much else and eventually got amalgamated into Ayr. This is the oldest Truss bridge in the region apparently, being built in 1873. It cost a whopping $1426 to build back then. Most of the metal for bridges started shifting to steel from wrought iron. The GRCA states that few wrought iron bridges remain at all. You can notice also that this bridge is pin-jointed rather than riveted, so perhaps this bridge was made before the rivets came to the area and became a standard. It was closed in 1967 to cars but pedestrians (and cyclists) still use it. DESPITE SIGNS. I mean............. ^All of this is (except cyclists and remarks on signs. Hehe.) paraphrased from GRCA. No credit to me except for rearranging the wording but credit where credit is due.

Now for my experience. The first time I had the brilliant idea to go to Ayr and hit this was in the fall and it was a chilly down pouring day and it was alright but Pikaswed420 and I couldnt even find cover under the far side of the bridge because of the advanced deterioration. Pikaswed420 clung to the side and looked out. I was pretty sketched out at the time too cause this was early on in the exploration. The timber the floor(?) of the bridge is made of is ROTTED. Some spots BEYOND ROTTED. There are a few boards missing. A few half missing. A few are just missing a few inches, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, they are all quite bad. Take the time and tap your foot good to have a listen. Some spots I would have stepped, the sound made me think twice. Because of the downpour and my TOTAL lack of umbrella, a gallery (or just a nice set of a new place at the time before an account) was unattainable. We laughed at the ''PLEASE KEEP OUT" sign. "NO TRESPASSING" equivalent it be. So politely worded. Only in Ayr yo.

The second time we went wasnt too exciting and Im not even sure if I crossed all the way. It was again a day a "gallery" wouldnt have been great, because this time, Pikaswed420 and I went in the winter. I may have some pics from these trips but they were nothing special, because the third time is the charm apparently.

The third time, my Mom and I were running around in Ayr. I take her to the odd thing but she is SUPER CONCERNED about conditions. Once again, luck be on my side and it was raining (s'cuse this but FFS). But it was off and on and not down pour. Also fast forwarding to the day we went, Ive attained an umbrella. As long as there is no wind or not too much, it can GREATLY aid the keeping of water off the lens. So we go down and I chuckled at the sign one again with its such polite demanding. Like usual, my Mom had no idea what she was in for and because I had only been at night and couldnt get a good look and had been in the day but it was covered in snow (minus rotted out bits) and again couldnt get a good look so I had no idea really either. The bridge was beautiful but highly rotted. Its somthing else to watch the Nith thru something you know should be solid. Once again tapping for sound as I weave my way across. Just as Im about to pop out the overgrown far side, my Mom, 3/4s of the way yells she is turing around cause its REAL BAD. And she wasnt wrong. There is moss and fun-guy growing on the wood on the far side where she turned and you can exactly hear the condition so to say for a lack of a better description. I ran under and shot it and ran back and shot it. My Mom is in there somewhere. When shooting the bridge the way I came from I didnt feel the need to yell at her to move. Nith is a NASTY river. Beautiful, and my favorite river in the Grand watershed, but VIOLENT. (HAZARD FLOODING FOR THE RIVER. Ive got no idea the depth as I havent really been down there, and falling thru this beaut wasnt the way I wanted to find out.) Now, next time I just need to finger a way down the closest end. Didnt wanna leave my mom there as I canvassed the embankment. Next time......