Eight bridges you must ride

We here at MCN like a good bridge. In fact we love them so much, we’ve put together our top eight must-ride bridges.

Taking a trip on some of the world’s longest bridges, the longest water crossings, bridges connecting countries…the possibility of thrill-seeking excitement to bridge-crossing are endless.

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Donghai Bridge, China

Measuring 20.2 miles, this is no small bridge to be scoffed at. It’s in fact the seventh longest road bridge and one of the longest water crossing bridges in the world. The bridge connects mainland Shanhai to the neighbouring county Shengsi and its Yangshan islands. It’s been built in an area that’s prone to earthquakes and typhoons and has one of the strongest tidal forces on the planet so it’s been made of tough stuff.  The bridge is a mightily impressive time saver too, shaving three hours off the time it take to travel to Nibo and Shanghai.

Millau Viaduct, France

Go big or go home is a phrase that comes to mind when referring to the Millau Viaduct. With its highest peak measuring 1125ft from its base it is officially the world’s highest bridge tower. It’s been cited as one of the great feats of engineering and was built as a solution to tackle holiday traffic between Paris and Spain.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Mention a bridge and the archetypal image that springs to mind is San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. One of America’s most recognisable landmarks, it would simply be rude to put up an article about bridges and not give it a mention. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world from 1937 until 1964 and has been billed as one of the seven wonders of the modern world by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Atlantic Highway, Norway

Not a singular bridge as such but a collection of eight bridges spanning 5.1 miles that wind and curve their way through a collection of small islands. It’s been named as one of the most beautiful rides in the world and it isn’t hard to see why. Just be sure you don’t take too much time taking in the scenery as it’s also a distraction that is the cause of many accidents on the road.

Bosphorus Bridge, Turkey

A bridge between two continents, the Bosphorus Bridge is a link Europe and Asia. Measuring 5118ft in length, the bridge extends between Ortaköy (in Europe) and Beylerbeyi (in Asia).

The Öresund Bridge, Sweden/Denmark

Not a continental bridge but it does join the nations of Sweden and Denmark. The Öresund is a motorway bridge that measures a combined 5 miles, and joins Copenhagen to Malmo. Made internationally famous by the television series ‘The Bridge’, it features heavily in many episodes, effectively getting a starring role all to itself (although it doesn’t get any dialogue). You can ride over the Öresund when you’re heading up to the Atlantic Highway.

Fairy Bridge – Isle of Man

Do you believe in fairies? Well you should if you ever go over to the Isle of Man because though not perhaps as structurally impressive as some of the other bridges here it could be argued that it is in fact one of the bridges of higher importance as riders throughout the TT and Manx Classic rely on the luck of the fairies to get them through the race and some believe that not greeting the fairies could be the reason things don’t go so well in the race, not what you would want on your mind as you hurtle around the island at speeds of up to 200mph.

Vasco da Gama Bridge, Portugal

Combining the length of its viaducts makes the Vasco Da Gama the longest bridge in Europe with a length of 7.6 miles, it was built to ease congestion in Lisbon and crosses the Targus river. It has been built to withstand winds of up to 155mph and could take on an earthquake of 8.7 magnitude on the Richter scale.

 

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