Spark Bridge
Spark Bridge is a former mill village in Cumbria, England, within the Lake District national park. The village is situated away from the main road on the river Crake which flows from Coniston to Morecambe bay at Greenodd. The village green which is next to and gives access to the river is in the middle of the village surrounded by well maintained white painted cottages.
| Spark Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Road into Spark Bridge from the north | |
  Spark Bridge Location in South Lakeland  Spark Bridge Location within Cumbria | |
| OS grid reference | SD305849 |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ULVERSTON |
| Postcode district | LA12 |
| Dialling code | 01229 |
| Police | Cumbria |
| Fire | Cumbria |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
Facilities
There are two public houses, The Royal Oak Inn is central to the village; this was awarded a 4 star food safety award in 2008. There is also the Farmers Arms which is situated on the edge of the village on the main road from Greenodd. The village also has its own postbox, a telephone box and a bus stop. The bus X 12 runs Monday to Saturday to Coniston or in the other direction to Ulverston and Barrow in Furness.
Canoeists use the village green to leave the river at this point, often using the nearby village hall as a base.
River Crake
The River Crake passes from Coniston Water four miles away through Spark Bridge en route to the Leven Estuary.
In November 2009 many of the tributaries feeding the River Crake overflowed, feeding water on the local road network. It was described as a once in a thousand-year flooding event by the Environment Agency. Cumbria Police closed the main bridge on Thursday night around 7 p.m. to all on foot and in cars, they feared that the damage could have been caused to the bridge but a later examination showed that it was undamaged.
External links
Media related to Spark Bridge at Wikimedia Commons