Roving bridge

Roving bridge
Stone-built roving bridge 29 with spiral ramp on the Macclesfield Canal
Carrieshorses, pedestrians
Crossescanals, river navigations
Changing towpaths without unhitching the tow line:
1. Failure to consider the issue
2. Tow line passing through a slot
3. Running the path under the bridge
4. Using a dedicated roving bridge

A roving bridge, changeline bridge, turnover bridge, or snake bridge is a bridge over a canal or navigable river constructed to allow a horse towing a boat to cross the waterway when the towpath changes sides. This often occurred because of the presence of buildings or riparian water rights, where a landowner needed his cattle to be able to access the water without getting in the way of passing boats and horses.