There are extreme bridge swings worldwide and in our country we've got plenty of options to enjoy it, but... do you know some of its fascinating facts?
How did bridge swinging originate?
There are two versions about the birth of bridge swinging. One stems from an inspiration Chris Baker had while watching a documentary about young men from the Vanuatu tribe on Pentecost Island. Around 1960, these men would prove their bravery by jumping from heights with ropes or vines tied to their ankles.
After learning this story around 1979, Baker decided to use elastic ropes, and that same year the first bungee jump from a bridge took place in Bristol, UK. The consequences of this stunt led to the jumpers' arrest, but the news went global and gained followers everywhere.
The other version credits climber Helmut Kiene with the idea of tying a rope to one end of a river bridge and jumping from the other end, creating a 50m pendulum swing - the closest thing to modern bridge swinging.
In Spain, it became fashionable around the 1980s, and in recent years thousands of people practice this activity annually.
What's the highest bridge you can swing from?
In Spain, most bridges are around 40 metres high, allowing jumps with ropes of about 25-30 metres. But globally, the highest bridge for swinging is in South Africa - the Bloukrans Bridge at 216 metres high.
What's the record for most people bridge swinging simultaneously?
The record for most people swinging together from a bridge was set in 2012 in Russia, with a staggering 135 participants. You can see it yourself in this video! Quite mad, don't you think?
Is bridge swinging the same as bungee jumping?
Though many use the terms interchangeably, they're not identical: bridge swinging uses dynamic ropes secured via a waist harness in a pendulum motion, while bungee uses elastic cords for vertical jumps from various structures like cranes.
Bridge Swinging
Bungee Jumping
Could you swing with someone special?
Absolutely! If you're brave but not entirely confident, want to share the experience or need that extra push, you can do a tandem bridge swing with a friend or partner. You'll be securely connected via harness with safety carabiners to the supporting rope.
There's someone for everything - we find people swinging from nuclear power plants, even wheelchair users eager to experience this thrilling activity.
What about you? Would you dare try bridge swinging? Have you done it before? Would you attempt a tandem? Go for it!
