Guildford’s Tumbling Bay bridge nears completion, but towpath remains closed

Guildford’s long-awaited replacement weir and footbridge at Tumbling Bay are nearing completion, but walkers will need to keep using the diversion while a final section of bridge is made.

The latest update brings the prospect of a restored riverside route closer after the structure’s collapse in 2019. It does not, however, give a confirmed reopening day. For anyone planning a walk into town, the distinction is important: progress on the engineering project does not yet mean the crossing is available.

Why the bridge is still closed

In a statement reported by The Guildford Dragon on 14 October, updated on 15 October, National Trust general manager Tristan Brown said a small section above the sluice gate was being built away from the site. The need to replace it emerged during the main works.

The Trust chose to carry out that additional work now, rather than reopen the route and require another closure soon afterwards. Its expectation was that the bridge would remain closed for a few more weeks.

“We’d like to thank everyone for their patience.” — Tristan Brown, National Trust, quoted by The Guildford Dragon.

More than a footbridge repair

The National Trust’s project page explains that contractor Knights Brown is replacing both the weir and the bridge. A temporary structure followed the 2019 collapse, while the permanent scheme required engineering investigations and permissions.

A weir has probably occupied this location since the twelfth century. Its original purpose was to help mill owners manage the water above their wheels; today, the structure still contributes to maintaining levels on the Wey. The tumbling bay combines a fixed crest with three manually adjustable sluice gates.

The Trust’s September progress entry recorded new pier walls and work on the concrete base. Its published arrangements keep the main navigation open during the project, apart from short safety closures for particular operations such as lifting materials over the water.

Where walkers should go

The project page includes diversion maps and identifies routes back to the towpath at Guildford Rowing Club or the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. Check those maps and the signs on site before setting off. An apparently quiet construction area is not evidence that the crossing has reopened.

If the walk is part of a journey to an appointment, allow time for the alternative route. Anyone travelling with a buggy, using a mobility aid or trying to avoid steps should examine the route details rather than assuming that every riverside connection is equally suitable.

A waterway that once carried Guildford’s trade

The restoration sits within a much longer story. The Trust’s history of the navigations traces the original commercial route to the seventeenth century. Opened in 1653, it gave Guildford merchants a link to the Thames and London using engineered channels, locks and weirs.

Horse-drawn barges could carry loads far larger than a road wagon. Timber travelled towards London, while corn moved upstream for the mills. The extension to Godalming was completed in 1764, widening the reach of the network.

The Wey Navigation passed to the National Trust in 1964 and the Godalming Navigation followed in 1968. Their present-day leisure role is therefore supported by structures inherited from centuries of working transport. A bridge repair is also part of keeping that wider historic system usable.

Exploring the Wey while work continues

For an introduction to the waterway, Dapdune Wharf’s visitor information covers its heritage displays, walking opportunities and boat trips. The site also provides access information, including uneven ground and a stepped connection to the towpath, so it is worth checking before choosing a route.

Boat users should consult the Trust’s linked river-conditions service for current navigation advice. For walkers waiting specifically for Tumbling Bay, the practical next milestone is an explicit reopening announcement. Until then, the diversion remains the route to follow, even as the long restoration approaches its final stage.