The arrival of some family members in Vancouver as part of a vacation gave us a reason to make a day trip up to the city.  It is a pretty easy run to get there so we were pleased to head up.  Since the visitors were on vacation, they were keen to explore different things so we decided to head across the Lions Gate Bridge and visit the suspension bridge at Capilano.  This was not something I had been aware of before we planned this.

The bridge has apparently been there for many years.  It is suspended across a deep valley with a river running through the bottom.  It is a very popular attraction and, while we headed there in the morning, we were certainly not alone.  The people that own the bridge have expanded the facilities to include a number of other attractions and these will get their own posts in the coming days.  However, this is just about the bridge.  As it covers quite a distance, the bridge has quite a drop between the ends and the middle.  This makes each end of it quite steep.  Combine that with the number of people crossing, the desire everyone has to look around/get some pictures, and the amount it moves around which unsettles the first-time user and it takes a while to get across.  It is interesting to see that the return journey is a bit quicker!

Being on the bridge gives you one perspective.  Looking down into the valley below is a different point of view.  At various other times, you get a chance to check the bridge out from a distance (when you see how long it is and how many people are on it at any one time) when it also seems rather dwarfed by the surroundings.  You even get to walk underneath it at one point and then it has a very different feel.  If you are spending any time in Vancouver, I do suggest you head to North Vancouver and check the bridge and its associated attractions out.