So welcome to my new blog page.

I guess you are wondering why now and also why the Bridgeman?.

Well to answer the second question first, during my extensive training as a London Blue Badge Tourist Guide, I had to undertake a lot of practical training. Much of that involved going around London on a coach and over the microphone, telling my fellow students what they could see. Somehow, I always seemed to get a bridge into my commentary even if we were nowhere near the river and so I became “The Bridgeman”  I always had an interest in bridges but studying London, I realised how important they are to the development of the city and my interest has grown.

During lockdown,  I undertook a lot of walking mainly to offset the boredom and whilst walking I discovered many interesting things – not just bridges but plaques, memorials, statues, houses, and numerous other things. I wanted to share my discoveries and find a justification for the many thousands of photographs I took hence the blog page. I did some pieces for the Association of Professional Tour Guides web site (www.guidelondon.org.uk) and encouraged by the response I wanted the chance to write more.

My intention is to publish a blog a week – some will be long, some will be short but hopefully all will interest someone not just me. Bridges will obviously feature but I’ll also have history, transport, top 5 lists, architecture and anything else I feel like writing about. As I was born and live in Suburban London, a lot of my walking was local to me so there will also be future blogs on suburbia

Please do feedback by contacting me at stevenszymanskiguide@gmail.com or if you want to go onto the distribution list.

best wishes

Steve aka The Bridgeman