Octoraro Creek and its West Branch form the boundary between Lancaster and Chester Counties below Atglen. This tour explores the Octoraro Frontier between the two counties and its old covered bridges. Four of the five bridges on this tour cross Octoraro Creek or its East or West Branch. Two are shared by Lancaster and Chester Counties and two are in Lancaster County, and only one (The Speakman Bridge #1, over Buck Run) is wholly in Chester County.
Route: From Philadelphia, take Interstate Highway 76, the Schuylkill Expressway, west to the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the exit on PA Route 100 southbound. (Larkin Bridge is not far from this exit but is included on another tour). Take the first right on Route 113 southbound to a right on Route 30 to a left on Route 82. (Route 82 jogs to the right, west, for a few blocks on Business Route 30, the Lincoln Highway, then resumes southbound with a left on Strode Ave.) Continue south to a left on Covered Bridge Road to Speakman Bridge #1, on the left.
The Speakman Bridge #2 (Mary Ann Pyle Bridge) and the Hayes Clark Bridge are not far from here, but are on the private property of the Brandywine Conservancy, and so are not included on this tour. You may call the Conservancy, in Chadd's Ford, for further information on those bridges.
Double back to northbound on Route 82. Go straight ahead on Wilmington Road when Route 82 bends right. Pass the Octagon School, turn right on Park Avenue, and left on Strasburg Road.
Strasburg Road becomes Route 372; follow Route 372 to a left on Route 41 south. Turn right on Highland Road to a right on Bailey's Crossroads Road to Mercer's Mill Bridge. Continue through the bridge to a right north on Creek Road at a T intersection. You are on road T455. Pass a bridge on the right and continue just a bit left of straight ahead when road T455 joins Noble Road.
Follow Noble Road to a right on Wilson Road. Turn right, following the covered bridge sign, at Mount Pleasant Road. Follow Mount Pleasant to Jackson's Mill Bridge. Double back, continuing on Mount Pleasant (right) at the T, to turn right on (again) Noble Road.
Follow Noble Road south to a left on White Rock road to a right on Academy Road to White Rock Bridge. Pass through to a right on King Pen Road to a left on Ashville Road to Pine Grove Bridge. Pass through to a right on Union Square Road to a left on Route 272 to a left on Route 1 north. Follow Route 1 to a left on Route 202 north to the Schuylkill Expressway, east to return to Philadelphia.
FOOD AND SERVICES This route is quite rural and isolated and, well, to get to the point, food and the associated services (you know what we mean) could be a problem. Start early: the best chances will be on the returning leg on Route 1. We like The Country Crock in Chadd's Ford pretty well, ourselves. If you have an afternoon to kill after doing the bridge tour and having lunch, you could always take in the Brandywine Museum, on Route 1 in Chadd's ford, and check out the Wyeths.
