Multiple solutions to puzzles (spoliers!)

[naturon]

Immediately after that I noticed that there was a path right beside the gap where you could walk safely.

There was?!? I remember a path down to the lower ledge, but if there was a safe path that didn't require bridge building I completely missed it. I also built a bridge across the gap, boxes on the lower ledge to provide a pillar to support planks laid across. It was pretty fiddly, but I'd already discovered that the barrels could be ignited to keep me warm, so I wasn't in a hurry.

It was a cruel joke at the player's expense no doubt, it's very cleverly camouflaged. On your next playthrough if you decide to play it again, look for a series of platforms receding from the rocky wall. I was wrong in saying I tried multiple times after dying, because that contradicts my statement about noticing it immediately after crossing the gap. I did die but I only built one pillar now that I think about it.