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You are here > Explore > Tarka Trail

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Royal & Fortescue Coffee House

Set right by the lounges of the Royal & Fortescue Hotel, their Coffee House is a delightful place…

The New Inn hotel

The New Inn Hotel

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  • 1Royal & Fortescue Coffee House
  • 2The New Inn Hotel
  • 3Ilfracombe Holiday Park
  • 4Dining at The Barnstaple Hotel
  • 5RHS Garden Rosemoor
  • 6Barnstaple Hotel Brasserie
  • 7Dining at The Royal Hotel
  • 8Croyde Bay Holiday Resort
  • 9The Milky Way Adventure Park
  • 10Regency Restaurant
  • 11Dining at Saunton Sands Hotel
  • 12Hartland Abbey & Gardens
  • 13The Arlington Restaurant - Imperial Hotel
  • 14Ruda Holiday Park - Parkdean Resorts
  • 15Beach Cove Coastal Retreat
  • 16Leisure & Spa at Saunton Sands Hotel
  • 17Birchill Farm & Cottages
  • 18Beachside Grill at Saunton Sands Hotel
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Tarka Trail North Devon

The Tarka Trail is one of the country's longest continuous traffic-free walking and cycling paths, and forms part of the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route.

Follow in Tarka’s footsteps

Inspired by Henry Williamson’s much loved novel ‘Tarka the Otter’, this 163 miles/261kms recreation route follows Tarka’s journey in a figure of eight, through the northern part of the county. The route can be followed on foot or by bike and is a fabulous way for the whole family to visit some of the places mentioned in the original novel.

The Trail takes you through an ever-changing variety of some of the wonderful Devon scenery described in the book, including tranquil countryside, wooded river valleys, rugged moorland and dramatic coast and is a wonderful and sustainable way to explore this area.

Comprehensively waymarked, the walk varies from easy to challenging and there are plenty of different routes for you to take making it a new adventure every single time. Short sections of the trail and circular walks from it are ideal for day and half-day excursions. The terrain is a mixture, with some challenging sections and some flat, off road sections, making it suitable for a wide range of visitors.

Where to pick up the route

The entire route is centered around the town of Barnstaple, the largest town in the region and takes in areas of Exmoor, the Valley of the Rocks and the coastline. If the town is mentioned in the book, you can likely access it along the trail as many of the locations featured in the original novel are real life places. You can pick up the route at various points across the county, the Trail passes through the towns of Lynmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford, Torrington, Okehampton and Ilfracombe and parts of it coincide with the South West Coast Path, the Two Moors Way and the Dartmoor Way, giving you plenty of chances to explore. There are also a number of short circular routes that are located alongside the main north and south Tarka Trail route which are designed to take a couple of hours, allowing you to explore the villages and points of interest along the trail while not spending all day.

The trail has a north loop that runs from Barnstaple through to the areas of Braunton, Croyde, Ilfracombe, Combe Martin and Lynmouth and then returning to Barnstaple.
Alternatively, the south loop runs from Barnstaple through to Bideford, where you can find Hatherleigh, Okehampton, North Tawnton and Eggesford. You can then return to Barnstaple using the Tarka Line train.

Facilities

When planning a trip to the Tarka Trail, make sure to take note of the facilities along the route. You’ll find shops, restaurants, pubs and public toilets at all the towns and villages along the route as well as places to stay. Some of the towns also have defibrillators and access to health care professionals, should you need medical assistance during your visit.

Check the local listings for the public transport times for journeys along the Tarka Line.

For more information on the Tarka Trail, including maps, routes and the various points where you can join the trail, visit the official site, https://www.tarkatrail.org.uk/

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  1. bampfield cottages outside picnic table

    Add Bampfield Farm Cottages to your Itinerary

    Bampfield Farm Cottages

    Barnstaple

    Bampfield Farm Cottages are where holiday memories are made, set in acres of rolling hills on a working family farm, this is the perfect base for your holiday. Bampfield Farm…

  2. Torridge House Farm Cottages

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    Torridge House Farm Cottages

    Torrington

    Feel at home in the peace, tranquillity and comfort of a unique experience

    Nestling in the rolling hills and wooded valleys of glorious North Devon countryside in Tarka,…

  3. Wildersmouth Beach

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    Wildersmouth Beach

    Ilfracombe

    This ancient cove was a popular bay for smugglers. High sided cliffs drop down to a small rocky bay with shingle and sand. This bay is sheltered and peaceful.

  4. Country House, North Devon

    Add Moreton House to your Itinerary

    Moreton House

    Bideford

    Newly open for the 2019 season, Moreton House offers luxurious self-catering apartments within a beautiful grade-II listed Georgian country house. With flexible layouts that…

  5. tarka valley railway

    Add Tarka Valley Railway to your Itinerary

    Tarka Valley Railway

    Station Hill, Great Torrington

    The Tarka Valley Railway Group was formed in 2008 to preserve what remained of the railway at Torrington. Passenger services had closed in late 1965 and by the 1990’s the…

  6. corffe house swimming pool

    Add Corffe House & Holiday Cottages to your Itinerary

    Corffe House & Holiday Cottages

    Barnstaple

    Nestled in the beautiful North Devon countryside, the Corffe Estate provides an ideal base for family holidays, short breaks and work stopovers. Located on the outskirts of…

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    Varley House

    Ilfracombe

    Rod and Helen Chatfield offer you a warm welcome, old world charm and home comforts on your stay at Varley House.

    Varley House was built at the beginning of the 20th…

  8. Affinty Devon

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - from 413 review(s)from 413 review(s)

    Affinity Devon

    Bideford

    Affinity Devon is North Devon’s unique outlet shopping village. With over 30 stores offering up to 50% off RRP every day including Nike, GAP and Clarks you’ll find a huge…

  9. Robin Hill

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - from 172 review(s)from 172 review(s)

    Robin Hill Farm Cottages

    Bideford

    You will find us at the end of our half mile private lane, surrounded by fields of rolling North Devon countryside with stunning views over the unspoilt, hidden and peaceful…

  10. Lynmouth Beach

    Add Lynmouth Beach to your Itinerary

    Lynmouth Beach

    Lynmouth

    Image Credit - Jill Turner

     

    Surrounded by the spectacular wooded hills of Exmoor National Park Lynmouth offers some of the best cliff top drives and walks around…

  11. Mullacott Farm

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - from 144 review(s)from 144 review(s)

    Mullacott Farm

    Ilfracombe

    Stay on a family-run working farm with many animals. Stay in the recently converted barn adjacent to the farmhouse. This an ideal base for the beach walking and riding being…

  12. Ilfracombe Aquarium

    Add Ilfracombe Aquarium to your Itinerary

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - from 762 review(s)from 762 review(s)

    Ilfracombe Aquarium

    Ilfracombe Harbour, Ilfracombe

    *LOCAL AQUATIC EXHIBITS *PIER CAFÉ WITH HARBOUR VIEW DECK *FUNKY FISH GIFT SHOP*

    Established since 2001, this exciting, award winning, all weather, family attraction is…

  13. Dartington Crystal

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - from 594 review(s)from 594 review(s)

    Dartington Crystal

    Torrington

    As the only remaining UK glass factory, Dartington Crystal Torrington is the true home of British glass making. Visitors can watch skilled glass makers in action, creating…

  14. Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway

    Add Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway to your Itinerary

    Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway

    Lynmouth

    The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway is the UK's only fully water powered railway and bronze winner of Devon's Large Attraction of the Year 2018. Built in 1888, it remains…

  15. Black wooden lodge

    Add Hide & Sleep to your Itinerary

    Hide & Sleep

    Bideford

    You don’t have to travel far for your next adventure: it’s all waiting for you with us here in Devon.

    At hide & sleep, we’re here for those looking for their happy place…

  16. living room, brown sofa, wooden beams

    Add West Down Guest House to your Itinerary

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    TripAdvisor Traveller Rating - from 94 review(s)from 94 review(s)

    West Down Guest House

    Umberleigh, Nr Barnstaple

    West Down is an AA award winning farm guest house providing superb dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation in Glorious North Devon. Optional superb home cooked evening meals…

  17. Poached eggs

    Add Carlton Hotel: Club Bar & Brasserie to your Itinerary

    Carlton Hotel: Club Bar & Brasserie

    Ilfracombe

    This newly refurbished brasserie is the perfect setting to enjoy a meal, freshly prepared using some of the best local produce around. Being so close to the sea, fish is of…

  18. Hele Valley

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    Hele Valley Holiday Park

    Ilfracombe

    Situated in the picturesque harbour town of Ilfracombe our award winning park, owned and managed by the Dovey family for over forty five years, offers the perfect destination…

  19. Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium

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    Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium

    Ilfracombe

    We are Chocoholics and dedicated to all things Chocolate.

    We live, eat and breath the wonderful stuff.  Making chocolates with love in our kitchen, here in the…

  20. Food market

    Add Barnstaple Pannier Market to your Itinerary

    Barnstaple Pannier Market

    Barnstaple

    Enjoy the charm and friendly atmosphere of one of Britain's largest indoor markets. There's something for everyone.

    Largely unchanged in over 150 years, Barnstaple's…

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