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 lies in the heart of Clovelly and is peaceful and quaint. It is certainly peaceful as…

Ilfracombe Holiday Park

Situated in the beautiful North Devon and minutes from the centre of the lovely harbour town of…

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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Number of results: 79

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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…
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from 79 review(s)
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,…
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.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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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…
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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…
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…
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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…
$Ilfracombe Aquarium$

$Add Ilfracombe Aquarium to your Itinerary$
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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…
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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…
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…
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…
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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…
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…
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from 561 review(s)
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…
$Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium$

$Add Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium to your Itinerary$
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…
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…

Tarka Trail North Devon

Follow in Tarka’s footsteps

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