The Royal Hotel

With an atmosphere and character that is quite unique, parts of The Royal Hotel, which is…

Health & Leisure at The Barnstaple Hotel

When you stay at the Barnstaple Hotel, you have complimentary use of our wonderful leisure club,…

Exmoor Zoo

Enjoy a day out in the North-west of Exmoor at Exmoor zoo, one of the “West-country’s hidden gems”…

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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EasiGlide North Devon Segway Experience

Ilfracombe

EasiGlide North Devon Segway Experience is a great fun family activity where you get to try your skills on the very latest EasiGlide Segways whilst taking in the beautiful…
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.
Tennacott Farm Dairy

Barnstaple

Tennacott Dairy is based on a family farm on the outskirts of Bideford. They use milk from their dairy herd to produce a range of different flavours of ice cream. They aim to…
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…
The Collingdale Guest House

Ilfracombe

The Collingdale Guest House is an award-winning, AA four star Guest House situated directly on the South West Coastal Path with panoramic views of Ilfracombe harbour and the…
Walrus Fisheries

Ilfracombe

A long running family business, Walrus Fisheries fish the North Devon coast for lobster, brown crab and spider crab and provide restaurants, fish mongers and private…
Pelican Fish & Chips

Barnstaple

Voted the UK’s top Independent Fish & Chip Restaurant 2018 by The National Fish and Chip Awards (Fish ‘n’ Chip Oscars!) and one of the Best 10 by the industry-leading Fry…
Sark Guest House

Barnstaple

Sark is a pleasant Victorian property, it is situated 10 minutes walk from the town centre
Green Man Cider

Barnstaple

Green Man cider is made only from top quality apples carefully sourced from orchards in Somerset and North Devon.
$Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium$

$Add Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium to your Itinerary$
Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium

Ilfracombe

We are Chocoholics and dedicated to all things Chocolate.
We live, eat and breath the wonderful stuff.
Country Life Brewery

BIDEFORD

Established in 1998, using the brew plant from Lundy Island, the brewery was originally located at the families’ pub near Westward Ho! The Brewery moved to The Big Sheep in…
Brightlycott Barton

Barnstaple

The site consists of 23 pitches with 16amp electric points, 8 of which are level and the other 15 part level but do not require much work to get level,
Animal Ark Cottages

Nr Barnstaple

Picturesque character self catering cottages, set in 4 acres of semi-rural countryside in the quiet hamlet of Kerscott, Swimbridge, North Devon.
Raleigh Barn

Bideford

Peace and Quiet in Rural North Devon
Raleigh Barn is a peaceful 2 bedroom holiday cottage nestled in the beautiful rural countryside of North Devon.
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The Old Vicarage, Barnstaple

Barnstaple

The Old Vicarage is a delightful early Victorian house with many original features, spacious guest rooms, and modern en-suites set within its own peaceful garden only a few…
Tarka Cycle Hire

Barnstaple

John & Margaret Kempson started Tarka Trail Cycle Hire in 1989, shortly after the disused Barnstaple to Bideford line was converted for recreational use and given the…
Stay In Devon

Devon is a beautiful county and so it isn’t surprising that so many people want to stay there, we’re committed to making sure that our guests have the best possible…
My Favourite Holiday Cottages

Barnstaple

Sandy beaches, soaring cliffs, green hills and wooded combes can all be discovered while staying in a holiday cottage in North Devon. There’s loads to do in this spectacular…
My Favourite Cottages

Barnstaple

My Favourite Cottages is a holiday home letting agency based in Barnstaple, North Devon. We specialise is quality self-catering properties from one bedroom cottages, cottages…
Lower Hearson Farm

Barnstaple

Come and Relax on our small family run farm where you can join in with feeding the animals if you want to. An opportunity to create special memories that will last a lifetime…

Tarka Trail North Devon

Follow in Tarka’s footsteps

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