The trail is 180 miles long, but it doesn;t mind if you pop on for a short hop and enjoy the views.

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Tarka Trail

The Barnstaple Tarka Trail is an 8-mile family cycle route running from Barnstaple to Braunton alongside the River Taw and across countryside of North Devon, UK. The entire trail is a 180 mile, figure of eight walking and cycling trail that follows the route travelled by famous Tarka the Otter in the famous novel by Henry Williamson

It’s a beautiful way for cycling families to explore the local area and take in the wildlife, which often includes the rare water vole that can sometimes be spotted along the riverbank

With a mixture of gentle inclines and downhill sections, it is suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities

Alongside the route there are also plenty of opportunities for picnics, stopping off points and sites of historical interest

Whether you choose to make your journey as long or as short as possible, the Barnstaple Tarka Trail is a great way to explore this corner of North Devon and appreciate its natural beauty

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Tarka Trail Reviews

Below are the latest reviews of Tarka Trail.

4.7

Based on 75 reviews

Review on

Opening Hours:

Monday: Open 24 hours

Tuesday: Open 24 hours

Wednesday: Open 24 hours

Thursday: Open 24 hours

Friday: Open 24 hours

Saturday: Open 24 hours

Sunday: Open 24 hours

Address: Barnstaple EX31 1QN, UK

Ian Beckly

7 months ago

Such a great idea to make an old railway line into a walking & cycling route. So many historic things to see. The Puffing Billy Café is a good place to stop & eat. Very easy peddling as it's reasonably flat. Lot's of bridges and a tunnel to look out for. Highly recommended

Michael Jones

11 months ago

We cycled the Tarka Trail from Braunton to Barnstable, then to Bideford (calling @ Instow) and then back again. We spent the day on our bikes, the weather was perfect, plenty of places to stop (Beach, Pub or food). Perfect for cycling also, taking it nice and easy, level and well laid routes, very well sign posted and a pleasure to cycle, so much to see.

Abboman

a year ago

Nice and flat….. Not much to see as in views but lovely and quiet and peaceful. Must note we only walked from the centre of Braunton to the Royal Marine base at Chiveron. Hence not much to see. I know however other parts of the Tarka Trail are spoilt for landscape and breath taking views etc However the cafe was a great stop off for a beer!!!! 🍻

Raphael Millin

2 years ago

Good fun with the family. Some nice views along the way and a couple of places to stop for lunch. We did a round trip of 12 miles which was enough for a family with the youngest being 7 years old. The route is flat which definitely helped! Would recommend to spend 3-4 hours of your day.

Sharon Weddell

2 years ago

Had a good day out. We did 28 mile route. Really worth doing. We are not really cyclists so made something different to do. I saw a lot of bird species on the trail as well.

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Location

The address for Tarka Trail we have is: Barnstaple EX31 1QN, UK. Use the map below for a closer view. Do check with your host for a definite location.

Related Things to See & Do

Here are the related things to see and do Tarka Trail which are also in and around Bideford.

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