Tarka Trail Circular Routes the place to be naturally active www.devon.gov.uk/prow www.visitdevon.co.uk Tarka Trail Circular Routes The Tarka Trail is 180 miles long and North Loop follows in the footsteps of the character Tarka the Otter from Henry Going counter-clockwise from Williamson’s famous novel. The Trail Barnstaple, the North Loop heads splits into 2 loops centred at inland along the tidal section of the Barnstaple and is a great way to River Taw. The Trail rises up through explore the world class environment of little villages with cob and thatched North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere that cottages, takes in remote farms and stretches from Dartmoor to Lundy and follows rocky, deep cut lanes and Exmoor to Hartland. This booklet wooded valley paths until it reaches guides you around 11 circular walks the high plateaus of Exmoor. from the Trail. As the route descends to the coast it joins the River Lyn tumbling over At a glance granite boulders and winding down • 180 mile Tarka Trail through the narrow, ancient wooded valleys. At Lynmouth the Tarka Trail • North and South loops that take in follows the South West Coast Path all Dartmoor and Exmoor National the way along cliff tops, visiting Parks and the North Devon Coast coastal towns and villages, and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty crossing beaches before tracking back • 31 miles of Shared-Use-Section on along the Taw estuary to Barnstaple. former railway line “Swimming towards the sunset, Tarka • 18 miles of Tarka Railway Line went westwards, under the towering cliffs and waterfalls in whose ferny • 55 miles is shared with the South sides he liked to rest by day.” West Coast Path from Henry Williamson’s “Tarka the Otter” • 11 easy to follow way marked circular walks, 9 with easy access to pubs or cafes 2 Photo: David Corke South Loop Heading south west from Barnstaple, the Trail continues alongside the expansive saltmarsh, mudflats and sandbanks of the Taw/Torridge Estuary to Bideford. This is part of the Shared- Use-Section that covers 31 miles of former railway line between Braunton Trail joins it and returns with it, and Meeth. The Shared-Use-Section passing through the gently rolling has a tarmac surface as far as countryside to meet the Tarka Railway Watergate and is open for bicycles, Line at Eggesford. The railway line is wheelchairs and walkers. Horses are the final leg of the South Loop; criss- welcome between Torrington and crossing over the twists and turns of Meeth. the River as it heads back to Barnstaple. From the ancient port town of Bideford the Trail travels inland leaving “…time flowed with the sunlight of the wide rivers and their estuaries the still green place… the otters behind and follows bubbling streams hunted and ragrowstered for many through woodlands and flower-rich days under the high wooded hills culm grassland before finally arriving below which the river wound and at the edge of the high moor. The coiled like a serpent.” River Taw rises on Dartmoor and the from Henry Williamson’s “Tarka the Otter” Photo: David Corke 3 Tarka Trail Route Map (North Loop) 4 3 Tarka Trail 2 South Loop 1 Tarka Trail South Loop © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783. 2011 Map Key Tarka Trail (footpath) Tarka Trail (shared use section) Tarka Line (railway) Circular Walk Locations 1 Bishop’s Tawton . 6 7 Sticklepath . 18 2 Tordown . 8 8 Hatherleigh . 20 3 Charles . 10 9 Dolton . 22 4 Croyde to Saunton . 12 10 East Yarde . 24 5 Coldridge . 14 11 Monkleigh . 26 6 North Tawton . 16 4 Tarka Trail North Loop Tarka Trail Route Map Tarka Trail North Loop (South Loop) 1 11 10 9 5 8 6 7 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783. 2011 5 1 Details This walk takes you from Bishop’s Tawton along a partly wooded valley, past a quarry and back over Codden Hill for one of the best views in North Devon. On a clear day you can see Bishop’s Tawton Lundy, Hartland and Morte points on the coast and Exmoor and Dartmoor. Overview At the top of Codden Hill there is a Location: Bishop’s Tawton monument to Caroline Thorpe, wife of ex-MP Jeremy Thorpe, who died in OS map: 139 Bideford, Ilfracombe & 1970 aged 32. Bishop’s Tawton is a Barnstaple small village in the valley of the River Length: 6 km/3.7 miles Taw, about three miles south of Length of Tarka Trail section: Barnstaple. The church dates from 2.25 km/1.4 miles around the 14th century and the farmhouse by the church was a Time: 3 hours residence of the Bishops of Exeter until Sat nav postcode: EX32 0DQ the Tudor period. The Chichester Arms pub The walk starts at the Chichester Arms pub, which dates from the 15th Century and has kept much of its original character. Head up Sentry lane and then along the path marked Tarka Trail which will take you through fields and broad leafed woodland. Photo: David Corke Highlights: The path follows a tributary of the river Taw where, if you look carefully, • Spectacular views stretching from you can see evidence of the industrial Hartland Point to Braunton Burrows works associated with the lime kilns and inland along the river valley active in this area until the late 1800s. When you reach Higher Venn, turn • Tranquil walk along a wooded river right up the hill towards Higher valley Bableigh. You then take the un- Walking conditions vary from tarmac metalled road up to Codden Hill car country lanes to muddy woodland park. From here you follow the path paths and gravelled paths over past Codden Beacon and back to Codden Hill. Bishop’s Tawton. 6 Photo: David Corke Bishop’s Tawton Map 7 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783. 2011 Photo: David Corke 2 Tordown Overview Details Location: Tordown Farm Go to Tordown Farmhouse for a map OS map: OL9 Exmoor and to let the farmer know you are Length: 2.9 km/1.8 miles or visiting. The walk starts at the 1.6 km/1 mile farmhouse and heads out across the fields and woodlands, meeting the Length of Tarka Trail section: 0.5 km Tarka Trail in the bottom of the valley Time: 1 hour 15 mins/35 mins before heading back up over the hill Sat nav postcode: EX32 0QY to the Farm. There are green markers on the gates that will help to guide Highlights you around this circular walk. • Opportunity to see and walk around From the roadside go to the other side a traditional Devon Farm that serves of the farm buildings and through the home made Cream Teas gate on your right-hand side at the start of a farm track. Once in the field, • Panoramic viewpoint taking in keep to your right and go through Exmoor and Dartmoor National another gate that takes you through a Parks and the coast former orchard out onto an ancient • The Nature Trail takes you through steep-sided lane. Go left up the lane steep hidden valleys and native to a gate on your left. Look out for woodland the viewpoint marker post at the top of the slope. Going over the brow of • Opportunity to take a long or short the hill to your left, follow the route walk out over the fields and down into the valley to meet the Tarka Trail. Turn left along the wooded Tarka Trail green lane until you can turn left again through the farm gate back into the fields and up the steep hill through the fields and back to the Farmhouse. Do remember to close the gates behind you! Photo: David Corke 8 Photo: David Corke Tordown Map Photo: David Corke © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783. 2011 9 3 Details This walk starts in Charles and takes you along the Bray and back through woodland and steep sided valleys. The Bray starts on Exmoor and continues through Brayford where it eventually joins the River Mole and finally the Taw before reaching the Photo: David Corke sea. Charles The walk starts outside the Church of Overview St. John the Baptist in Charles. Location: Charles Follow the road down the hill until you see a sign on your right for the Tarka OS map: OL9 Exmoor Trail. Follow the Tarka Trail down the Length: 6.75 km/4.2 miles hill and along the river. The Trail will Length of Tarka Trail section: then take you up the hill and along 3.5 km/2.2 miles some country lanes until, just after Charles Bottom, you see a sign for a Time: 2 hours public footpath on your right hand side. This path takes you through Highlights conifer woodland until you get to • The Tarka Trail follows the river Bray Middlecott, then turn right when you very closely on this section though get to the road and follow the road woodland back to Charles. • Footpaths and small country lanes take you through unspoilt steep sided valleys Walking conditions vary from tarmac country lanes to muddy woodland paths. This walk requires a lot of hill ascents and isn’t recommended if you struggle with them. 10 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 100019783. 2011 Charles Map Photo: David Corke 11 4 shops to explore. Saunton is less developed than Croyde with the amenities centred round the beach car Croyde to Saunton park. From the top of Saunton Down you have one of the best views in Overview North Devon looking over Bideford Location: Saunton Sands Bay and Braunton Burrows, one of the OS map: 139 Bideford, Ilfracombe and biggest dune systems in the UK.