Our Cycling Adventures

The Tarka Trail inspired by the route travelled by Tarka the Otter, is actually 180 miles long and forms a figure 8 centred on Barnstable but the section most people know runs from Braunton to Meeth via Barnstaple, one of the country's longest continuous traffic-free walking and cycling paths, and forms part of the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route.

We are new to e-bikes and have done little (or no) exercise over the last year or two so thought it important that we chose a trail that was suitable to our skill and fitness level, the Tarka Trail turned out to fit the bill perfectly. It was for the main part flat wide and well surfaced although one section (4) at  the southern end was compacted clippings and pretty rough but there were indications that a surface upgrade was imminent.

We broke the trail into sections that gave easy access to car parks adjacent the trail, giving us five sections but others could make the number of sections as many or as few as would suit your fitness and commitment level.

We did the trail from north to south which is the generally accepted direction and that the guides generally recommend. Should we do the trail again I would start in the south cycling through woodland paths with the edges of the track resplendent in spring with Primroses and other wild flowers and travel north to the huge views across the Devon countryside.

Section 1

We cycled this section from south to north - Sticklepath to Braunton after which we continued down a toll road (20p for bikes) to a private, and stunning, beach on the bank of the River Taw. The Tarka Trail on this section is wide, tarmac and virtually flat with stunning views at every turn. There are also a cafe and several pubs on or very close to the trail, for this section we chose to park in Brnstable railway station car park just a few metres from the trail and with toilets and refreshments available.

Section 2

This is a favourite section of the trail, parts of which we have walked many times as it was a favourite with Sue’s mum and dad who even when they got older and less mobile were still able to enjoy walking short trail sections around Bideford.

This is for me the prettiest section of the trail that follows the river with wide flat tarmac paths with pubs and cafes at each end as will as in the middle. Both ends of this section have car parking that is charged but easy and plentiful.

Section 3

The trail now goes through woodland that at this time of year (spring) are a riot of spring flower colour, we are still, at times, following a river but the path is generally at a higher level. As before there are carparks at each end and at the northern end a railway carriage tea shop/museum which is worth a pause to visit. We stopped here twice for tea. One the first occation we ate lunch, a pie purchased that morning in the “Pannier Market” in Great Torrington” before our tea. I had a Steak & Kidney while Sue had a Pulled Pork. They were quite simply the very best pies we have ever eaten, they so so good we went back and bought more for the next two days - scrumptious!!

Section 4

This was a pleasant but rather nondescript section. The main point of interest was the Yarde Cafe, a strange hippy type place where, although we didn’t eat there, were intreaged by the food being served around us - it looked superb and from what we saw of the prices very good value. We called it a “hippy” place as all the staff were young and each, such as the white waiter with long, heavy dreadlocks, had their claim to past lifestyles. Oh!! The tea was excellent and a notice in the toilets requested a donation not to cover their costs but to Sanitation First a charity dedicated to providing toilets facilities for the 2.4 billion people that have no access to this most basic requirement for a healthy life.

Section 5

This section was the steepest of the whole trail. Just after we had turned to return to our start point we spoke to a group of young women said how lucky we were to be going down not up - we didn’t tell them but being on our e-bikes we hadn’t even noticed the path we had just cycled was a 9km (5.5 ml) uphill drag.

We finished the traffic free section of the trail today and what an experience it has been, particularly the coastal sections which have been stunning, helped, of course, by glorious sunny weather