T

he Tarka Trail Cycleway covers 30 miles of the Tarka Trail between the towns of Braunton and Meeth, using the old railways of North Devon.

You can choose to take on the whole trail, or simply dip in to smaller bite sized chunks. Which ever way you do it, you’ll be passing through the largely unspoilt countryside as it was described by Henry Williamson in his classic novel ‘Tarka the Otter’ first published in 1927.

A good tip is to first download an Audio Trail which are MP3 clips linked to a place on the Trail with a numbered post that provides information from a variety of people with a vast knowledge of the Trail and its heritage.

Alternatively information boards at 21 points along the trail provide the perfect place to stop, take a breather find out about the history and rich wildlife of the area. Whether it be the superb views across the mouth of Taw Estuary, or interesting sculptures provided by the Sustrans 'Art in the Travelling Landscape' project, theres’ always something to look at in this stunning part of North Devon.

And with most of the trail well surfaced, traffic free, and as flat as a, well railway, it’s a unique part of the world that all ages can enjoy.