Tarka Trail

The Tarka Trail is a series of footpaths and cyclepaths around north Devon, England that follow the route taken by Tarka the Otter in the book of that name. It is a figure-of-eight route, based on Barnstaple, and covers some 31 miles (50 km) of path. The route covers a wide variety of landscapes, including: wooded river valleys, rugged moorland, coastal cliffs and sandy bays. Walking varies between easy and strenuous, depending on the location, but, in general, it is comprehensively waymarked.

The trails are now a popular tourist destination and bicycle hire businesses are available for those who wish to cycle along suitable sections of the trail. A section of the Trail is part of National Cycle Network route number 27 and forms part of the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route, a 102-mile (164 km) route from Ilfracombe, in the north, to Plymouth, in the south, largely using former railway lines.