Tarka Trail, Devon

The Tarka Trail is a long-distance walking and cycling route that loops through North Devon and onto Exmoor, following the literary journey of Tarka the Otter, the protagonist of Henry Williamson's 1927 novel of the same name. The 180-mile circular route follows rivers, country lanes, and dedicated paths through landscapes of exceptional beauty and ecological interest, passing through moorland, farmland, coastal areas, and woodland. The trail is named after Williamson's otter character and inspired by the real wildlife and topography of North Devon and Exmoor, creating a link between literature, landscape, and natural history.

The route connects Barnstaple and the northern coastal towns like Ilfracombe and Clovelly with the moorland interior of Exmoor, allowing walkers and cyclists to experience the full range of North Devon's habitats and scenery in a single extended journey. The trail is waymarked and accessible to people of varying fitness levels, with the option to walk or cycle shorter sections rather than the entire loop. Along the route, visitors pass through market towns, villages, nature reserves, and along rivers where otters still inhabit, making the journey both a literary pilgrimage and an ecological exploration.

The Tarka Trail represents one of Britain's finest opportunities for extended walking or cycling through wild and cultivated landscapes connected by a work of literature and the natural history that inspired it. The route encompasses Barnstaple as a major hub and connects to villages like Landkey, making public transport and day walks from a base town entirely feasible for visitors without access to a car.