By Bike Along the Tarka Trail in North Devon
Sustrans Cycle Route 27 Between Ilfracombe and Great Torrington
Apr 19, 2009
Starting from the quayside beside the bustling little harbour in Ilfracombe, Sustrans Cycle Route 27 leads up out of the town, shortly forking left to join a flat cycle-path which runs along a disused railway line. After four miles through peaceful countryside it turns onto a country road which leads down to Mortehoe. This ancient village, mentioned in the Domesday Book, clusters round St Mary's, a picture-postcard Saxon church.
Sustrans Cycle Route 27 Passes Woolacombe's Surfing Beach
There are panoramic sea views over Morte Bay to Baggy Point headland as Sustrans Cycle Route 27 continues along the coast road. It descends steeply down to the golden sandy beach at Woolacombe, one of the world’s best surfing beaches which stretches south for over two miles backed by dunes.
Washed by Atlantic breakers Woolacombe beach attracts surfers year-round. The Red Barn overlooking it is a popular surfers' hang-out, serving everything from snacks to all-day breakfasts and daily specials.
From Woolacombe to Georgeham where Henry Williamson Lived
From Woolacombe Sustrans Cycle Route 27 follows a track which climbs south past the dunes to join narrow lanes bordered by high hedges. These take you through the tiny village of Georgeham where Henry Williamson, author of the Tarka the Otter lived during the 1920s. The story, published in 1927, is set in North Devon and was inspired by an orphaned otter he cared for.
Next Sustrans Cycle Route 27 goes through nearby Croyde which also has a popular surfing beach and plenty of places to eat as well as to stay.
Braunton Burrows - Part of North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Sustrans Cycle Route 27 then continues past Braunton Burrows, the largest network of sand dunes in England - over a mile wide and stretching for four miles behind Saunton Sands.
With 500 species of rare wild flowers and 33 of butterflies, the area is designated as an SSSI (Side of Special Scientific Interest) and is part of North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Beyond the dunes, the Sands were used by American forces preparing for the D-Day landings in 1944 and are still sometimes used for military training.
Braunton to Instow along the Tarka Trail
Continuing on to Braunton, a bustling little town with a good selection of shops, Sustrans Cycle Route 27 again leaves the traffic behind, joining the Tarka Trail along a former railway track for the rest of the ride all the way to Great Torrington.
Initially the route goes eastwards beside the estuary of the River Taw into Barnstaple where it’s worth taking a break to browse in the Victorian 'Pannier' market hall.
Then turning west, Sustrans Cycle Route 27 leaves the town on the south bank of the Taw, passing salt marshes where at low tide hundreds of seabirds forage on the sand banks. Kestrels, skylarks and curlews can often be seen overhead.
Old Railway Signal-Box at Instow
At Instow the track passes an old railway signal-box, lovingly preserved as a reminder of earlier times. Riding along the Torridge estuary here, many cyclists pause for fresh seafood at the waterside Boathouse bar-restaurant whose daily specials include seasonal delights like lobtser and baked Lundy crab.
Cycling on to Great Torrington with a Detour to Bideford
Shortly afterwards cyclists can detour briefly from the route across a 24-arch Long Bridge which dates back to the 13th century to visit Bideford. Described 150 years ago by the local writer Charles Kingsley as "the little white town which slopes upward from its broad river tide", it is still much the same small port, busy with fishing vessels and pleasure craft.
Sustrans Cycle Route 27 itself continues beside the river as it meanders on to Great Torrington. Now the home of Dartington Crystal and the RHS Rosemoor Garden, it was the scene in 1646 of a fierce Civil War battle.
Bike-Hire in Barnstaple
To cycle this attractive route at a leisurely pace with time to explore on the way, overnight accommodation can be arranged through Biketrail at Barnstaple. It also offers bike-hire, delivery and pick-up.
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