Based on Henry Williamson's classic novel Tarka the Otter, this superb circular trail traces part of the otter's journey thru the Exmoor State Park and along the Exmoor and North Devon Heritage Coasts.
From Barnstaple, a centuries-old market city at the head of the Taw Estuary, the Tarka Trail rambles thru the heather-covered hills, traditional oakwoods and isolated brook valleys of Exmoor to get to the coast at Lynmouth, and then returns to Barnstaple along one of the most impressive areas of shore in the country. The beauty and assortment of views are amazing. It ranges from rolling pastures, hedgerows, woodland, farms and hamlets of white cob and thatch to windswept heather moors, steep hillside meadows grazed by sheep, deep wooded valleys and clear-flowing rivers shaded by oak and alder to dramatic 'hogs back ' cliffs, steep wooded combes, waterfalls falling into the sea, lofty headlands, isolated coves and plausibly never-ending beaches of golden sand.
Highlights of the trail include the hamlet of Landkey, feted for its Mazzard orchards; tranquillity of the moors; the interesting hamlets of Lynton and Lynmouth linked by a water-powered cliff railway; the fantastic rock formations of the Valley of Rocks; the superb oakwoods of Woody Bay; the views from Great Hangman; the pretty thatched village of Croyde and its wonderful beach; the spookily lovely dunes of Braunton Burrows.
There is no shortage of wildlife, expect to see Horned sheep, Exmoor ponies and red deer roaming throughout Exmoor. In the sky look out for buzzard, kestrel, raven, curlew, skylark and lapwing who inhabit the moor, dipper and heron frequent the rivers and the rugged cliffs along the coast support a multitude of nesting seabirds including guillemot, razorbill and kittiwake.
The 66 mile route offers a check-list which can be sundry from 6 to 8 days of walking dependent on your ability and how much time you stop and watch for the slippery otters along the way. So why don't you test your vacation calendar and make plans to go and visit this unique part of the UK. Come and start your journey by walking the Tarka Trail.
From Barnstaple, a centuries-old market city at the head of the Taw Estuary, the Tarka Trail rambles thru the heather-covered hills, traditional oakwoods and isolated brook valleys of Exmoor to get to the coast at Lynmouth, and then returns to Barnstaple along one of the most impressive areas of shore in the country. The beauty and assortment of views are amazing. It ranges from rolling pastures, hedgerows, woodland, farms and hamlets of white cob and thatch to windswept heather moors, steep hillside meadows grazed by sheep, deep wooded valleys and clear-flowing rivers shaded by oak and alder to dramatic 'hogs back ' cliffs, steep wooded combes, waterfalls falling into the sea, lofty headlands, isolated coves and plausibly never-ending beaches of golden sand.
Highlights of the trail include the hamlet of Landkey, feted for its Mazzard orchards; tranquillity of the moors; the interesting hamlets of Lynton and Lynmouth linked by a water-powered cliff railway; the fantastic rock formations of the Valley of Rocks; the superb oakwoods of Woody Bay; the views from Great Hangman; the pretty thatched village of Croyde and its wonderful beach; the spookily lovely dunes of Braunton Burrows.
There is no shortage of wildlife, expect to see Horned sheep, Exmoor ponies and red deer roaming throughout Exmoor. In the sky look out for buzzard, kestrel, raven, curlew, skylark and lapwing who inhabit the moor, dipper and heron frequent the rivers and the rugged cliffs along the coast support a multitude of nesting seabirds including guillemot, razorbill and kittiwake.
The 66 mile route offers a check-list which can be sundry from 6 to 8 days of walking dependent on your ability and how much time you stop and watch for the slippery otters along the way. So why don't you test your vacation calendar and make plans to go and visit this unique part of the UK. Come and start your journey by walking the Tarka Trail.
About the Author:
Contours Walking Holidays are the consultants in self-guided walking vacations in Scotland, England, Wales and Eire. Within our web site you will find a unrivalled range of walking holidays and short breaks along more than sixty trails in Britain from famous routes like Hadrian's Wall Trail, West Highland Way, Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk, Cotswold Way, Offa's Dyke Trail, Cumbria Way, Pembrokeshire Coast Trail or the Dales Way to little-known gems like Northumberland's Coast of Castles, Isle of Anglesey Coast Trail, Wild Edric's Way, Cotswolds Villages Trail or the Three Castles Walk.Come and start your journey!
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