Do you want to Build Back Greener? Reduce your carbon footprint by swapping to walking and cycling around Great Torrington. Great Torrington is situated on National Cycle Routes 3 and 27 which follow the cycle path section of the Tarka Trail. From Great Torrington you can enjoy 30 miles of traffic-free cycling: south to Meeth, or north to Braunton via Bideford and Barnstaple.
Start your journey by hiring a bike from Torrington Cycle Hire at the bottom of Station Hill.
Photo: David Smith https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2751245
Torrington Cycle Hire
Welcome to TORRINGTON CYCLE HIRE which is situated beside the old Railway Station at the foot of the hill to the famous Cavalier town of Great Torrington in North Devon.
This safe, traffic free trail is popular with experienced cyclists and families alike. It runs along the disused railway line which has the benefit of being relatively flat with only small uphill and downhill gradients.
The railway line at Torrington stopped providing passenger services in 1965, though it continued carrying goods until closure in 1982.
The trail runs alongside the River Torridge which inspired Henry Williamson to write Tarka the Otter. As you travel through this beautiful area of North Devon you may spot Deer, Rabbits, Squirrels, Otters, Kingfishers, Salmon and many other species of birds, wildlife and flowers.
https://torringtoncyclehire.com/
Torrington Cycle Hire Unit 1, Station Yard, Torrington EX38 8JD
Northern Devon Cycling Campaign
Supporting cycling and walking infrastructure in Northern Devon to benefit locals and tourists wellbeing, healthy travel and our local environment
https://www.facebook.com/NDCyclingCampaign (295)
Great Torrington Town Council
The part of the Tarka Trail that is nearest to Torrington follows the route of the old railway line which was opened in 1872 but fell to Beeching’s axe in 1965, although freight continued to be transported until 1982. About a mile out of town on the A386 towards Bideford, at the bottom of the hill, is the old Torrington railway station, now a pub called the Puffing Billy. Nearby is Torrington Cycle Hire and families can often be seen cycling along the trail at weekends and holidays on bikes and tandems or with children pedalling along behind on small attached bicycles or riding in special covered trailers.
Going in a southerly direction, you can walk or cycle via Watergate Bridge, East Yarde, Petrockstowe to Meeth Halt (11.4 miles/18.3 km). In the other, northerly, direction the trail crosses over the River Torridge on numerous occasions as it winds through meadows and woods. You pass the village of Weare Giffard on the far side of the river, go through a tunnel at Landcross and then cross the river on an iron bridge and go alongside the Torridge estuary to Bideford (5.3 miles/8.5 km).
https://great-torringtontowncouncil.gov.uk/2016/07/04/the-tarka-trail/
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap is built by a community of mappers that contribute and maintain data about roads, trails, cafés, railway stations, and much more, all over the world.
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/50.9529/-4.1724&layers=C
Tarka Trail
Great Torrington, often referred to as just Torrington is a market town rich in history and surrounded by beautiful unspoilt countryside in the heart of Tarka country.
During the English Civil War, the town was of strategic importance and in 1646 was the location for the Battle of Torrington. A museum and cafe in the town named Torrington 1646 will transport you back in time to those dark days and give you a chance to relive the battle for yourself.
The old railway station at Torrington is an ideal place to start your Tarka Trail adventure. A small car park enables easy and immediate access to the Tarka Trail. At this point the trail criss-crosses over the winding River Torridge through wooded valleys and vast river expanses, offering some of the most scenic sections of the Tarka Trail. A little further south is a section of the trail that is open to horses.
https://www.tarkatrail.org.uk/visiting/get-inspired/torrington/
Travel Devon
Cycling is a fun, free and fast way to travel from A to B. With miles of traffic-free trails across our beautiful county, you can use our interactive cycle map to find a suitable route near you.
We’re here to help you get started with advice on:
- Finding a cycle route in your local town
- Taking a trip on one of our traffic-free cycle trails
- Boosting your cycle confidence with our cycle training courses
- Cycling to work and cycling to school
- Top tips for safe cycling
- The park and cycle scheme in Exeter.
https://www.traveldevon.info/cycle/
Sustrans
We're the charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle. The work we're doing is creating healthier places and happier people.
Our society faces some profound challenges. From climate change and air pollution to physical and mental health crises, the pressures on communities across our four nations are growing. There is no silver bullet but the work of Sustrans and our partners provides an essential contribution to tackling the challenges of our time.
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/tarka-trail/
