Puffing Billy to Yarde Cafe

The Tarka Trail between Puffing Billy pub and Yarde Cafe is a lovely woodland walk or cycle crossing the Torridge and passing several benches for the trail as part of Sustran's Art in the Travelling Landscape initiative.





While the surface isn't as good as other parts of the trail it's still fairly easy going. Bear in mind you're following the Torridge upstream now, so that means gently uphill almost all the way, but a much easier coast back once you've had a coffee and cake at the cafe!

Getting there:
Either drive or take the 315 bus from Winkleigh to the Puffing Billy stop just the far side of Great Torrington. Puffing Billy is the name of the pub here, once the station buildings. Cycling is a good option because there's no bus back from Yarde to Winkleigh. If you don't have your own bikes, you can hire some from Torrington Cycle Hire, just opposite the pub (01805 281461).


From here to Yarde Cafe is about 4 miles. Whether walking or cycling, set off leaving the pub behind you and passing under an archway. You'll soon come to a bridge over the Torridge. If you're there really early and it's quiet you may see an otter. In the evening, bats hunt for moths along the river banks here.



Along this stretch of the trail there is a series of 3 benches comissioned as part of Sustran's Art in the Travelling Landscape initiative. The 'courtship bench' will make you smile even if the 'bereavement bench' seems a bit morbid...








The cafe was shortlisted for the 2008 sustainable tourism category in the Devon Environmental Business Initiative's annual awards. It is normally open everyday 10.00am to 5.00pm during July and August, bank holiday weekends and during half term weeks. Outside the summer season, weather permitting, the cafe is open on Saturdays and Sundays - and sometimes other days if fine! Telephone 01805 624007 or 07972786306 to check.

Puffing Billy to Bideford on the Tarka Trail

This gently down-hill walk or ride crosses the Torridge at Beam Weir, made famous in Henry Williamson's book Tarka the Otter, before meandering along the valley, through a long tunnel, across another bridge and into the former station at Bideford, where there's a cafe in an old railway carriage. Cross Bideford's famous long Bridge and come back on the bus...

Getting there:
Either drive or take the 315 bus from Winkleigh to the Puffing Billy stop just the far side of Great Torrington. Puffing Billy is the name of the pub here, once the station buildings. If you walk you can get the bus back. If you want to cycle you'll have to go out and back again. If you don't have your own bikes, you can hire some from Torrington Cycle Hire, just opposite the pub (01805 281461).


From here to Bideford is about 5 miles. Whether walking or cycling, set off passing in front of the pub on the tarmac path that was once the railway track. You'll soon come to the bridge at Beam Weir. If you're there really early and it's quiet you may see an otter. In the evening, bats hunt for moths along the river bank.

A bit further and you'll come to a wooden bench, one of 30 pieces of art comissioned for the trail as part of Sustran's Art in the Travelling Landscape initiative.

Near hear you can detour into the woods on a permissive path that takes you to Weare Giffard, but apart from a bit of exploring I think I'd stick to the trail.

You'll go through a tunnel, then down to Landcross (had enough? you're close to the bus route again here - just come off the trail and cross over the Torridge on the road bridge. A few metres on the bus stop is on the corner)


You'll cross the Torridge again over a bridge where people often fish the tidal waters, than pass close to saltmarsh and a reedbed as you approach Bideford. The trail takes you right to the old station, where there's a cafe in an old carriage. If that's not open, the is a pub close by and plenty of other cafes etc over Bideford Long Bridge in the town itself.





If you walked, you can catch the 315 bus back from Bideford Quay - just cross the bridge, turn right and you'll find the bus stops.

Puffing Billy is about 17 miles from our lodges and cottage, but if you take the bus your day out starts a mile and a half away at the Winkleigh Bus stop. If you're car-less and have young children with you we can sometimes run you down there.

Instow to Fremington on the Tarka Trail

This is an easy going walk (or cycle) with options to explore part of the South West Coast Path and detour around a nature reserve. You'll end up at Fremington Quay cafe, which was voted 17th in the Independent Newspaper’s 50 Best Cafes in the UK 2006 - the only one in North Devon.


Getting there (for a walk):
Either take the 315 bus from Winkleigh, or drive to Instow and use the pay and display car park.

Getting there (cycle):
Take your own bikes or do the route in reverse, hiring bikes at Fremington Quay. You'll have to retrace your steps though, as no-one seems to do one-way cycle hire. And you'll need to stick to the Tarka Trail as bikes aren't allowed on the Coast Path.

I recommend getting there by bus. Tickets are really reasonable and you get a unique trip through the transition zone of North Devon's Biosphere reserve, with fabulous views of the countryside - the 315 is almost always a double decker, giving you unparalleled views over the hedges. And the view as you go over Bideford Bridge is spectacular.

Instow is the first village stop after you leave Bideford. Ask the driver to let you off at the east end of Marine Parade – easiest to be on the lower floor now and smile nicely as there isn’t a formal stop there (if s/he insists on going on to the formal stop you just walk back down the hill until you get back to here).

The walk proper...
You'll see the old railway line, now the Tarka Trail. You can start walking here. (If you take the straightforward route along the Tarka Trail and amble, you'll be at Fremington in under 2 hours.) Alternatively, walk along marine parade and the sea front, enjoying the clinking of stays on the moored boats and the view across the water to Appledore. Follow the coast until you get to the far side of Instow.



Here, you'll have another choice. If unencumbered by buggies etc, follow the South West Coast Path through dunes topped with marram grass and along the coastline. You can rejoin the Tarka Trail fairly shortly after the cricket ground, or say on the Coast Path until you loop back just before the RSPB's Isley Marsh Nature Reserve.

If you need smoother going, join up with the Tarka Trail now - turn left off the road where you see a beach cafe. Stay on the road side and shortly on your right you'll see a pedestrian gateway onto the Trail. If you miss that, carry on along the road (it may be a private road, but it's a public footpath as well)and join the trail where a road crosses it just before the cricket ground.

Once on the Tarka Trail the walk is pretty open and straight.
Watch out for wildflowers like tansy, willowherb, toadflax, wild carrot and many others in summer.

Assuming you're on the trail...

Just outside Instow you’ll come across Instow Pond - a picnic site with a shelter made of traditional cob, and a wetland area where swallows hunt insects during the summer. Follow this link to download an audio clip about the pond: part of the Tarka audio trail.

Before you get to Fremington, look out for a set of steel kissing gates and an information board on your left. This is the start of a permissive path around Home Farm Marsh, owned by the Gia Trust and managed primarily for wildlife. The walk takes you back to the coast, then along and finally back to the Tarka Trail again at another set of steel kissing gates ( and probably adds a kilometre to the overall walk).

From there, keep on the Tarka trail until you reach Fremington Quay, once the busiest port between Lands End and Bristol.


Now the buildings are a cafe with fascinating displays and photographs from times gone by, incluidng pennyfarthing and other early bicycles (suspended from the ceiling).
The cafe is open most days in the summer, most weekends in the winter, and closed most Mondays outside peak season. Ring them on 01271 378783 to be sure.

To get there, cross the bridge over Fremington Pill (the river here). Even if you don’t want a coffee, go in and look at the pictures of how things use to be. The cafe doesn’t like you using the loo or eating at the tables unless you’re a customer, but there’s a picnic site a few metres further on (on the left).

Getting home again:
If you’re catching the bus back from Fremington, go back over the Pill and take the footpath up the hill (not along the side of the Pill) on the left hand side. I've done this bit with a pushchair and it was fine. If you walk up the West side (the side the cafe is on) you end up with a longish walk through modern housing before you reach the bus stop. A brisk 10 minute walk should cover it, so if you set off with 30 before the bus leaves you’ll be able to amble and still have loads of time to hail the bus.

Follow the path through beech trees and past a few houses until it narrows and runs alongside an unmade up road. Go through the gap in the fence and walk on the road (much easier) over a small bridge up to the main road.
The bus-stop is called the New Inn on the timetable, and this pub is almost opposite where your road joins the main road. Actually the bus goes from outside the Fox and Hounds pub a bit further to the left and across the road.

How far is it?
If you take the bus, your day out starts just a mile and a half from us! If you've got young children with you do ask, and we'll see if we can run you to the bus stop...

By car, Fremington is about 22 miles from us, and counterintuitively Instow is about 23. The last bus back is usually about 16.20 from Fremington - but please check. There should be an up to date timetable in your accommodation.

Barnstaple to Fremington on the Tarka Trail

Walk or cycle from Barnstaple to Fremington Quay on the Tarka Trail, and enjoy an ice cream at the cafe and museum. You get fabulous views out over the mouth of the Taw River, see beautiful butterflies and flowers in summer, enjoy easy walking and a lovely cafe at the end.



You can hire bikes at Barnstaple Station or at Fremington, and this level tarmac path is ideal for children. The down side is that nobody seems to do one way cycle hire so you'll have to retrace your steps. The alternative is to walk and get the bus back home from Fremington or even Instow.

I recommend getting there by bus (train or car also possible). Tickets are really reasonable and you get a unique view of the North Devon countryside from the top of a double decker. Catch the 315 from Winkleigh and get off at Sticklepath Hill just before you come down to the roundabout at the edge of Barnstaple (ask the driver). Get an all day ticket if you plan to come back from Fremington (approx £3 per adult in summer 08) . Cross over the road, head down the hill and down a side street to footpaths under the main road. Follow the signs for the Tarka Trail and enjoy the scenery. You're following the path of the old railway line that served Fremington Quay.

Fremington Quay was once the busiest port between Bristol and Lands End. Now it's a cafe and has fascinating displays and photographs from times gone by, incluidng pennyfarthing and other early bicycles (suspended from the ceiling).



The cafe is open most days in the summer, most weekends in the winter, and closed most Mondays. Ring them on 01271 378783 to be sure.








You have to walk up to the main road to get the bus back - ask us and we'll show you on the map and describe the bus stop.

But why stop there? Why not go on and walk around Home Marsh Farm, or follow the South West Coast Path for a stretch before rejoining the Tarka Trail in Instow (also on the 315 bus route)?

Barnstaple is about 25 miles from us, and Fremington about 22. The last bus back is usually about 16:20 - but please check. There should be an up to date timetable in your accommodation.