Following in the footsteps of the eponymous otter, The Tarka Trail is a series of footpaths and cycle routes which passes through the largely unspoilt countryside described in Henry Williamson’s highly influential novel.

The route covers a wide variety of landscapes, including wooded river valleys, rugged moorland, coastal cliffs and sandy bays with many locations featured prominently in the book such as Braunton Burrows, Morte Point, Hoar Oak Water and the Chains on Exmoor. The path continues along stretches of the disused Barnstaple to Torrington railway line which now make up part of the National Cycle Network.

You can find more information via the Devon County Council website, where you can also download a leaflet describing the route.

Image: The Tarka Trail