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Barnstaple - Okehampton

Distance: 45 miles
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
End points:
- Barnstaple (Grid Ref SS555325)
- Okehampton (Grid Ref SX 587952)

Between Barnstaple and Bideford the Trail follows a former railway alongside the wide estuaries of the Taw and Torridge rivers, passing reed beds, mud flats and sand dunes. The Trail continues on the old railway up the deep wooded valley of the Torridge to Torrington, before following a quiet tributary valley to reach a high plateau landscape. The old railway is then left as the Trail follows a series of footpaths and lanes across a remote countryside through the old market town of Hatherleigh towards Okehampton on the northern edge of Dartmoor, the rim of the moor becoming ever closer as the Trail is followed southwards.

Mileages between towns on route:
Barnstaple - Bideford: 10 miles
Bideford - Torrington: 6 miles
Torrington - Hatherleigh: 20 miles
Hatherleigh - Okehampton: 9 miles

Public Transport: Buses at Barnstaple, Instow, Bideford, Great Torrington, Dolton, Jacobstowe, Okehampton: trains at Barnstaple; Okehampton (summer Sundays)

Relevant maps/guides: 1:25,000 scale: Explorer No: 139 Bideford, Ilfracombe and Barnstaple; 126 Clovelly and Hartland; 127 South Molton and Chulmleigh; 113 Okehampton. 1:50,000 scale: Landranger No:180 Barnstaple and Ilfracombe; 191 Okehampton and North Dartmoor

Facilities along route: All facilities at Barnstaple, Instow, Bideford, Great Torrington, Hatherleigh, Okehampton; pubs at Dolton, Iddesleigh.