Fremington Quay to Barnstaple Walk

2.9 miles (4.7 km)

This walk or cycle takes you along a section of the Tarka Trail from Fremington Quay to Barnstaple. The route starts from the car park at Fremington Quay and heads east along the River Taw for about 3 miles before finishing on the Long Bridge in Barnstaple.
The route follows a level, traffic-free section of the former railway line beside the Taw Estuary, making it popular with walkers, cyclists and families.... Much of the trail runs through the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, an internationally recognised landscape of mudflats, saltmarsh and grazing marsh that supports a rich variety of wildlife.
Leaving Fremington Quay, the trail passes expansive estuary views with ever-changing scenery shaped by the tides. The mudflats and saltmarshes are important feeding grounds for waders and wildfowl, particularly during the autumn and winter months, when species such as curlew, redshank and oystercatcher can often be seen along the shoreline. Interpretation boards at Fremington Quay provide information on the area's natural history and its former role as a busy trading port.
As the route approaches Barnstaple, there are broad views across the River Taw towards the surrounding countryside and the outskirts of North Devon's principal town. The trail finishes at Barnstaple's historic Long Bridge, a medieval structure with sixteen arches that has spanned the river for centuries and remains one of the town's best-known landmarks. Nearby, the town centre offers a range of shops, cafés and historic buildings, including the Barnstaple Pannier Market, one of the oldest markets in the country.