View Of Puffing Billy, Torrington Station, Tarka Railway With Engine And Tarka Trail At Great Torrington - Looking Towards Bidefor Editorial Photo

Tarka Trail at the Puffing Billy in Great Torrington. This part of the pathway leads seawards towards Bideford and on to Barnstaple via Instow. After the passenger service closed the line was still used to carry clay from the large quarry outside Merton to the port of Bideford.nn This section of the Tarka Trail is near Great Torrington and offers good views. The Great Torrington Railway Station is now the home of the Puffing Billy and the Tarka Valley Railway. This is one of the main access points for the Tarka Trail.nnThe Tarka Trail covers a distance of 180 miles 290 km, following a figure-of-eight route through the North Devon countryside; setting for the fictional ‘Tarka the Otter’ in Henry Williamson’s book.nn The 31mile 48km section from Braunton to Meeth is level and mainly tarmacked being built on the disused Railway line.n nThe river Torridge which flows alongside starts its life on Woolley Moors between Bradworthy and Morwenstow. After completing a long loop, it meets the Taw at Appledore then flows out into the Bristol Channel. It is famous for its setting in ‘Tarka the Otter’ by Henry Williamson and more lately in ‘Flow’ a novel for young adults by John Insull.