North Devon cycling: Tarka Trail and coastal routes
Use the flat Tarka Trail for easy family riding, and treat Woolacombe's coast lanes as scenic but hilly road cycling.
Quick answer
The Tarka Trail is the easiest cycling day in North Devon
The best North Devon cycling for most visitors is the traffic-free Tarka Trail between Braunton, Barnstaple, Instow, Bideford, Great Torrington and Meeth. It gives you flat estuary riding and flexible out-and-back distances without committing to steep coastal lanes.
Woolacombe is a good base for confident adults, but it is not flat. Every road route out involves climbs, narrow lanes or holiday traffic. Families usually have a better day by driving to Braunton or Barnstaple.
Best family section
Braunton to Barnstaple is about 10km / 6 miles each way and entirely traffic-free within the wider Braunton-Meeth route.
Classic longer ride
Barnstaple to Bideford is about 11 miles each way, with estuary views, Instow and Bideford's Long Bridge.
Woolacombe reality
Expect steep climbs from the village. E-bikes help, but local lanes are still roads.
Headline route
The Tarka Trail: what to know
The Tarka Trail is the reason many cyclists plan a North Devon ride. The cycling corridor runs on the former railway line from Braunton through Barnstaple, Fremington, Instow, Bideford and Great Torrington to Meeth. Explore Devon lists the Braunton-Meeth section at more than 52km / 32 miles and entirely traffic-free; the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust records 30.3 miles and almost entirely traffic-free.
Barnstaple is the hub. West of town, the trail follows the Taw estuary towards Braunton. South-west, it runs through Fremington and Instow to Bideford, then follows the Torridge valley towards Great Torrington and Meeth. Most visitors do not need the whole route: choose a section and turn back while everyone is still enjoying it. Families should use Tarka Trail with kids to pick a child-appropriate section before committing to a longer ride.
The surface is mainly asphalt with firm unsealed or compacted stone sections, so hybrids, gravel bikes and family bikes work well. Narrow road tyres can feel less comfortable on looser stretches. The route is shared with walkers, dogs, mobility users and families, so pass carefully.
Routes
Good sections to choose
Braunton to Barnstaple
About 6 miles each way. This is the simplest family choice from a Woolacombe stay: flat, traffic-free and close to Braunton. Shorten it if wind, heat or tired legs build up.
Barnstaple to Bideford
About 11 miles each way. This is the classic estuary day ride, passing Fremington and Instow before reaching Bideford's Long Bridge. Turn around earlier for an easier half-day.
Bideford to Great Torrington
About 6 miles each way. Quieter and greener than the Taw estuary, with the Torridge valley giving a wooded feel. Better for a longer leisure ride than a first outing with young children.
Coast lanes
Cycling from Woolacombe is scenic, but hilly
Woolacombe looks like an easy beach-cycling place on a map, but the terrain says otherwise. Routes towards Mortehoe, Lee, Ilfracombe, Croyde or Braunton involve climbs, bends and sections where summer traffic can feel close.
Confident adult road cyclists can make excellent rides from Woolacombe. Mortehoe gives headland views; Croyde and Braunton can make a memorable longer loop; and stronger riders can link coast roads with the flatter Tarka Trail. For families, trailers or nervous riders, start on the Tarka Trail instead.
Woolacombe to Croyde is only around 4 miles by road, but the climb out of Woolacombe is the point. Treat it as a fitness ride, not a gentle link between beaches.
Braunton
Braunton Burrows and coastal riding
The Braunton end of the trail works well for Woolacombe visitors because it is close, flat and connected to a distinctive estuary landscape. Braunton Burrows is the core area of the North Devon Biosphere, and UNESCO identifies it as one of the area's defining dune systems. Keep cycling to signed shared-use routes and roads rather than treating the dunes as a cycle playground.
If the weather is settled, pair a Tarka Trail ride with a separate walk at Braunton Burrows or a beach stop around Saunton. Do not assume the Tarka Trail itself runs as a marked, traffic-free cycling path through the dunes to the beach: use official signage and local access points on the day.
E-bikes
E-bikes help with hills, not road confidence
E-bikes make North Devon cycling more realistic for mixed-ability adult groups. They take the sting out of Woolacombe's climbs and make estuary headwinds easier to manage, especially if you want to ride from Woolacombe rather than drive to the trail.
They do not remove the need for road awareness. Narrow lanes, downhill bends, summer traffic and exposed coastal wind still matter. If anyone is unsure in traffic, choose the Tarka Trail's traffic-free sections.
Bike hire is available around Barnstaple and Braunton. Check local options before travelling, especially for e-bikes, children's bikes, trailers or tag-alongs. This guide does not list hire operators or prices because availability changes.
Planning
How to plan the day
- For families: start at Braunton or Barnstaple, ride a short out-and-back section, and turn around before children are tired.
- For confident adults: use Woolacombe as a coast-road base, but map climbs and traffic pinch points before you leave.
- For wildlife and scenery: ride the Taw or Torridge estuary sections for wide views, mudflats and birdlife.
- For bad-weather days: shorten the ride. A flat estuary trail can still feel exposed in a headwind or cold rain.
For a wider active trip, combine this page with the Tarka Trail guide, North Devon things to do, family holiday ideas, North Devon AONB and things to do.
Checked 12 July 2026
Sources used
- Explore Devon, Tarka Trail Braunton-Meeth — 52km / 32-mile traffic-free route, section distances and route alignment.
- Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, Tarka Trail — National Cycle Network distance, traffic-free status and surface notes.
- Official Tarka Trail cycling information — flat traffic-free cycling context.
- UNESCO, North Devon Biosphere Reserve and North Devon Biosphere, Braunton Burrows — Braunton Burrows and biosphere designation context.