Cycling the Tarka trail, North Devon - day 3

Today the sun shone and the clouds vanished so that we looked out on a completely different, colourful landscape.
It was beautiful and hot.   They were putting out warnings for sunstroke on the radio, where the day before they'd been advising us to wrap up and take an umbrella when we went out.  (Which of course we had ignored, wisely).
Today we started our cycling back at Bideford our aim being to cycle to the Puffing Billy at Torrington, have a spot of lunch and then back again.  This was a very short run compared with the previous 2 days, but it was our last day and we wanted to relax a bit before heading back home to Brighton.

We joined the Tarka trail by the Royal hotel where the old station had been turned into a stopping point on the trail.  An old railway carriage now acts as a cafe, museum and shop.  Nearby are steps down to a pub with a garden for more refreshments and a loo!
The Taw looked so different under a blue sky.   It was still peaceful but there was other human life around.  A group of canoeists paddled along gently in their single crafts and others, looking more like crews from Oxford and Cambridge (or Bideford and Barnstaple perhaps) whizzed along at speed.  There were more cyclists around too although it was hardly crowded.  You could still go for a mile or so without meeting anyone at all.

Our route took us over the river about 5 times - and each time we stopped and gazed around thinking how lucky we were to be there on that lovely day.

These are probably in the wrong order.  I should be able to tell from the meanders I guess, but I can't.

 We had a spot of high drama at this bridge.  Note the cows on the opposite bank.  We heard this strange high pitched mooing and it sounded as if one of the animals was in trouble.  Eventually we spotted a cow in the water up to it's neck.  It was making an awful screechy moo.  Dave was all for calling 999, thinking it had fallen in the river - but we were just discussing if it might not be better to wait and tell someone at Torrington station when the aforementioned cow strolled along a bit, up the bank and joined the rest of the herd.  I guess he was just hot!
About halfway along the route we arrived at a tunnel which I think would make a brilliant location for a Dr Who story.  It had a green glow about it, maybe from the lichen - or maybe from something a little more sinister lurking deep inside.  There was a warning to remove sun glasses - it was a pretty long tunnel!

 

It was another very scenic route and although flattish had enough ups and downs to make it fun cycling.  Curiously, I think we entered a strange state where we couldn't always tell if we were going up, down or level.  Too much wine the night before maybe?  Or perhaps it was the effect of the tunnel...

The river Torridge ran alongside the path, although far below for much of the journey.  Just before we reached Torrington it became (if that's the right word) a weir.  Apparently in September salmon can be seen leaping the weir in an effort to get back upstream to lay their eggs.  

 

Finally we arrived at Torrington and just had to visit the Puffing Billy and have some lunch.  I don't know if the food tasted so good this holiday because we worked hard for it, or because it was tasty, well cooked and plentiful.  Probably a bit of both.

After lunch I  went and had a sneaky peek at some of the sculptures on the trail before we headed back to Bideford  - the end of our cycle.  

But - by way of celebration, and pudding we stopped and had a cream tea at Bideford station - and a lovely end to the cycling it was too!

So that was it.  Bye bye Tarka trail.  I'lll be back again.  It was great!