We are excited about the up and coming season here at Tarka Holiday Park. In particular we are looking forward to seeing some familier faces, friends and families who visit us time and time again. But we also are looking to make new friends as we welcome holiday makers who are visiting Tarka country for the first time.

You can now download or order our brochure from the main Tarka Holiday Park website.

I have no doubt that together we will make the 2012 season the most memerable yet!

We wish all our customers, new and old, a happy and prosporous New Year.

Tarka Holiday Park

Ilfracombe to Plymouth - National Cycle Network Route 27

The famous Devon coast to coast cycling route (NCN route 27) is a 102 miles (163km) of old railway lines, pathways and roads linking IIfracombe on the north coast down to Plymouth on the south coast. 

Cutting through the heart of Devon the route is renowned for it’s large sections of traffic free cycling and leads you through Devon’s most spectacular countryside. Through tunnels, across breathtaking viaducts and bridges, along the famous Tarka Trail here at Tarka Holiday Park and also along the traffic free Granite Way section at Meldon on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.

The Cycling Route via Tarka Trail

Starting from Ilfracombe in North Devon and heading south towards Braunton there's a good traffic free section to ease you into your ride before joining quiet roads with great views all the way south to Braunton. From Braunton you enter the famous Tarka Trail country at Barnstable with a 30 mile traffic free section on the Tarka Trail’s former railway lines with beautiful estuary views across the Taw and Torridge estuaries, which take you down to Bideford and Great Torrington to the villages of Petrockstowe and Meeth. Continuing south to Okehampton on the edge of Datmoor National Park, the route from there to Lydford is known as The Granite Way. It’s a glorious 11 miles of cycling with superb viaducts along way and includes a short on-road section viaBridestowe, continuing to Lydford along former railway lines (There’s a steam train option in Summer between Okehampton and Meldon).

Again, south along disused railway paths and leads you along the western side of Dartmoor National Park giving you spectacular views of Dartmoor and the west Devon countryside down to Tavistock. Venturing south from there there are more traffic free sections along the Plym Valley Trail which is easy 7 miles of family cycling to Clearbrook near Yelverton over many spectacular viaducts that takes you all the way to Plymouth Hoe. If your feeling a little more adventurous you can take The Drake’s Trail between Tavistock and Plymouth - a new off-road cycling section which may test the fitness levels of a keen cyclist. 

Devon is arguably one of the best places in the UK for cycling and the Devon Coast to Coast route is THE way to explore this varied and wonderful countryside. Whether you are planning to travel across Devon over a few days, or take a day's outing from Holiday Parks in Devon, Barnstaple, Plymouth or Ilfracombe, the Devon Coast to Coast route is the way to explore this varied and wonderful countryside.

We would love to here some of your cycling stories or recommended routes around the Devon countryside.

Best Wishes

Tarka Holiday Park

If it’s an action packed holiday you’re after then look no further than North Devon for your adrenaline fix. The devon coastline is renowned for some of the UK’s best surfing breaks and the region is becoming increasing popular for the sport of coasteering. The North Devon countryside offers rugged hills and trails for mountain biking such as the Tarka Trail and great rivers like the River Taw which is ideal for kayaking. If speed is your holiday tonic then North Devon is perfect, with plenty of stables offering horse riding and motor sport fans can enjoy quad biking, motorbike trails and 4X4 experiences throughout the region.

Here’s a list of some great adrenaline activities within a short distance of Tarka Holiday Park in Devon:

Surfs Up - It’s free

With a coastline so diverse North Devon has waves to suit all abilities. Croyde Bay is one of the main draws for surfers courtesy of hollow powerful low tide waves which on their day produce some truly great beachbreaks. Croyde Bay is situated close to Tarka Holiday Park and is just a few miles from Barnstaple. Other close bays are Westward Ho, Saunton, Comesgate and Woolacombe. Each bay has its own surf shop for those wanting to hire boards or wetsuits - you can even watch the surf live via http://www.eyeballhq.tv/surfcheck/croyde/

Coasteering is one of those holiday activities which is guaranteed to get the heart pumping. Explore sea caves, experience turbulent swims and push your nerves to the limit with progressive cliff jumps into the oceans. Expert knowledge of the North Devon coastline is key to an enjoyable and safe experience of coasteering. Ultimate Aventure Centre run Coasteering trips and is located just over 10miles from Tarka Holiday Park.

180 acre all terrain playground for kids of all ages (inc dads). Activities include horse riding, quad biking, 4X4 off road experience, motorbike trail days and paintballing. Just a short drive from Barnstable it’s a great action packed day out for the whole family. Further information can be found here.

Like all the premier holiday parks in devon, Tarka Holiday Park has many onsite activities to keep you entertained. However, being on the doorstep of the famous Tarka Trail is why many a keen cyclist and mountain biker come to the region - to explore trail and it’s 180miles of stunning North Devon Countryside. 

In summary - How you choose to spend your holiday in North Devon is totally up to you. Whether it’s catching the early morning breaks in Croyde Bay or exploring the off road mountain bike tracks of the Tarka Trail, you will have a truly memorable holiday. With all the activities available in North Devon the only regret which you may have at the end of your trip is - “we should have stayed longer”.

Best Wishes

Tarka Holiday Park

We have been busy here getting ready for the school summer holidays and couldn’t be more excited for the months ahead. We’re looking forward to what we know will be an amazing summer break for families travelling to Devon for one of our caravan holidays. We’re also excited to have some great deals available at the moment to make sure that everyone can afford to come and experience everything that we at Tarka Holiday Park have to offer.

To help you to experience a cheap caravan holiday this summer we’ve got two special offers for stays here at Tarka Holiday Park in July and August. If you're looking to get away for 3 or 4 nights, then join us and receive a 10% holiday discount. If you’re looking for a longer stay, then book a week’s holiday online and save an incredible 20% off the brochure price! 

The best thing about one of our holidays is the fantastic Tarka Trail  that lies just a leisurely cycle away and is one of the easiest and most fun ways to explore the stunning North Devon countryside. We offer bikes for all ages and abilities to give you the best chance of experiencing the beautiful countryside that surrounds the Tarka Holiday Park – you’ll be out and about in no time!

Our location in the heart of Devon, however, also means that even if you’re not big on cycling you’ll never struggle to find something to keep you entertained. Jump in the car and find yourself on the golden sands of the coast or exploring the family attractions further inland. Or if you just want to sit back and relax this summer, the tranquil backdrop of our caravan accommodation will ensure you get well rested and ready for the rest of the year.

We’re looking forward to seeing the summer weeks pass by with you in a whirl of activities, fun and a little relaxation too! And with the amazing offers above, there really couldn’t be a better time to book your stay with us here at Tarka Holiday Park – or as we like to think of it – the best North Devon holiday park there is!

Welcome to Tarka Holiday Park’s brand new blog!

We’re aiming to keep you regularly informed about all of the latest things to see and do on a Tarka self-catering holiday. As a family run business with over three generations of experience, we thought we’d keep you updated with holiday ideas, reviews, news and more, to ensure you’ll get the best out of a family holiday with us.

Tarka Holiday Park offers quality self-catering accommodation in the heart of the stunning North Devon countryside. Take a step out of a luxury caravan holiday home and find yourself surrounded by beautiful beaches, sprawling countryside and the Tarka Trail network of foot and cycle paths – all on your doorstep.

The Tarka Trail is one of the best ways to experience the stunning North Devon countryside. Take a cycle ride on the trail’s figure 8 route and find yourself admiring tranquil river valleys, beautiful shimmering bays, rugged cliffs and shaded woods. To make sure you get to experience the beauty of the Tarka Trail, Tarka Holiday Park offers bikes for all abilities. From standard adult and children’s bikes, to 3-wheelers and tandems; even buggies and tag-a-longs, our bike hire options are as varied as the Devonshire landscape.

If you feel like you want to explore even more than the amazing Tarka Trail, then just a short car journey will find you on the beautiful golden coastline. Further inland you’ll find stunning views on top of the moors and an amazing selection of family attractions and theme parks, family-friendly country pubs, gardens and parks, historical towns and more. There’s more than enough to keep you and your family entertained.

You can always contact us via the usual means, but you’ll be able to leave comments and feedback on all of the blog posts we make here. We’d love to hear your recommendations and reviews alongside our own.

We hope to see you soon,

Tarka Holiday Park