Tarka TrailCycle Hire

Tarka Trail Cycle Hire has operated from a base beside Barnstaple railway station since 1989, when John and Margaret Kempson opened the first cycle hire business on the newly created Tarka Trail. The trail follows a disused railway line along the Taw and Torridge estuaries, offering around twenty-one miles of flat, traffic-free riding in each direction. The shop maintains a fleet of more than a hundred and thirty cycles, including hybrids, trikes and trailers, alongside bike repairs, servicing and secondhand bike sales from fifty pounds. Staff advise on routes suited to family groups, wildlife-watching or longer rides toward Meeth. Large, inexpensive parking sits next to the station. The business runs daily through the main season, taking card or cash payment.