Southern Section - Tarka Trail

The Southern Section - Tarka Trail is 106.47 km long. It is generally treated as a multi-day route through Devon, with an easy overall grade and a total elevation gain of 1,767 m, so most walkers break it into several shorter days rather than attempting it in one push.

The Southern Section - Tarka Trail is rated easy, which fits the character of much of the Tarka Trail network on former railway alignments and other gentle-use paths. Even so, 106.47 km is a substantial distance, and the full route still adds up to 1,767 m of climbing over multiple days.

The Southern Section - Tarka Trail is easier than many long-distance walks in Devon, but it is not completely flat. Over 106.47 km the route gains 1,767 m in total, so the walking is generally gentle overall with some rolling and climbing sections rather than sustained steep mountain terrain.

Most hikers would plan the Southern Section - Tarka Trail as a multi-day walk of around 4 to 7 days, depending on daily mileage and stop points. At 106.47 km, that works out to roughly 15 to 27 km per day, which suits the trail’s easy rating better than trying to cover the whole route in a very short schedule.

The Southern Section - Tarka Trail passes through a mix of North Devon landscapes that include estuary-side stretches, wooded valleys, meadows, ponds, streams, and areas of Culm grassland. On the wider Tarka Trail corridor, walkers also encounter the Taw and Torridge estuary landscape, with mudflats, salt marsh, and former railway sections that create long, easy-going trail miles.

The Southern Section - Tarka Trail is a strong option for a first multi-day hike because it is rated easy despite covering a full 106.47 km. The combination of moderate overall climbing, long non-technical sections, and the established Tarka Trail corridor makes it more approachable than many hillier long-distance routes in southwest England.