Byways of Bideford

Now, for Devon!

The morning after Kirsty and Jason’s wedding, Andy and I hopped in the car with Andy’s dad, Adrian, and Pat. We made the four-hour drive southwest to Bideford, where Adrian and Pat live. Here it is on a map.

As soon as we got in, we were greeted by Loki, Pat and Adrian’s dog. We also got to meet their bird, Boris, and pair of chinchillas, Izzy and Gismo. We had a nice evening of relaxing and settling in before heading to bed.

The next morning, Andy and I set out for a walk into town. Pat and Adrian’s place is in a great spot, and it only takes about 10 minutes to get to all the pubs and shops.

As you can see from the map, Bideford isn’t far from the coast, and it’s situated on the shores of a tidal river, the River Torridge.

We crossed the bridge and made our way toward the Tarka Trail, which runs along an old railroad line through Devon. The views from the bridge were great, and Bideford seemed every bit the quaint English town I expected.

The Tarka Trail covers a total of 290 km (180 miles), but of course we only aimed to do a small portion of it. It’s very popular with runners, cyclists and people walking their dogs. It was a strange feeling to not have Higgs with us.

The trail skirted some houses and industrial buildings before civilization gave way to marshland and woods.

In this case, I think the graffiti actually adds to the charm.

As we made our way further along the trail, we were treated to great views back toward Bideford.

We came to a curved bridge over the river and could make out an old lime kiln across the way, as well as some beautiful county houses.

After crossing the bridge, the trail tunneled through dense forest before we branched off onto the road to loop back to town.

Even the road offered plenty of picturesque views. My favorite was this gnarled old tree.

Before long, we were back in central Bideford.

Pat and Adrian had mentioned a particular part of town that had a lot of history, with small byways great for wandering. It sounded like just my type of place, so Andy and I headed there next.

The old Saint Mary’s Church and surrounding cemetery gave way to winding roads and alleyways as we climbed uphill.

I couldn’t get enough of all the old side streets and different vantage points, so Andy decided to go to the Pannier Market while I ran wild and pursued my every photographic whim.

I love all the colored accents on the buildings, especially the lilac.

And the doors!

Reluctantly concluding that I’d probably gotten enough photos for the time being, I bid this backstreet paradise adieu. I met Andy at the Pannier Market for a quick look around before we headed back to the house.

When we got back, it was time for Loki’s closeup.

What a cutie! I’ll be back soon with more Devon adventures.