Tarka Trail Railway Races
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Tarka Trail Railway Races
The Tarka Trail Railway Races are a set of measured running events held on the traffic free Tarka Trail near Barnstaple in North Devon. The races use the old railway alignment along the River Taw and River Torridge and run through woodland and estuary scenery. Entries are listed for 28th June 2026.
Routes and distances are largely on tarmac shared use paths, with the opening and closing 1 km of each route on grass and farm tracks that may be uneven in places. The course passes heritage features such as signal boxes, stations and bridges, and includes two tunnels: a 76 m tunnel at Instow used by several distances and a 180 m Landcross Tunnel on the longer routes.
Distances:
- Colourburst 1 km and 2 km
- 10 km
- Half Marathon
- 25 km point to point
- Marathon
- 50 km
The 10 km and longer distances are officially measured and UK Athletics certified. There are feed stations along each route (counts vary by distance) providing water, electrolyte and a mix of food including gluten free and vegan options. Cutoffs apply at the marathon and 50 km turn points. The event base is Woolmers Farm with on site parking (payable) and basic facilities, bag drop and nearby accommodation options. Buggies are permitted; canicross is not suitable. Family activities and a Colourburst fun run are offered at the farm with optional extras available. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
