The River Torridge is a river in

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

in England; it rises near Meddon. The river describes a long loop through Devon farming country where its tributaries the Lew and Okement join before meeting the Taw at Appledore and flowing into the Bristol Channel. The river is spate dependent and often flows between wooded banks which can be steep. The

Torridge Torridge may refer to: * Torridge District Torridge is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in north-west Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Bideford. The district also includes the towns of Great Torringt ...

local government district is named after the river. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book.

Route

The river rises close to the border with

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

(north of the source of the

River Tamar The Tamar (; ) is a river in south west England that forms most of the border between Devon (to the east) and Cornwall (to the west). A large part of the valley of the Tamar is protected as the Tamar Valley National Landscape (an Area of Outsta ...

). Its two primary sources are Seckington Water, which rises near Baxworthy Cross, and Clifford Water, the longer of the two, which rises alongside the A39 at Higher Clovelly. These run south and join to form the Torridge at Huddisford. It then flows generally east, passing between East Putford and West Putford, and near

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

it is joined by the River Waldon, then heads east past Black Torrington and Sheepwash. It is joined by the River Lew near Hatherleigh, and then by the River Okement near Meeth. It then flows northwards, picking up the River Mere south of Beaford. After this it makes tight bends, and goes past Little Torrington and Great Torrington heading generally north-west. It is joined by the River Yeo at Pillmouth, and then becomes estuarine by

Bideford Bideford ( ) is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, South West England. It is the main town of the Torridge District, Torridge Districts of England, local government district. Toponymy In ancient records Bi ...

. Between Appledore and Instow it joins the estuary of the River Taw and enters Bideford Bay. The Tarka Trail walking and cycle route partly follows the course of the North Devon Railway, which, for a considerable distance, closely followed the line of the river. South of Bideford the railway crossed from one bank to the other, and the Trail provides a good vantage point for viewing the river.

List of bridges

The following is a list of bridges over the River Torridge listed going upstream from the estuary at Bideford: *Torridge A39 Road Bridge * Bideford Long Bridge *Iron Bridge- Disused Railway Bridge, now Tarka Trail, Pillmouth, Bideford *Halfpenny Bridge, Annery/

Weare Giffard Weare Giffard is a small village, civil parish and former Manorialism, manor in the Torridge District, Torridge district, in north Devon, England. The church and manor house are situated 2 1/2 miles NW of Great Torrington in Devon. Most of th ...

*Disused Railway Bridge- Tarka trail, North of Beam House *Beam Aqueduct, ( Rolle Canal), Beam, Great Torrington *Disused Railway Bridge- Tarka trail, Broomdown Copse *Rothern Bridge (old course of A386), Great Torrington *Rolle Bridge, Great Torrington *Disused Railway Bridge- Tarka trail, Great Torrington *Taddiport Bridge, Great Torrington *New Bridge, Great Torrington *Beaford Bridge, Beaford Mill *New Bridge, Newbridge *Hele Bridge, A386 *Ruined Disused Railway Bridge, North of site of Hatherleigh Station *Rockhay Bridge (private road) *Sheepwash Bridge *Black Torrington Bridge *Coham Bridge *Dippermill Bridge *Gidcottmill Bridge *Woodford Bridge *Haytown Bridge *Putford Bridge, West Putford *Kismeldon Bridge *Ashmansworthy Bridge *Fordmill Bridge *Horton Bridge, Biteford *Brimford Cross, near Meddon

References

Sources

* {{authority control

Estuaries of England