River Torridge

Bridges over River Torridge at Bideford looking downstream from Upcott Hill

The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. The River Torridge 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. After heavy rain the water can be coloured.^[1] It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book. The Torridge local government district is named after the river.

The river rises close to the border with Cornwall (north of the source of the River Tamar . It flows generally east, passing between East Putford and West Putford, and near Bradford 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. 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
• Halfpenny Bridge, Annery/ Weare Giffard
• Beam Aqueduct, (Rolle Canal), Beam, Great Torrington
• Rothern Bridge, Great Torrington
• Rolle Bridge, Great Torrington
• Taddiport Bridge, Great Torrington
• New Bridge, Great Torrington

References

Sources

• Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget (2004). The Buildings of England – Devon. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300095961.  CS1 maint: Multiple names: authors list (link)

Ceremonial county of Devon
Devon Portal
Unitary authorities	Plymouth Torbay
Boroughs or districts	Exeter East Devon Mid Devon North Devon Torridge West Devon South Hams Teignbridge
Major settlements	Ashburton Axminster Bampton Barnstaple Bideford Bovey Tracey Bradninch Brixham Buckfastleigh Budleigh Salterton Chagford Chudleigh Chulmleigh Colyton Crediton Cullompton Dartmouth Dawlish Exeter Exmouth Great Torrington Hartland Hatherleigh Holsworthy Honiton Ilfracombe Ivybridge Kingsbridge Kingsteignton Lynton Modbury Moretonhampstead Newton Abbot North Tawton Northam Okehampton Ottery St Mary Paignton Plymouth Plympton Salcombe Seaton Sidmouth South Brent South Molton Tavistock Teignmouth Tiverton Torquay Totnes See also: List of civil parishes in Devon
Rivers	Ashburn Avon Axe Barle Bovey Bray Burn Clyst Creedy Culm Dart East Dart West Dart Erme Exe Heddon Lemon Lew Lumburn Lyd East Lyn West Lyn Meavy Mole Okement East Okement West Okement Otter Plym Sid Swincombe Tamar Tavy Taw Teign Thrushel Torridge Walkham Wallabrooke East Webburn West Webburn Wolf Yealm
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Coordinates: 51°03′N 4°12′W / 51.050°N 4.200°W / 51.050; -4.200