"Hatherleigh - A Brief Visit" a Hatherleigh Travel Page by johngayton

Hatherleigh is one of the many little gems to be found here in Devon, tucked away in the bypassing loop of the A3027 about 4 miles north of Okehampton on the north-western edge of Dartmoor. I only had the most fleeting visit doing a quick "in and out" job for the day at the George on my way up to North Devon but as always with these little places I found the town (more of a village really) to have that comfortable, friendly, laid-back appeal which is so typical of the county.

The town itself came into prominence with its involvement in the wool trade in the late 17th century, towards the end of which it was granted its market charter and the Tuesday market has continued since. The market street has a collection of small shops leading to the square with its two inns, The Tally Ho and The George, both of which are excellent whether for an overnight stay or just to drop in for a beer and a bite to eat.

In November the town holds a carnival with its floats, its town crier competition and numerous other events the most spectacular of which is the Tar Barrel Run where barrels of flaming tar are run through the town to the accompaniement of a torch-lit procession. There are two runs, the first at 5 am marking the day's start and the second about 10 pm to mark the end - more info and pics at www.hatherleigh.net.

Another claim to fame for the town is that it is at the start of the Tarka Trail following the old railway lines to Bideford and Barnstaple making it an ideal base for walking or cycling.