i62 SOUTH COUNTRY TROUT STREAMS 



towards the north-west. By river Bideford is 60 

 miles from the Ditchen Hills, where the Torridge 

 takes its rise ; as the crow flies, the distance 

 between the two places is scarcely more than a 

 dozen miles, and Bideford is actually the nearest 

 station to the source of the stream and the upper 

 portion of the tributary, called the Seckington 

 Water. How numerous are the tributaries which 

 swell the Torridge may be gathered from the 

 following list, which by no means includes all the 

 lesser waters or the tributaries of tributaries : — 

 The Seckington Water, Floodmead Water, 

 Waldon, Whiteleigh Brook, Buckland Brook, Lew 

 (which has several feeders), Okement (which has 

 the East Okement), Exbourne Water, Merton 

 Brook, Waley Brook, Langtree Brook, Hunshaw 

 Water, Taidland Water, and Wear Water. Of 

 these the Waldon, the Lew and Okement are the 

 largest, and the last-named may be said to connect 

 the Torridge with Dartmoor. The Okement and 

 the Taw are the two streams which carry Dartmoor 

 water to Barnstaple Bay. All the other streams 

 take the Dartmoor water to the English Channel, 

 through the Exe, Dart, Tamar, Teign, and other 

 lesser rivers. The Torridge is, except at one or 

 two points, such as Great Torrington, a somewhat 

 difficult stream for the angler to reach, as it is not 

 situated in a land of railway stations. Great 

 Torrington, however, is pretty easily reached by 

 Barnstaple, and the Globe inn preserves eight 

 miles of the stream for its visitors. Again there is 

 fishing to be obtained by anglers staying at the 

 Half Moon at Sheepwash, which is situated at about 

 the middle of the Torridge, and can be reached 

 from either HoUacombe or Hols worthy station. 



