Bude Tourist Information

Bude Museum & Canal

Outdone by the railways, Bude Canal still has a story to tell of this areas industrial and maritime heritage. Building commenced on the canal in 1820, with a view to linking up with the upper Tamar, but the idea for it came from John Edyvean, a Cornishman in 1774. The canal boats once travelling on Bude canal transported calcium rich sand down to Exmoor. A significant feature of Bude Canal is it's sea lock, allowing vessels of upto 40 to 50 tons to enter the canal for trade. Engineer James Green and Thomas Sheaton, a surveyor worked on the project, which included "changing the course of the River Neet from discharging along the northern edge of Summerleaze Beach, to its present course, which would create a channel to give depth for vessels manoeuvring on neep tides". The history of Bude Canal is explored in the Bude & Stratton Museum and in the Bude Canal and Harbour Society weblink to the right. The Bude Canal Society often organise events on the canal, notably Canal Day at the end of July annually.

Bude Canal was completed in 1825, although it was operating to some extent from 1823. This canal stretched 35 miles in total from Bude to Blagdon Moor Wharf, near Holsworthy, with a branch out from Red Post to Druxton Wharf near. Launceston and a feeder arm from the newly constructed Tamar Lake (now Lower Tamar Lake) was used to feed the canal with water. Bude canal is significant for the fact that it was constructed for agricultural purposes, and the transportation of lime rich sand for the improving of soil in areas like Exmoor. The Bude & Stratton Museum is well worth a look, with a choice of fascinating exhibits on the Bude canal and it's history.

Bude-Stratton Museum, Lower Wharf, Bude, Cornwall. Tel: 01288 353576

Bude Tourist Information Centre, The Crescent, Bude Cornwall. Tel: 01288 354240.

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Bude Beaches & Surfing

Bude has the pick of the beaches in Cornwall, with two in particular - Crooklets Beach and Summerleaze Beach offering excellent family beach facilities and good surfing at Crooklets.

Crooklets beach sits just north of Bude, only about a 5 minute walk from the centre. A full lifeguard service is offered in peak summer season, and Crooklets beach has a superb range of facilities including ample parking, a cafe, beach huts for hire, a skate park, Bude Lifesavers club and toilets. Surf clothing shops and surf gear hire are conveniently situated near the beach, plus there's a good choice of surfing schools in the area including Shoreline Outdoor Pursuits (see weblink to the right), situated on Crooklets Beach and offering not just surfing but kayaking, abseiling, canoeing, archery and a choice of team working activities.

Families often prefer Bude's perfect family beach Summerleaze beach which is renowned for it's own natural made sea pool, one of three in the UK! A full lifeguard service operates on Summerleaze in peak season, and it's a very popular beach, but plenty of space for all on it's glorious expanse of golden sands! Summerleaze beach is particularly sheltered too by dunes to one side and Bude canal on the other. There's pleasant walking nearby too on the cliffs to the south, and joy of joys Summerleaze Beach is a dog friendly North Cornwall beach, but dogs need to be kept under control and all mess cleaned up! Disabled toilet facilities are also available on this beach, and it offers good surfing conditions when it's too wild on Crooklets.

If you're in Bude you're in one of the best areas for Cornwall Surfing. Move up towards Hartland Point and hit Sandymouth Beach, and idyllic beach actually owned by the National Trust. Superb clean water here too. Moving just outside of Bude up and down the North Cornwall Coast you'll discover stunning hidden beaches away from the crowds. Check out Northcott Mouth just North of Bude, a beautifully secluded spot with excellent surfing. Many of these small beaches though don't have lifeguards, so best for the experienced surfer! Just to the south is superb rock pool beach Widemouth Bay, with spectacular cliff walks here too and good surfing. Also on offer is a choice of small sandy beaches with rock pools galore - Crackington Haven beach is one of the best with a delightful inn situated right near the beach.

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Bude Surfing Schools

Shoreline Outdoor Pursuits, 11a Crooklets Beach, Bude, Cornwall. EX23 8NE. Tel: 01288 354039.

Bude Surfing Experience, Grenville Centre, Belle Vue, Bude, Cornwall, EX23 8JP. Tel : 44 (0) 8707 775 111, Mobile: 07779 117746. An excellent surf school, offering a choice of courses with Hen Parties and Stag weekend parties catered for, and girls only/boys only courses if preferred. Bude's a great choice for a stag or hen party weekend, with not just the surfing and great beaches, but plenty of budget accommodation. It's not as rich on the nightlife scene as Newquay, but if you're a group that prefers to concentrate on the outdoor activities with great facilities then Bude is for you!

Wet suit and surfboard hire also from: Life's A Beach on Summerleaze Beach, Tel: 01288 361856.

For all your surfing gear, surfing clothing and a great choice of surfboards, books and all things surfing head for Zuma Jay's Surf Shop, 20 Belle Vue Lane, Bude. Tel: 01288 354956

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Bude Walking & Bude Golf

Bude's proximity close to Devon mean that visitors have a diverse variety of walking territory close to hand, from stunning coastal walking along the South West Coast Path or slightly inland into Ruby Country around Holsworthy! Walking in Ruby Country is a gentle affair, with wooded landscapes and beautiful woodland trails. Check out the Ruby Country weblink to the right for details. It's the perfect area not just for gentle woodland trail walking, but also for cycling and horse riding!

There's plenty of trails specifically around Bude itself, and a choice of guided walks is offered for example along Bude Canal. Check with Bude Tourist Information centre for details. Many of the guided walks are free too! The canal walks are usually guided by a knowledgeable Canal Society member who will talk you through features such as the newly refurbished sea lock. Well worth joining this walk for a tour of Bude's important industrial history! The Bude canal walk is only about an hour too, and it's gentle and flat! There's a choice of guided walks in areas near Bude too, including around Tintagel and inland woodland and castle trail walks. Check the weblink to guided walks to the right for details.

"How straight it flew, how long it flew, It cleared the rutty track and soaring, disappeared from view Beyond the bunker's back - A glorious sailing, bounding drive That made me glad I was alive". (Seaside Golf by John Betjeman). Here in Bude you're in superb Cornwall Golf land, with the Bude and North Cornwall Golf Club right on your doorstep. With 18 holes. 6057 yds. Par 71. SSS 70 Bude Golf Course is one of the best in Cornwall, and it has a long history dating back to a 'gentleman's clubhouse' here in 1891. A book is published by the club called 'A Century of Seaside Golf'.

Bude & North Cornwall golf course sits on a superb site up on Summerleaze Downs, with stunning views both out to sea and inland. This golf course is a real meeting point for Cornwall golf, with numerous competitions held here, plus a festival week annually in July. Check out their website for details. The best greens in the West say many! Other courses nearby include Holsworthy in Devon, Ivyleaf further up the coast, plus more golf in Wadebridge and Launceston. Golf till you drop in Cornwall! Bude & North Cornwall, Golf Club 6 Burn View, Bude, North Cornwall. EX23 8DA. Tel: 01288 352006.

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Bude Jazz Festival

Bude has become rather famous both nationally and internally for it's annual Jazz Festival at the end of August into September annually. This is definitely one of the best jazz festivals in the UK, and you can pick up stroller tickets which allow entrance to all jazz events running over the eight day event, except the charity jazz do.

Lots of venues, about 20, are used for the event in and around Bude, including pubs and hotels! It's a superb atmosphere, with a prime choice of jazz musicians performing. It's a must for jazz fans.

Check out the Bude Jazz Festival website for full details on the programme of jazz performers, and buying tickets!

Bude Jazz Festival, c/o Visitor Centre, The Crescent, Bude, Cornwall EX23 8LE. Tel: 01288 356360 or 01633 211368.

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Bude Restaurants

Bude offers an excellent choice of inns and pub food, and a good sprinkling of internet cafes, chippies and hotel restaurants open to non residents. Not cutting edge by Padstow's and Rick Stein's standards, but plenty of good family grub on offer here, and some excellent traditional pastie outlets!

Anyone for Cornish Pasties? Pengella Pasties, Bell Vue Lane, Bude. Tel: 01840 770223. Or Morwenna's, 2 Morwenna Terrace, Bude. Tel: 01288 356600. Alternatively, try the Villa Restaurant, 16 the Strand, Bude. Tel: 01288 354799.

The Bay View Inn, Bude, EX23 0AW. Tel: 01288-361273. A particularly popular inn/pub with a friendly, informal atmosphere (good for families) and with views over Widmouth Bay. Award winning beers too! Also, the Brendon Arms, Falcon Terrace, Bude, EX23-8SD. Tel: 01288-354542. is a great family pub, with views over the Canal and a history in the area as an inn dating back to 1872! Web links for both this excellent inns are to the right. Also check out the recently refurbished Inn on the Green, Crooklets Beach, Bude, EX23 8NF. Tel: 01288 356013. Contemporary, with traditional English pub cuisine.

The Brasserie, Lower Wharf Centre, Bude. EX23 8LG, Tel: 01288355275. (also on Bude Canalside). Tradewinds Restaurant, 26 Queen Street, Bude, Tel: 01288-352594. Belinda's Licensed Restaurant. 8 Princess Street, Bude. Tel: 01288-352294. Coffee Pot and Internet Cafe. 6 Morwenna Terrace, Bude. EX23-8SW. Tel: 012788-356142. Life's a Beach Cafe, Summerleaze Beach, Bude, EX23 8HN. Tel: 01288 355222. Situated right on the beach, offering traditional Cornish food and a nice friendly family atmosphere. Check out their website to the right.

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