We are just 10 minutes drive from some of the great beaches along the beautiful North Cornwall coast. Nearby Widemouth Bay (Blue Flag beach, Seaside Award, RNLI lifeguards in high season) is a large, mainly sandy beach, popular with surfers. The car park (pay and display) is right next to the beach. http://www.visitbude.info/for-beach-lovers/beaches/widemouth-bay/

There are two beaches in Bude (both Seaaside Award with RNLI lifeguards in high season). Summerleaze is a large sandy beach, popular with families and home to the Bude Sea Pool. http://www.visitbude.info/for-beach-lovers/beaches/summerleaze-beach/. Crooklets also has a large sandy beach at low tide and lots of rock pools to explore. Crookets has a couple of cafes and play areas. http://www.visitbude.info/for-beach-lovers/beaches/crooklets-beach/ Try Rosie’s café for ice cream or hot chocolate, fish and chips or burgers. http://www.rosieskitchen.co.uk/

There are lots of other beaches slightly further afield, including the beautiful beach at Sandymouth (National Trust) and the dramatic scenery at Crackington Haven. See a list at http://www.visitbude.info/category/for-beach-lovers/beaches/

Watersports

There is a wide range of watersports available locally. Surfing lessons can be booked at most of the local beaches – take a look at the suggestions on the Visit Bude website. Kayaking and coasteering are also available. Pedalos and rowing boats are available to hire on the calmer waters of the Bude canal www.budeboathire.co.uk. Please ask if you would like any more suggestions.

Walking

From Marhamchurch you can walk over the fields to Widemouth Bay or along the canal into Bude. For keen walkers, enjoy some spectacular scenery and great coastal views from the south west coastal path http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/ . There is a good selection of circular walks in Cornwall at http://www.iwalkcornwall.co.uk/, where you can download mobile walk apps.

Good walks for families with younger children include the canal walk into Bude and a National Trust walk around Morwenstow http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1356403784588/, perhaps ending with a cream tea in the Old Rectory Tea Rooms http://www.rectory-tearooms.co.uk/. The spectacular waterfall at St Nectans Glen is worth a visit – it is a pretty and mostly flat walk along the river. http://www.st-nectansglen.co.uk/. It is worth paying in the café at the end to see the waterfall – take wellies or there are some available to borrow so you can wade out into the stream.

Cycling

Bike hire is available from Bude Bike Hire who will deliver bikes to your cottage. http://budebikehire.co.uk/ We have limited indoor storage space for bikes. You can also hire bikes in Wadebridge and cycle along the Camel Valley trail http://www.cameltrailcyclehire.co.uk/. Route suggestions can be found on both of the websites above and also at https://www.chycor.co.uk/holidays/cycling-in-cornwall/bude-holsworthy/bude-holsworthy.htm

Pony trekking

The nearest riding stables are at Broomhill Manor cottages in Bude. For information or to book call Jo on 07886 434740. In the school holidays it is a good idea to book in advance.

Golf

Visitors are welcome at Bude Golf Club. See http://www.budegolf.co.uk/ for details or contact them on 01288 352006 or info@budegolf.co.uk

There is an indoor swimming pool with flume and wave machine at Splash in Bude 01288 356191 http://www.tempusleisure.org.uk. Just next door is Harlequinns, with soft play and ten pin bowling http://harlequinns.com/. There is a small cinema just down the A39 at Poundstock http://www.rebelcinema.co.uk/

Some other local attractions which are recommended by previous visitors and are within half an hour’s drive are  the Cornwall at War museum, St Nectan’s Glen and Trethorne Leisure Park. All are popular with kids.

• St Nectan’s Glen woodland and waterfall walk https://www.st-nectansglen.co.uk/
• The Cornwall at War museum at Davidstow http://www.cornwallatwarmuseum.co.uk/
• Trethorne Leisure Park http://www.trethorneleisure.com/ – farm park, indoor and outdoor play

Further afield there are several theme parks, farm parks and zoos within 40 minutes- an hour’s drive

Milky Way http://www.themilkyway.co.uk/ – rides, rollercoasters, soft play, archery, birds of prey displays.

Big Sheep http://www.thebigsheep.co.uk/ – rides, animals, indoor animal barn.

Cornwall’s Crealy http://www.crealy.co.uk/cornwall – rides, animals.

Newquay Zoo and aquarium http://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/ and http://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/newquay/

The National Aquarium in Plymouth, the UK’s biggest aquarium http://www.national-aquarium.co.uk/

The Screech Owl Sanctuary and animal park  Screech Owl Sanctuary

The Eden Project is well worth a visit, with lots going on out of season, including an ice rink in the winter http://www.edenproject.com/

Visit Tintagel Castle (English Heritage http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/tintagel-castle/), explore the ruins and enjoy the spectacular views. Note there is a steep climb up steps to the ruins.

Pencarrow http://pencarrow.co.uk/ – beautiful Georgian house and gardens open March to October.

Hartland Abbey http://www.hartlandabbey.com/ house and gardens open end March to October.  Outdoor theatre in the summer.  While you are there, take time to go down to see the dramatic coastline at Hartland Quay. http://www.hartlandpeninsula.co.uk/beaches-beauty-spots/hartland-quay.html

Docton Mill http://www.doctonmill.co.uk/ open March-October. Pretty gardens, walks and tea room.

Further afield, the house and gardens at Lanhydrock (National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock/), the Lost Gardens of Heligan (heligan.com/), Castle Drogo, the last castle to be built in England National Trust, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo/) and the Elizabethan manor house at Trerice http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/trerice/visitor-information/ are all about an hour away.  Fans of the BBC’s Poldark adaptation might want to visit the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site https://www.cornish-mining.org.uk/

Some dog-friendly trips out

Beaches

At present dogs are welcome throughout the year at Black Rock Beach (but not Widemouth Bay which adjoins Black Rock at low tide), Sandymouth and Summerleaze.  Dogs are not allowed on some beaches in the area (including Crooklets and Crackington Haven) between Easter and October.  Information is available at http://www.thisisnorthcornwall.com/beaches.html

Eden Project

Dogs are allowed into the outdoor gardens. See the FAQs on the Eden Project website http://www.edenproject.com/faqs for more details.

Hartland Abbey

Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds. www.hartlandabbey.com/

Tintagel Castle

Dogs on leads are welcome. www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/tintagel–castle/

Milky Way

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in some areas http://www.themilkyway.co.uk/

Pencarrow

Dogs are welcome on leads in the garden and can be let off the lead on the woodland walks. http://pencarrow.co.uk/visiting

Docton Mill

Dogs are allowed on short leads in the gardens.

Take the chance to stay in and relax – borrow a DVD or a game from the Games Room, maybe play pool or table tennis or try our hot tub.

If you want to get out here are some ideas for when the weather is not so good.

Around Bude

Put your wellies on and go for a bracing walk on the beach – if you go to Widemouth, Crackington Haven or Crooklets they all have a café right next to the beach where you can warm up with a hot chocolate afterwards.

Find out more about Bude and the local area at the heritage centre in the Castle in Bude. http://www.thecastlebude.org.uk/heritage-centre/. Take a walk down the canal to the breakwater – always more impressive on a windy day.

Try something creative! Beau Nidol in Bude offer fused glass, stained glass and bone carving courses, recommended by previous guests http://www.beaunidol.co.uk/ . The Kitchen Front http://www.thekitchenfront.co.uk/ in Bude offers ceramic workshops. Contact Clair Roberts at clair@thekitchenfront.co.uk or on 07866 677139.

See a film at the Rebel cinema, just down the A39 at Poundstock http://www.rebelcinema.co.uk/ 20-40 minutes away

Trethorne Leisure Park http://www.trethorneleisure.com/  and the Milky Way http://www.themilkyway.co.uk/ both have indoor facilities

Previous guests recommend the Cornwall at War museum at Davidstow http://www.cornwallatwarmuseum.co.uk/ and Bodmin jail http://www.bodminjail.org/

Further afield

Try the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, http://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/newquay/ or the National Aquarium in Plymouth, the UK’s biggest aquarium http://www.national-aquarium.co.uk/.

The biomes at the Eden Project make it worth a visit even if the weather is bad and the Rainforest biome is always warm! http://www.edenproject.com/