Where?
THE sleepy seaside resort of Bude sits on the dramatic Atlantic Heritage Coast of north Cornwall. It is the setting for a perfect British seaside holiday: sandy beaches, high cliffs, wild surf, seagulls, slot machines, and Cornish pasties.
Getting there
Bude is best accessed by car, as the nearest railway station is Exeter St David’s, more than an hour’s drive away. As with all of Cornwall during the holiday season and Bank Holidays, if you are driving, prepare to be stuck in traffic.
What do do
Bude sits atop the fantastic North Cornwall coast with cliffs and views to delight deckchair lovers and walkers of all abilities. Walk along the canal in the morning sun to the Weir Café, set in a wildlife conservation area, order a full English breakfast, and sit and read the paper.
Summerleaze Beach has a sea pool that gets refreshed by the Atlantic Ocean twice a day. Surfing lessons of varying length can be booked there. Apparently, they can get you standing up on a board in a morning.
The eccentrically named Rebel Cinema, five miles south of Bude, shows current releases, although it is worth checking first as “any dates are best-guess only and are subject to change.”
Refreshments
After a long climb up the stately cliffs, head down again to a Cornish cream tea: warm scones just out of the oven, home-made strawberry jam oozing with fruit, and a pot of tea. If the occasional Cornish sun has chosen that day to visit, there won’t be a better place in the world. The Sea Fever restaurant has a good set menu. The fish is fresh, and all ingredients are locally sourced. Lansdowne Deli has the best pasties in town — a good size, quality meat, and sliced potato.
Where to stay
At Wooldown Farm Holiday Cottages, near Marhamchurch, owned and maintained by the Blewett family, you can rent a barn-conversion apartment with its own copper-clawed bathtub, and wake up to the sounds of a peaceful working farm. If you time it correctly, you can be greeted in your room with afternoon tea, complete with scones, cakes, and a pot of piping hot tea. Two minutes’ walk away is the Bullers Arms Hotel, where tractors can be seen parked in the car park. It serves excellent food.
High points
If you are there at the right time in summer, book to see a performance at the fantastic St Endellion Music Festival, where classical musicians give concerts in the beautiful St Endellion’s Church. From outside the church, you can glimpse the sea.
Low points
The best fun is to be had on the beach and in the sea. Nightlife is a drink in the local pub.
www.budesurfingexperience.co.uk
www.rebelcinema.co.uk
www.endellionfestivals.org.uk