The Ultimate Bude Beach Guide

Suitable for: Families and surfers
Location: At the end of Crooklets Road on the north end of town

It’s Cornwall’s north coast so of course the shores of Bude are ideal bases for surfing. Crooklets Beach is only a few minutes’ walk from the centre of town before you’re on soft sands next to those north coast waves. This is also a great place for a swim, sandcastle building and a dip in the nearby Bude Sea Pool. Summerleaze Beach can be accessed from here at low tide and there are pubs and amusements nearby.

Suitable for: Families and watersports enthusiasts
Location: At the end of Summerleaze Crescent at the town’s seafront

You don’t get more seafront central in Bude than Summerleaze Beach. This popular and well-sheltered stretch of sand is clean, safe and frequented by many surfers when the waves are high. There are loads of watersports options here, from kayaking to sea fishing, and Bude Sea Pool is handily on the edge of the beach. At low tide, you can walk to Crooklets and, well, yeah, this is just a really good seafront beach.

Suitable for: Rockpool-lovin’ kids, sunbathers, walkers and geologists
Location: Crackington Haven, a 20-minute drive south along the A39 from Bude. Come off at Wainhouse Corner

It isn’t often we get to recommend a beach to geologists. But Crackington Haven Beach pulls in the rockhounds due to its crazy formations along its cliff faces. These unique geological zig-zag features may have made the beach famous but don’t overlook its other features like its rock pools, its gorgeous sands at low tide, its excellent nearby facilities and its good walks from here. That’ll get you rocking over from Bude.

Suitable for: Swimmers, sunbathers and novice surfers
Location: Widemouth Bay, three miles to the south of Bude

Just three miles to the south of Bude, Widemouth Bay feels like it’s much further out into the wilderness. This is a long open bay that boasts a large sandy area that gets even bigger at low tide. Swimming and sunbathing is the order of the day despite the pebbles dotted around and there is some excellent surf out there too. Kids love the rock pools, we love the sunsets and, well, everyone loves Widemouth Bay.