WEEKEND IN…
Quirky and independent, Cornwall’s northernmost town is a standout spot worth a visit, as KIRSTIE NEWTON discovers coast TRAVEL
In Cornwall’s northernmost reaches, Bude is about as far from civilisation as it gets. It’s equidistant from Truro and Exeter and barely ten miles from Devon – it even has an EX postcode, which is close to heresy in these parts. The Tamar rises eight miles inland, making this the single strip of land attaching the Duchy to England.
The train station closed in 1966 thanks to Dr Beeching, meaning you have to make a real effort to come to Bude. This could be considered a good thing, in that it means everyone you meet actually wants to be in Bude. And who can blame them?
With its stunning beaches, independent shops, colourful characters and fascinating history, this delightfully quirky town dances to its own tune, a breath of fresh Atlantic air. If the Beach Boys had been surfing here, would we have been singing about girls from Cornwall rather than California?
Like many seaside towns, Bude is a relative newcomer. Nearby Stratton, a sleepy village today, was once a thriving market town with a lively leather trade, and a judicial centre for an extremely rural parish. During the 17ththcentury, Royalists troops were victorious in battle here during the First English Civil War.
At that time, Bude was a modest tidal harbour, its potential untapped. This would all change – first, when local farmers realised how beneficial the lime-rich sand would be for their fields leading to the opening of the 35-mile Bude Canal in 1823; then, with the Victorian zeal for sea-bathing resulting in an influx of visitors (gents and ladies were segregated to Summerleaze and Crooklets beaches respectively – both are now happily unisex destinations).
While the canal is strictly for leisure purposes these days, Bude still has pulling power with tourists, and we were happy to be among their number. We arrived at our accommodation - within Whalesborough luxury resort - on Friday night, and after a superb night’s sleep, headed straight into town on Saturday morning.
By far the best place to start here is the tourist information centre, one of the friendliest and most helpful I’ve encountered in Cornwall, staffed by people with a genuine love and infectious enthusiasm for their town. Better still, call ahead for a chat, as I did; having explained that our party ranged from a pre-teen to two octogenarians, they had enough i
