Bude is a small seaside town on the north Cornwall coast, set at the mouth of the River Neet where it meets the Atlantic. It is one of the most accessible parts of Cornwall from the Midlands and the north — about four to five hours by road — and serves as a useful gateway to the county.
The town's main draw is its beaches. Summerleaze is the most central, a broad sandy beach just minutes from the high street and sheltered by the breakwater. The Bude Sea Pool, a free tidal swimming pool cut into the rocks at the north end of Summerleaze, is one of the best outdoor swimming spots in Cornwall. Crooklets and Widemouth Bay, a couple of miles south, are popular with surfers. The Bude Canal, now used for recreational boating and kayaking, runs south from the town through peaceful countryside; beside it stands Bude Castle, the folly home of Victorian inventor Goldsworthy Gurney, now a heritage museum.
Bude is unpretentious and family-friendly, without the crowds of Newquay or St Ives. It makes a good base for walking the South West Coast Path north towards Morwenstow or south to Crackington Haven. The Compass Point headland above the town provides excellent views in both directions along the coast.