My day out: Bude Canal Walk

Summerleaze-Beach

A day out in Bude, I thought. We’ve got some properties in the town that are very popular and busy with guests much of the year. We also have guests returning there year after year. That’s usually a good sign that the place is worthy of a visit. Then a family member who used to live in that part of Cornwall recommended a restaurant for lunch. The deal was sealed.

I should add that the restaurant recommendation came with an additional suggestion of a wander along Bude Canal, either to work up an appetite or assist in working off a scrumptious lunch!

Bude Canal Walk

There’s a stretch of the Bude Canal that’s owned by the Bude Canal Trust. This charity cares for and maintains the canal, parts of the path, and keeps an eye on the flora, fauna and wildlife for whom this stretch of one of Cornwall’s historic canals. No longer a working waterway it packs a punch on the heritage front.

Lock gate of the Bude Canal Bude Canal

The footpath that runs most of the way along the canal from Bude, before reaching the section of the South West Coast Path, is also wheelchair accessible and apparently there’s even an all terrain mobility scooter available to hire from Whalesborough Farm to make it a smoother ride.

The walk along the canal was very peaceful and picturesque. It led us into Bude for a very pleasant meander around the shops in what I discovered to be a very pretty seaside village. There are many different places that you could eat and plentiful shops that you could have a look round. It was also easy and enjoyable to just sit and watching pedalos on the water while soaking up a bit of early spring sunshine.

Rowing boats on the Bude canal in the spring sunshine. Tranquil Bude in the Spring sun

This day out in Bude is ideal for most people. The walk is suitable for dogs, good for a family and also good for couples. If you can keep up the pace, extend your walk across Summerleaze Beach and get the sand between your toes.

Time to eat

We had lunch at The Weir Bistro, which is a blaze of colour and light. Open from 9am every day, you could have a post-surf breakfast or join them for a Sunday evening BBQ while the kids play on the sand.

The Weir cafe overlooking the Bude Canal Feeling peckish?

Lunch was almost as colourful on the plate as the decor. Full of fresh local produce, it was full of flavour and I’m keen to return for one of their barbeque nights.

In Bude there are numerous cafés and restaurants for alternative eating options. To pick up some fresh produce of your own, every Friday from 10am – 2pm in the summer months they have a small market on one of the grass areas. Self-catering heaven!

Practical Bude

The walk itself can take anywhere from 30 minutes – 1 hour depending on how fast you walk. You don’t really need to take anything but dress suitably for the weather as the car is a walk away.

If you don’t fancy walking there and back then there is a car park at the other end of the walk. Again the walk itself is very flat so suitable for even those who struggle to walk or are in a wheelchair.

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About the author: Rob is a customer service administrator and visited Bude in March 2018.

You can read about other day trips Rob has enjoyed here >