Located in the northeastern part of Cornwall, Bude boasts stunning coastal scenery of craggy cliffs, sandy shores, and unspoiled countryside. This seaside town faces the Atlantic Ocean and is famous for its massive waves, drawing in avid surfers. Naturally, beaches in Bude are among the most renowned and visited in Britain. We’ve listed the top spots in town that you and your brood will love, from dog-friendly beaches in Bude to the best beaches in Cornwall for families.
Bude Beaches for Families
You will find loads of things to do in Bude for families. For dedicated twitchers, some Bude beaches abound with fascinating birdlife. Avid hikers will love the long scenic walks along the craggy clifftops on the Bude coast. The town also has gorgeous rock pools, secluded coves, historical landmarks, and idyllic sandy bays ideal for family picnics. Bude surfing is world-renowned. If your family loves to ride the waves, this resort town is the perfect getaway.
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Bude Beaches and Beaches Near Bude, Cornwall Map
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Best Beaches in Bude
So, what makes the Bude beaches different from other Cornwall beaches?
The simple answer you get a range of options, from child-friendly Blue Flag awarded resorts to hidden Cornish coves to popular surfing spots to picture-perfect natural harbours with sweeping panoramas of the ocean.
Bude enjoys balmy, sunny summers and mild winters. The beautiful climate makes the town an ideal year-round destination in North Cornwall with kids. Pack a picnic, bring your swimwear (or watersports gear), and explore these stunning beaches in Bude.
Summerleaze Beach
Located a mere five minutes walk from the town centre, Summerleaze is one of the top beaches in Bude. It features a massive breakwater with a tower that shelters a small harbour and the entrance to the Bude canal.
The powerful waves draw in novice and professional surfers but make swimming in the open sea unsuitable for young children. Luckily Summerleaze has a part-artificial, part-natural swimming tidal pool known as the Bude Sea Pool. Surrounded by cliffs, it provides safe bathing, protecting swimmers from the strong currents of the Atlantic.
The beach also has beach huts for rent, toilets, a café, and shops. You can bring your dog any time of the year, but it must be on a lead from 15 May to 30 September.
If you’re looking for the top beaches in Bude, Cornwall, Summerleaze should be your first stop.
Family-friendly accommodation in Summerleaze Bude | The Beach Hotel Bude
Sandymouth Bay Beach
At high tide, Sandymouth is mainly rocks and pebbles. But at low tide, it reveals an expansive area of golden-brown sand that stretches as far as two miles, connecting two other beaches. Cliffs flank the bay and are home to a couple of small waterfalls.
Located 15 minutes from Bude town centre, Sandymouth attracts families with its clean waters, lovely views, rich birdlife, and clear rock pools. However, many of its amenities, such as cafés, toilets, lifeguard service and surf-hire, are seasonal and available only during high season.
You’ll find impressive swells perfect for surfing almost all year round, particularly in fall and winter. Good news if you are visiting with your dog as the beach allows canines anytime.
Family-friendly accommodation in Sandymouth Bude | Bude Holiday Resort
Crooklets Beach
Flanked by craggy outcrops, Crooklets is a sprawling expanse of honey-brown sand at the northern part of Bude, a short walk from the town centre.
At low tide, Crooklets links with two other famous North Cornwall beaches, Summerleaze and Northcott Mouth.
In 2021, it received a Blue Flag award for its clean, safe waters. It is also very popular with surfers and is the base of the Bude Surf Life Saving Club.
Crooklets has a spacious car park, a play area, beach café, showers and toilets, beach huts for hire and a skate park.
Lifeguard service is available in peak season. You can bring your furry pet along except during the dog ban from 15th May to 30th September.
Duckpool Beach
About four miles north of Bude and tucked between cliffs that comprise the 100-metre-high Steeple Point is the stunning but secluded Duckpool Beach.
To get to Duckpool, you need to hike through the sheltered woodland of Coombe Valley. Walking across the valley is a lovely experience, with ancient trees dripping with lichen and maritime grasslands littered with wildflowers.
Duckpool is unsafe for swimming as the currents are strong and there is no lifeguard service. But, at low tide, you can explore the rock pools, which abound with crabs and other marine life.
Except for toilets and a small car park with level access, the beach doesn’t have facilities. You can bring your dog, except between Easter Day to 1st October.
Black Rock Beach
It’s hard to pick the best beach in Bude, but if we have to choose one, Black Rock has got to be on the list. This idyllic cove sits at the southern edge of Widemouth Bay, about three miles from Bude centre by car. The beach features golden sand mixed with pebbles and big waves, which lure surfers and bodyboarders.
When the tide goes down, you’ll find dozens of rock pools teeming with crabs, limpets, seaweeds and other sea life. Black Rock is a Blue Flag awardee and provides lifeguard service during peak season and some holidays.
Dogs are welcome, except between 15th May to 30th September. Beach facilities include toilets, surf for hire, a free car park with disability access to the beach and a pet-friendly beach café.
Crackington Haven Beach
A gorgeous shingle cove surrounded by 400-metre-high cliffs, Crackington is a fairly rocky bay with small swathes of golden sand when the tide is out.
The beach is about ten miles from Bude town centre at the end of a narrow winding road. Because of its hidden location, Crackington is usually quiet and uncrowded. The waves are surfable at mid-tide, but surfers must be careful of the rocks.
The beach has two cafés, toilets, surf hire and a car park. Dogs are welcome except between 15th May to 30th September. Lifeguards are also on the beach during peak season, usually from June to September.
Family-friendly accommodation in Crackington Haven Bude | Hentervene Holiday Park
Breakwater Beach
Breakwater beach sits on the seaward side of the Bude breakwater, at the foot of steep grassy cliffs. This small, windswept bay is a mixture of rocks and shingles, with small areas of sand at low tide.
The waters are often choppy, making the beach unsafe for swimming. There is also no lifeguard in the area. Though it is next to the canal in the town centre, it is often secluded and deserted.
Visitors usually prefer the sandy shores and calmer waters of its neighbour, Summerleaze Beach.
While Breakwater is not the best beach to swim in Bude with kids, it is ideal for sightseeing and beachcombing. It is also dog-friendly all year round.
Northcott Mouth Beach
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/3/embed?mid=1yVTadXQckF4ASuiteAU7JN7lceli4gI&ehbc=2E312FLike many beaches in Bude, Northcott Mouth has pebbles at high tide and long expanses of sand at low tide. When the tide is out, Northcott stretches as far as Duckpool in the north and Crooklets in the south.
The rocky reefs create waves that surfers enjoy, whilst the tiny stream crossing the beach is an excellent spot for children to splash in. Have fun exploring the rock pools, a seaside cave, and fascinating birdlife.
There is also a car park with an honesty box for contributions and a tea caravan and lifeguard in summer. Dogs are welcome all year.
Best Beaches Near Bude
The Bude seafront is breathtaking, but other bays in Cornwall are also worth visiting. Are you looking for bustling beaches around Bude or quiet beaches near Bude on your trip to Cornwall with kids? Here are some fabulous beaches near Bude you and your family will love.
Millook Haven Beach
Millook Haven lies under the lofty Penalt Cliff, about four miles from Bude and two miles from Widemouth Bay. The cove consists mainly of course rocks and pebbles but offers stunning views and beachcombing opportunities at low tide.
While Millook isn’t a swimming beach, it’s popular with experienced surfers due to its impressive swells. It has no lifeguard or basic facilities. But it could easily be one of the best dog-friendly beaches near Bude as it allows pets all year.
Family-friendly accommodation | Widemouth Bay Caravan Park
Welcombe Mouth Beach
Over the border in Devon, you’ll find this hidden gem – a secluded and quiet beach fringed by steep, rugged cliffs. The cove is mainly pebbles and shingles, but there are small patches of sandy areas.
Welcombe is known for its rock pools, a picturesque waterfall, fascinating wildlife, and incredible views from atop the grassy slopes. It’s also one of the best beaches to surf in Cornwall, thanks to its big waves. Dogs are welcome anytime.
Stanbury Mouth Beach
Rugged and remote, the rock and sand beach lies on the Cornwall-Devon border, approximately five miles north of Bude. Access to the bay is challenging.
There are barely any facilities and swimming can be dangerous. For these reasons, Stanbury is uncrowded, if not empty. It, however, attracts surfers and wildlife lovers who visit to spot the occasional seals. You can bring your dog all year.
Marsland Mouth Beach
Nestled in the Welcombe and Marsland Valley Nature Reserve, Marsland Mouth is a peaceful and serene beach consisting of pebbles and rocks.
The bay has plenty of rock pools and a lovely freshwater stream that flows down to the sea. There are no facilities or lifeguard patrol, so bathing is generally not recommended. However, the unspoilt scenery makes it ideal for sightseeing, beach combing and dog walking.
Trebarwith Strand Beach
A sweeping sandy beach about 19 miles from Bude (30 minutes travel by car), Trebarwith Strand is a family-friendly spot. The beach picks up plenty of swells, making it popular among surfers.
At high tide, the entire bay disappears except for a few rocks half-submerged in the water. Its facilities include a shop, cafés, toilets and a seasonal lifeguard service.
You can bathe on the beach, but the currents can be dangerous. Be sure to swim only when there are lifeguards on duty. Dogs are welcome all year.
Family-friendly accommodation | The Cornishman Inn
