Remember to bring those Walking Boots!

The area surrounding the lovely seaside town of Bude is renowned for some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the British Isles.  There are some stunning circular walks from which to enjoy not only some superb coastal views, but also shady woodland areas and some beautiful open countryside.

With many steep gradients along the way and several stretches of the South West Coast Path officially classified as "strenuous" some of these will tax even the most experienced of walkers.  One German visitor arrived here after a long days walk from Hartland to Bude totally exhausted and declared there to have been "many valleys" along the way.

For the less experienced walker there are fortunately many user-friendly circular walks in the area with a classification of "easy" or "moderate" which still provide some amazingly beautiful photo opportunities along the route.

http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk is a super website with some excellent examples of local Circular walks in our local area and is definitely worth checking out if you're thinking of doing some relaxed walking during your holiday or short break in Bude.

The site is free to use with route maps available for each walk, information on places of interest along the way and advice on where to park to help you plan for your day out.

The walks are graded as "Easy" "Easy/Moderate" "Moderate" and for the more adventurous among you ..... "Strenuous"

The page for our area is here http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walks/near/bude

Here are the "Easy" "Easy/Moderate" and "Moderate" walks in our locality

Poundstock to Penfound 3.2 Miles/5.1kms "Easy"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/poundstock_to_penfound

Week St Mary to Penhallam 2.9 Miles/4.7kms "Easy/Moderate"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/week_st_mary_to_penhallam

Jacobstow to Poulza 3.4 Miles/5.5kms "Easy/Moderate"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/jacobstow_to_poulza

Widemouth to Bude 6.2 Miles/10kms  "Easy/Moderate"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/widemouth_to_bude

Millook to Trebarfoote 3 Miles/4.8kms "Moderate"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/millook_to_trebarfoote

Sandymouth to Coombe Valley 4.4 Miles/7.1kms "Moderate"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/sandymouth_to_coombe_valley

Bude to Sandymouth 6.2 Miles/10kms "Moderate"
http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/walk/bude_to_sandymouth

We'll leave you to explore the more "Strenuous" options at your leisure!

Images included in this "Walking Boots" blog have all been sourced from the individual pages of the featured walks on http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk
With 93 walks in North Cornwall, ranging from 2 to 10 miles in distance and totalling 417 miles overall http://www.iwalknorthcornwall.co.uk/ is an excellent source of information to help with planning a great day out in North Cornwall ..... and one of the best we have found.

NEWSFLASH!! BBC proclaim Bude as sunniest place in the UK

At last! After the last few years of dreadfully wet weather during July and August we finally managed a wonderfully warm and sunny summer in 2013. 

After the incredibly long winter and the record breaking cold spring we'd all endured the lovely beaches in Bude were buzzing this summer as everyone made the most of the opportunity to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.

How wonderful for us all, and perhaps not a great surprise then that last month the BBC announced Bude to have been the No 1 Sunniest Place in the UK this summer!!

As we head into October and the evenings are already starting to pull in, there's a definite feel of Autumn in the air but to remind yourself of the fabulous summer we had this year you can read the online article here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23970253

A Digital Postcard from Bude

Thankyou to Visit Cornwall for this lovely short promotional video about Bude

Bude Sea Pool ... a haven for safe swimming

Created in the 1930's The Sea Pool at Bude provides a haven for safe swimming for the towns-people of Bude and the thousands of people who visit there each year.

Very few similar tidal pools still exist now in the UK and the sea pool at Bude is not a man-made lido. It is a semi-natural pool created under the curve of the cliffs which fills twice a day at high tide. Access to the pool is unrestricted and free of any admission charge.

The pool nestles under the cliffs on the north Cornwall coast and is topped up twice a day by the waves of the Atlantic. On a summer’s day the sprawling, sparkling expanse of the Sea Pool offers a blissful opportunity to escape from modern life and to laze, splash or bathe in calm sea water. It is a rare kind of construction: partially man-made and in harmony with the natural environment.  Bude Sea Pool provides a precious opportunity to enjoy a unique experience, close to the ferocity of the natural environment but sheltered from its extreme effects.

Following funding cutbacks, the Sea Pool faces an uncertain future. The Friends of Bude Sea Pool was formed in early 2011 to secure the Pool’s future under local management.

The Sea Pool is relevant to many aspects of our modern lives. It provides an incentive for activity at a time when obesity is a national concern. Open water swimming and wild swimming are becoming increasingly popular. The Sea Pool is also a vital tourist attraction for Bude, drawing people to the town during the summer months.

Pictures and partial text taken from http://www.budeseapool.net/

Join here and support this worthy cause http://www.budeseapool.net/join/ or simply donate funds http://www.budeseapool.net/donate/

Please visit http://www.budeseapool.net/ for more information on Bude’s Sea Pool, and to find out how you can help to keep it open for future generations to enjoy.

The Legend of St Piran

The 5th March is St Piran's Day ... the national day for Cornwall.  St Piran is generally regarded as the patron saint for the county, the people of Cornwall and for tin-miners.

Legend has it that St Piran who was of Irish descent, crossed the sea from Ireland and landed at Perranporth sometime during the 6th Century.  The cornish people flocked to see him at his chapel in the sand dunes from where he begana to spread the word of Christianity.

Picture source http://www.ukflagshop.com/

It is said that he accidentally discovered tin when a black stone on his fireplace became so hot that white liquid leaked out from it ... the very first occurance of tin smelting and hence his title of Patron Saint for Tinners.  Tin mining was to become hugely important within Cornwall.  We're often asked by our visitors about the Black & White flag of Cornwall, proudly flown as a recognised symbol across the county.  It is believed that the two colours within the flag recognise this legend.

St Piran's Day is celebrated in several Cornish towns.   Each year the story of St Piran is retold in a drama on the sand dunes in Perranporth on the Sunday nearest to March 5 and on the same day here in Bude we have our very own St Piran's Day Walk where locals follow a piper out across Summerleaze Downs.

The date is even celebrated in Grass Valley California to honor the Cornish miners who helped in the mines there in the mid 19th century.

In 2006, Cornish MP Dan Rogerson asked the government to make the 5th March a public holiday in Cornwall to recognise celebrations for St Piran's Day and more recently there has been a petition for the holiday.  In 2011 Cornwall Council voted in favour of asking the government to make St Piran's Day a bank holiday in Cornwall should they decide to move the May Day Bank Holiday.

We're still waiting for that one but Mr Rogerson is calling again this year on the Government to make St Piran’s Day a public holiday to allow people to celebrate Cornwall’s national day.

http://budeandbeyond.co.uk/dan-rogerson-calls-for-st-pirans-day-holiday/

A very Happy St Piran's Day to the People of Cornwall and to all those who love this most unique and beautiful county.

Is it Spring yet?

Don't get me wrong, I love wrapping up against the cold and taking a brisk walk on the beach at this time of year, then nipping back home to a roaring open fire. Comfort food for supper, a glass of sherry and candlelight in the evening ... all lovely stuff!  I really don't mind the Winter at all, but January and February can sometimes seem like incredibly long months. Get me the other side of Christmas and into the New Year and I just can't help but long for little signs that Spring is on its way. 

We all hope that Summer 2013 will provide us with some much needed sunshine and lovely warm, dry weather conditions.  That said, with much of our very nicest English weather occuring in recent years during the Spring and Autumn rather than the traditional Summer months this could be the ideal time to leave the cold, dark days of winter behind and plan a few days away in Cornwall

Our three night Spring Offer Package is back for 2013. It's proving to be as popular as ever and you're advised to book early to avoid disappointment especially if you have a particular room preference in mind

This special price applies to two people sharing a double or twin bedroom
 and runs from  Friday 1st March 2013 until the night of Wednesday 8th May, 2013

 (excluding the Easter & May Day bank holiday weekends)

Superior Rooms with En-suite & View ~ Rooms 3 & 6
£150.00 TOTAL for 2 people staying 3 nights B&B
Extra consecutive nights at £50.00 per room per night 

Superior Rooms with En-suite ~ Rooms 1& 8
£145.00 TOTAL for 2 people staying 3 nights B&B
 Extra consecutive nights at £49.00 per room per night 

Standard Room with En-suite ~ Room 2
£135.00 TOTAL for 2 people staying 3 nights B&B
Extra consecutive nights at £45.00 per room per night  

Non En-Suite Rooms (with Private Facilities) ~ Rooms 4 & 7
£125.00 TOTAL for 2 people staying 3 nights B&B
Extra consecutive nights at £42.00 per room per night

Please do remember to mention the offer when you book!

It must be winter ....

It must be winter as there's a constant sound of banging and clattering from upstairs and a regular stream of builders merchants are making frequent deliveries to our front door.  We have a hallway full of plasterboard, plumbing paraphernalia and wood.  None of our furniture is quite where you'd expect it to be

Our usual out of season refurbishment chaos is in full swing with very exciting things happening in the ensuite shower rooms of  "Turnberry" and "Gleneagles"

We may be closed while all this is going on but rest assured we are still here to take your reservations and enquiries so do please continue to telephone and email us as usual

A slightly belated Happy New Year to everyone from all of us here.  Here's hoping that 2013 will be kind to you all ... a year full of joy, happiness and laughter.  We hope it brings sunshine and prosperity into everyones lives .... and at least one much deserved short break in Bude!