Places to visit

There are so many places to visit in Devon and Cornwall, that we recommend you plan your holiday to maximise the time you have available. A good place to start are the ‘Bude’, ‘Devon’ and ‘Cornwall’ tourist websites, which cover a vast amount of information on places to visit, opening times, special events, sporting facilities, etc. There are lots of tourist information brochures in our games room, so you can browse at your leisure on arrival to plan your days out. We also have a list of events and festivals happening during the year, click here for more information.

In and around Kilkhampton and Bude

Our village, Kilkhampton, offers a surprisingly comprehensive range of shops and eateries: two excellent pubs, a post office, a butcher’s, a Chinese and Pizza take-away, 2 convenience stores as well as other, very interesting curiosa: a gallery/framing business, wooden toy shop, electric goods shop, agricultural store, bike shop, and Simply Wood, which is not just a haven for kitchen/bathroom design lovers, but also offers an amazing range of wonderful gifts! And there is the lovely St. James’s Church, dating back to Norman times, which is justly famous for its fabulous pews and delightful proportions. A little further south towards Bude one finds Killock Farm shop, a must for those looking for locally produced meats, veggies, pies, cakes and fabulous pasties!

Bude lies just about 5 miles south of Kilkhampton. Famous for its vast expanses of golden, sandy beaches and amazing cliff formations it offers a stunningly beautiful backdrop for any holiday or short break. And Bude has an awful lot more to offer than just beaches. You can learn more about its fascinating history in the Bude Castle Heritage Centre. The Tourist Information and Canal Visitor Centre are well worth a visit too, not only to get more information about what to see, do and where to eat, but also to visit the Canal learn more about it!

The town centre is small and bijou – with an interesting, if rather eclectic mix of shops. Of course you will find plenty of the usual; souvenir, clothes, sports, surf and charity shops, but we are very pleased to say that we have some very interesting gems too: three galleries, Wild Wood (if you can’t find a nice gift here, we’re stumped!), Shabby & Chic (a wonderful place for those in love with all things vintage, including florals, ginghams and enamel), several good jewellers, three book shops, one of which offers 2nd hand ones only, and of course plenty of cafes and restaurants. It is also well worth a stroll down to the lower wharf: here you will find some shops with a difference: woodcraft, jeweller, florist, vintage clothes exchange and an excellent fishing tackle shop!

We think Bude is a little bit special, because instead of finding the usual, boring high street names lining the streets, you’ll find very individual, locally owned shops, including two butchers, a fish monger, 5 bakeries and an excellent dairy, offering fresh veg, bread and dairy products (including some excellent delicatessen!) on a daily basis.

On top of that Bude caters for your daily shopping needs with 3 supermarkets: a Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and a Co-op. The two latter are easily accessible from the town centre, whilst Morrisons is located on the main road into Bude.

Bude also has its own links golf club with wonderful views across the sea, for which daily green fees are available to visitors.

What to do in Bude

Besides just about every activity related to the great outdoors, beaches & water, there is a leisure club opposite Morrisons, with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym. Just opposite the pool you will find “Curves”, the original 30-minute fitness and weight management club for women. Harlequinns just opposite the swimming pool will entertain children especially with a big indoor play area and bowling alley, whilst the Toy Museum in the town centre should lead down memory lane for both young and old. It is well worth a visit! The Bude Castle & Heritage Centre will take you through our local heritage, history & geology. You can enjoy an afternoon or morning at the Bude Recreation Grounds playing crazy golf, tennis or squash or perhaps you prefer a game of Pitch & Putt on Summerleaze downs? There is of course shopping to be done in the town centre, or perhaps you would just like to laze around on the beach!

Tintagel Castle & Tintagel

Tintagel Castle, is probably the most famous attraction in the area. Who hasn’t heard of King Arthur’s legendary stronghold on the rocky outcrops of the Cornish Coast? Whether it is actually connected to King Arthur remains a mystery, fact is that the castle as we see it today, was built in the 12th Century (and is therefore way too late for King Arthur). Recent digs, however, have uncovered buildings dating back to the 5th Century (which is the right age for King Arthur)! Whichever way, a day out at Tintagel Castle is a wonderful experience, providing you with some first class views of our beautiful coastline and wildlife, interesting facts about our history and some excellent exercise, due to the steep climbs you will have to navigate to get there (although there is a land rover service in summer). The village itself is not particularly noteworthy, but does provide those interested in the mysterious and esoteric with plenty to nose through!

Boscastle

Boscastle’s claim to fame came overnight after the devastating floods of August 2004, even if it was for a very sad reason. Miraculously, nobody was seriously hurt or worse - killed. After years of work, the horrendous damage has finally been repaired, and amendments to buildings, bridges etc, should make the chances of anything similar happening again very slim indeed, we hope! But beside all this, Boscastle is and always has been a popular tourist destination, and justly so! With three Inns, three rivers, three churches and a beautiful, medieval harbour, it enchants immediately. Nestling within the folds of a steep valley, the village and harbour are well sheltered from the harshest elements and offer a truly stunning backdrop for a lovely walk. The Witch Museum offers a very interesting, if unusual experience!

Port Isaac

This picturesque Cornish harbour is probably instantly recognised by millions as “Portwenn”, backdrop to the Doc Martin series. It is delightful to have a couple hours’ amble through the village – it is very pretty and offers a handful of interesting shops and several good restaurants / cafes. The pottery/gallery down by the harbour is well worth a visit. Less well known is the fact that the surrounding cliff sides are a popular nesting site for Seagulls, Fulmars and Oystercatchers, and sometimes seals have a laze around on one of the numerous mini islands that litter the harbour inlet.

Clovelly

This charming fishing village is literally clinging to a 400 ft cliff side. Access is by foot only (unless you cheat and take the Landrover service down into the harbour), and the only other mode of transport around the village is the good old donkey and sleigh option, which sometimes makes you wonder whether you are in good old England or rather accidentally landed on a Greek island!

The Moors

Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor - our splendid, glorious moors are all within an hours’ drive and will offer you a fantastic day for hiking, biking and the great outdoors! Go and see the ponies, truly fascinating nature at every turn, quaint little villages, castles, culture, tradition and heaps of community spirit! And at the end of the hike or drive, settle down at a traditional pub, eat fresh, home-made food and we’re sure you’ll sleep deeply in your bed at the end of an exhilarating day!

Torrington

Great Torrington is a friendly, welcoming town, set in the midst of rolling, unspoilt green countryside. An ancient settlement extraordinarily sited on an inland cliff top with steep drops down to the River Torridge below. The wonderful landscape has remained practically unchanged since Henry Williamson wrote his classic novel “Tarka the Otter” in the 1920’s.

Torrington 1646...is very different. Here you will meet colourful characters dressed as 17th Century residents of Great Torrington. Speaking in period language they guide visitors to safety through an indoor reconstruction of some of the lanes and streets of Great Torrington on the night of the fierce 1646 battle. Visitors then proceed to the linhay (an open sided barn) where they can try their hand at 17th Century games or perhaps try on some armour or have a go at wielding a pike! 

Dartington Crystal. No trip to Torrington is complete without a visit to Dartington Crystal Factory Experience. See first hand how the crystal is hand crafted with skill and care from the blowing of the molten glass through to the final finishing. There's lots more to see and do that will make your visit truly memorable. Tel: 01805 626262. Email: enquiries@dartington.co.uk. Web: dartington.co.uk.

RHS Garden, Rosemoor. Set deep in the lovely North Devon countryside, RHS Garden Rosemoor is a garden of national importance. Lady Anne Berry gifted Rosemoor to the RHS and the RHS has added features such as the Formal Garden, extensive herbaceous borders, herb and cottage gardens, a potager, the Foliage and Plantsman's Garden and extensive stream and lakeside plantings. Recent additions include the Mediterranean and semi-tropical plantings which have been thriving during the recent long hot summers and the newly planted Winter Garden. But what is perhaps the most popular feature of this delightful garden is the extensive rose garden, proving beyond doubt the lie that the West Country cannot produce beautiful roses. Tel: 01805 624067. Web: rhs.org.uk

Hartland Peninsula

Twelve miles of spectacular coastline, breathtaking scenery, wonderful cliff top walks, beautiful secluded beaches, an abundance of rare flora and fauna, stunning starlit skies, the list goes on... As you cross the peninsula, high open moorland and ancient woodland give way to coastal waterfalls tumbling from hanging valleys onto rocky shores. These meandering valleys create sheltered micro-climates which support an abundance of wild flowers, rare lichens, culm grassland, insects, birds and animals. The Hartland Peninsula has deservedly been awarded the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) status!

Hartland Quay. Fabulous coastal setting with spectacular views and wonderful cliff top walks, Hartland Quay is a ‘must see’ for every tourist visiting the area. At Hartland Quay, two major types of rock, sandstone and mudstone, have been folded to form some of the most spectacular coastal scenery and geology in North West Europe. The quay was built in the 16th century but destroyed by storms and the area is known to have been frequented by smugglers. Its history can be explored by visiting the Shipwreck Museum which contains some amazing artefacts and reports of shipwrecks around the local area.

Docton Mill Gardens. Docton Mill is situated in a stunning valley location 1000m from the coast and famous waterfall at Spekes Mill Mouth. The Garden started in the 1930’s but fell into disrepair in the 1970’s. 1980 saw the Mill renovated and Garden cleared with extensive planting and the creation of a new Bog Garden and borders, vast numbers of trees were planted. The start of the new Millennium saw developments including a new Magnolia Garden with large Herbaceous borders, Woodland Garden and Greenhouse area enabling more extensive plant propagation. Recently a new Stream garden has been added together with a wildlife pond and vegetable garden area. The garden gives variety throughout the seasons and has been featured on many local and national T.V. gardening programmes. The garden recently won a Gold Medal at the Devon County Show and the Tea Room has won best Cream Tea in North Devon.

Hartland Abbey. Only one mile from Hartland Quay, Hartland Abbey lies across a narrow, sheltered valley which winds its way to the spectacular Atlantic Coast. Within a designated ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ visitors may wander freely around the beautiful gardens and grounds which lead to the rocky cove. Peacocks and bantams roam at will whilst donkeys and Black Welsh Mountain sheep graze the Old Deer Park.

Cheristow Lavender Farm. Cheristow Lavender Farm is a 100 acre farm specialising in Lavender, with glorious views of the sea and countryside, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Only a 3 minutes from drive from Hartland Abbey, Cheristow boasts gardens and a nursery, tea rooms and a gift shop selling handmade preserves, pickles, conserves, and speciality lemon curd seasoned with lavender. They also make handcrafted soaps, toiletries and massage oil. Home reared Devon Ruby Red beef is also available. Open March to October (not Fridays.) Admission is free. 

Tourist Information Office

For further information on any of our region's attractions, please call the Tourist Centre in Bude on: 01288 354240. If you want to visit the Tourist Office, it's located near the centre, in the car park by the canal.

Our Local Newspaper, The Bude & Stratton Post

The Bude & Stratton Post is published on a Thursday, and, as well as local news features, it has listings for local events and festivals being held during your stay which we may not have prior knowledge of ourselves. We can also print off any events coming up in the area for you. Please let us know if you would like to receive this service.