Walks in north Cornwall and north Devon

There are many walks in and around Bude. Please find information on some of these below; the links might also be useful. Walking in Bude , South West Coast Path , Walking Cornwall.

Don’t forget to think about your carbon footprint! You are able to either walk or catch public transport to the start of each listed walk. Visit Western Greyhound for more information on public transport from Wooda or see us in reception upon your arrival.

Bude - Coast & Canal Walk

Start location: Falcon Hotel, Bude
Finish location: Falcon Hotel, Bud
Distance: 6 miles (10km)
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Terrain: After a gentle climb out of Bude, the walk becomes easy and flat. There are no stiles along the route, although kissing gates will prevent access for some prams & wheelchairs. The section along the Bude canal is very accessible for wheelchairs and more details about it can be found on the Cornwall County Council website
Circular walk: Yes
Free from obstacles and steep gradients: Yes
Recommended by: Bob Reid, Vice Chairman, South West Coast Path Association
Walk description: From the Falcon Hotel in Bude follow the Coast Path sign and pass St. Michael’s Church, originally built in the 19th century as a chapel of ease to nearby Stratton Church. The climb from here to the top of the cliff at Compass Point is rewarded by spectacular views of the beaches and town of Bude. This is a popular stretch with surfers and, while looking inland the magnificent high tors of Dartmoor can be seen on a clear day. Continue along the Coast Path until you reach Widemouth Bay.
Just before the Bay View Inn and a little way after the car park at Lower Longbeak, you leave the Coast Path and cross the B road to a kissing gate with a public footpath sign. From here you follow a well-maintained path through lush fields, following the waymarks and passing through two small gates and two more kissing gates before reaching the historic canal path to Bude at Helebridge. The Bude Canal was built in the early 1820’s to carry the calcium-rich sea sand inland where it was used by farmers as fertiliser. Stay on the path on the left hand side, following the canal. The path eventually comes to a green bridge where you cross over to the path on the right hand side and continue to finish back at the car park and the Falcon Hotel.
Public Transport Information: Bude is served by the X9 bus from Exeter and the 522 from Wadebridge. For details visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608
Nearest toilets: Bude, Widemouth Bay and Helebridge (tearooms)
Nearest car parks: Bude and Widemouth Bay (Postcode for Sat Navs: EX23 8LG)
Nearest refreshments: Bude (cafes, pubs, restaurants), Widemouth Bay (cafes, pubs), Helebridge (tearooms).
Further information: Tourist Information Centre in Bude, tel: 01288 354240
OS explorer map number: 111

Crackington Haven Circular Walk

Start location: Crackington Haven car park
Finish location: Crackington Haven car park
Distance: 3 miles (5km)
Grade: Moderate/Difficult
Terrain: This walk has varied terrain including steep hills and stiles and steps, and is muddy in places.
Circular walk: Yes
Free from obstacles and steep gradients: No
Walk description: From the car park at Crackington, follow the Coast Path south towards Cambeak. The path is well marked, and there are some short but steep ascents and descents along this section. Between Crackington and Cambeak, you will get a lovely view of the bay, which is popular for surfing. The path also takes you through some hay meadows, rich in wildflowers, and down some hanging valleys at Tremoutha. When you reach the bottom of Cambeak there is an opportunity to take a short cut by taking the left hand path, signed with a waymarker. This joins up with the Coast Path again on the southern side of Cambeak. The main route, however, takes the steep ascent up the hill. From the top there are some spectacular views up and down the coast. On a clear day you can see from Trevose Head to the west to Hartland Point in the east, and out to Lundy Island. Continue along the Coast Path following the cliff tops. The geology between Cambeak and Strangles beach is fantastic. You will be walking over slumping cliffs, which are full of fissures, and be able to see the amazing layers of rock on the south-facing cliffs of Cambeak. As you follow the path round, Strangles beach will also become visible below you. You may also see herds of Soay sheep or goats along this section. These animals graze the cliffs to keep down the scrub and encourage maritime grassland and wild flowers. Peregrine falcons, kestrels, buzzards and seals are also regularly sighted here. Keep following the path until you are above the southern end of Strangles beach – the more adventurous may decide to take the path down to it. To continue this walk, take the path going off to the left, signed to Trevigue and the car park. Follow this until you reach the road. Go left up the road until you get to the ‘Trevigue’ sign. Here there are two tracks leading into the farm. Take the left hand track (this has some stone mushrooms next to it) then go across the grass to a gate in the wall, to the left of the farmhouse. Go through the gate and follow the path down across the fields and down a steep slope to a stile at the bottom, and into the woods. At the bottom of the hill take a left, signposted ‘Haven’. This path can be very muddy in places during wet periods Follow this path all the way down the valley. The woods here consist mainly of oak, holly, ash, hazel, and other native species, and are a haven for wildlife. Near the end of the valley go over 2 footbridges and follow the track to the road. Go left down the road, and back to the car park.
Public transport information: Western Greyhound run the 594 service which runs between Bude-Wadebridge-Truro. There is a bus every couple of hours from Bude, which can drop you off at the start of the walk. For details visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608
Nearest toilets: Crackington Haven (including disabled facilities)
Nearest car parks: Crackington Haven post code for sat navs EX23 0JG
Nearest refreshments: Crackington Haven (pub and cafes)
Further information: Tourist Information Centre at Bude and temporary facility at Boscastle.
OS explorer map number: 111

Boscastle, Valency Valley and Fire Beacon Point

Walk Start location: Boscastle, main car park in village centre
Finish location: Boscastle, main car park in village centre
Distance: 6 miles (9km) Grade: Difficult
Terrain: A walk over generally good surfaces but some steps and slopes that require a little care, a few steep gradients and some long flights of steps.
Circular walk: Yes
Free from obstacles and steep gradients: No
Recommended by: Steve Church, South West Coast Path Association
Walk description: Boscastle is a superbly attractive little village in a deep cleft on the North Cornwall coast. The village’s centre, including its harbour, is situated where two deep and steep valleys meet the sea. In August 2004 2 million tonnes of water swept down these valleys following a cloudburst and devastated the village, which has now been rebuilt. This walk follows one of these valleys upstream before crossing high land to the coast and returning to Boscastle along the Coast Path. The walk starts at the main car park in the village centre. Walk through the car park away from the village, using the signed pedestrian walkways, and continue through the overflow car park. At the far end is a gate leading into the Valency Valley. Follow the path up the valley along the River Valency. This is an attractive valley, flanked by woodlands, and it is almost impossible to imagine the tranquil tumbling river could have been responsible for so much damage in 2004. However, look carefully and numerous clues will be seen – the re-formed valley floor just above the car park, broken tree stumps and the scoured riverside. Notwithstanding the damage, this remains a very picturesque valley, and luckily most of the valley-side woodlands were not permanently damaged. Most of these woods are oak, quite possibly the remnants of the ancient tree cover. Over the years they have been managed for woodfuel and for building and furnishings and the bark has been used for the tanning of leather.

Follow the main path up the valley, over a grassy area and then through the riverside woods. A little way up the valley the path passes a footbridge crossing the river. This is signed to Minster Church, which is at the top of the woodland clothing the opposite valley side. Despite its height above the river, the church did not escape damage in August 2004, streams flowing through the church as they cascaded down the valley side. Pass the footbridge and continue on the riverside path. Shortly after leaving the bridge take the steps climbing to the left where the path forks and continue on to arrive at the attractive little hamlet of New Mills. Go through the gate and continue on the track to pass behind what were once mill buildings to arrive at a junction at the bottom of a lane. The present buildings here were probably built in the 1700s and 1800s, but the settlement of New Mills was first recorded in the 1600s. It is possible the mill here gave its name to the River Valency, whose origin seems to be velynjy, Cornish for mill-house.

At the junction at New Mills turn left, up the steep zig-zag hill. Although the circular route does not follow it, the path up the valley continues ahead, and in about a mile will arrive at the remote church of St Juliot, closely associated with Thomas Hardy. He was the architect taken on to rebuild the church, and while there met the sister-in-law of the rector, Emma, who later became his first wife. The Valency Valley inspired much of his poetry of the time. The lane up the hill is quite a climb, but does give the compensation of wide views over the Valency Valley on the way up. Because of the steepness of the lane, and the acute bends, it has been used in the past for time trials for kit cars. At the top follow the lane round to the right then continue past a farm to arrive at the B3263 Bude-Boscastle road. Turn right here, being aware of traffic on this road, then after 50m turn left down a narrow lane. Follow the lane as it descends to the bottom of a valley. Here, cross a stile on the right and climb up the field ahead to the bushes at the top. Go through the gap in the bushes, through a gate and over the next field, aiming just right of the house at the top. There are wide views back over Boscastle and its surroundings from here.

At the gate and stile go on to the lane and turn right. Pass the Victorian building of Manor Farm and continue up to a junction. Turn left here then, shortly after the isolated house of North Lodge, turn right along a public footpath between hedges. This leads to an open field; continue alongside the hedge ahead to reach the Coast Path. This relatively high vantage point on the Coast Path gives excellent views along the North Cornish coast, to the cliffs beyond Bude ahead in the far distance then, nearer, the distinctive pointed shape of Cambeak near Crackington and then the black cliffs of Buckator immediately ahead. To the left the coast continues past the white tower of the old lookout at Willapark beyond Boscastle to the square shape of the hotel on the cliff top at Tintagel. Turn left here along the Coast Path. This excellent open cliff top length ends at Fire Beacon Point. A zig-zag flight of stone steps followed by a steep descent and flights of further steps then takes the path down on to the face of Beeny Cliff. Fire Beacon Point is both prominent and high, as will have been appreciated on the descent, and these features gave rise to its use as a beacon, as its modern name suggests.

A little further along Beeny Cliff is a cave known as Seals Hole, and seals frequently haul up on the isolated and inaccessible beaches in this area. If not seen they can sometimes be heard, their calls echoing quite eerily from the cliffs. The path clings tightly to the face of Beeny Cliff then turns into the inlet at Pentargon. The stream in the valley here drops into the cove in a little waterfall that can be quite impressive after heavy rain. This is best seen from the far side of the cove after having climbed the opposite slope. A long flight of steps takes the path out of Pentargon back to the cliff top. The path then undulates along the top of Pentargon Cliff to arrive at the distinctive pointed shape of Penally Hill above Penally Point. The point protects the entrance to Boscastle Harbour and, indeed, makes it almost impossible to see from the open sea. One of the purposes of the white tower at Willapark on the hill on the opposite side of the harbour was to act as a marker for the harbour entrance. A path bears off right to the top of the hill, but you will have to return to this point.

Follow the Coast Path down to the left and Boscastle Harbour appears below. Difficult of access though it is, Boscastle is the only harbour along some 20 miles of the North Cornwall coast. There has long been a harbour of some sort here; the first record of harbour facilities being built dates to Elizabethan times, when a new harbour wall was built by Sir Richard Grenville in 1584, but it seems this was an improvement scheme rather than a new start. Later improvements followed in the 19th and 20th centuries. During the 1800s in particular Boscastle Harbour was quite important, importing coal, salt, beer, bricks and beer for local use and exporting locally quarried slate and minerals, china clay from further inland and local agricultural goods. The path descends to the mouth of the harbour then doubles back along the waterside to the village centre and car park.
Public transport information: Boscastle is served by Western Greyhound bus route 594 from St Columb Major, Wadebridge and Camelford and route 595 from Bude; both routes are hourly or every two hours Monday-Saturday and every two hours summer Sundays (no winter Sunday service). For details visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608
Nearest toilets: Boscastle (main car park – grid ref: SX 100 913), including disabled provision. Nearest car parks: Boscastle village centre (grid ref: SX 100 913), including disabled bays. Nearest refreshments: Boscastle (pubs; shops for refreshments; cafes [seasonal]).
Further information: Boscastle Tourist Information Centre and Visitor Centre, Boscastle Harbour (grid ref: SX 097 915); National Trust shop and information, Boscastle Harbour (grid ref: SX 097 915).
OS explorer map number: 111

Boscastle, Coast and Countryside Walk

Start location: Boscastle Car park
Finish location: Boscastle Car park Distance: 4 miles (6km)
Grade: Moderate
Terrain: Along coastal and woodland paths. Includes steps, stiles, gates, and a few short, but steep ascents. Dogs welcome but please remember to keep them under close control whilst walking through farmland.
Circular walk: Yes
Free from obstacles and steep gradients: No
Recommended by: The National Trust
Walk description: Beginning in the picturesque seaside village of Boscastle, this walk explores the cliffs above Boscastle's medieval harbour before heading inland across the Valency Valley and through peaceful woodland, along the meandering Valency River. The charming village of Boscastle is sheltered in the steep sided Valency Valley. From the reign of Elizabeth 1, right up until the end of the 19th century, the practise of pressing and preserving pilchards was a vital source of income for the village and was carried out in the building that is now a National Trust gift shop. Pass some attractive old cottages dating back to the 15th century as you walk the Old Road. The Valency Valley is rich in wildlife. It's meadows are filled with wildflowers in summer, attracting butterflies like the rare pearl-boarded fritillary, and the oak woodlands are home to colonies of protected horseshoe and lesser horseshoe bats. The secluded paths running alongside the Valency River offer a peaceful retreat. The area around Boscastle provided inspiration for one of Thomas Hardy's early books, A Pair of Blue Eyes. It is also where Hardy met and courted his first wife, Emma. He returned to the wild cliffs of North Cornwall in 1913, after Emma had died, and was once again inspired by the landscape, resulting in twenty-one of his most emotional poems. The cliffs above Boscastle Harbour are frequented by birds such as kestrel, peregrine, stonechat, gannet and fulmar. The blowhole in the harbour booms and spouts water two hours each side of low tide- an impressive site if you're lucky enough to catch it! At Forrabury Comman you'll see evidence of a medieval way of farming, the Forrabury Stitches. The long strips or 'stitches' were individually farmed to grow food crops in the summer and used for grazing in the winter. Many of the original strip boundaries are still visible and the practice continues today. Minster Church is nestled between Minster and Peter's woods in the Valency Valley. The original church at Minster is Norman and dates back to the 12th century. The valley landscape changed immensely after the heavy floods in 2004, but is gradually growing back into its natural woodland habitat
Public transport information: For details visit Traveline or phone 0870 6082608
Nearest car parks: Boscastle Carpark
Nearest refreshments: Boscastle
Further information: The National Trust
OS explorer map number: 111