Woodlands Manor Farm · Bude, Cornwall
Explore
the area
North Cornwall's finest beaches, coast-path and woodland walks, and characterful towns and villages — all within easy reach, with directions straight from the farm gate.
On the doorstep
Beaches near Woodlands
From our nearest wild inlet at Duckpool to the golden family sands of Sandymouth, some of the best of the North Cornwall coast is within a few miles of the farm. Scroll on for our favourite towns & villages too, or see our days out & attractions.
Crooklets & Summerleaze, Bude
Bude has two town beaches. Crooklets is popular with surfers, while Summerleaze is a lovely family beach with a café — Life’s a Beach — that’s great for breakfasts and snacks throughout the day. Summerleaze is also home to the famous tidal sea pool. Both beaches have lifeguards on patrol in summer.
Duckpool
Our nearest beach — a dramatic, rocky little inlet popular with surfers (it’s named not for ducks, but for where witches were once “ducked”). At high tide there isn’t much beach; at low tide sand is uncovered, though recent winter storms have left it rockier than it once was. A stream flows out to the sea here — the mouth of the very stream that runs through our woods. There are rock pools to explore, and for the energetic, steep cliff walks either side of the inlet reward you with fantastic coastline views. Toilets in the car park; no charges apply.
Sandymouth
Just south of Duckpool, and probably the best sandy beach in the area — our family’s favourite. When the tide is out there’s a huge expanse of sand and lots of rock pools; when it’s in there’s no sand at all, so it’s worth checking the tide timetable before you go. There are two waterfalls, and a café selling food, drinks and ice creams. It’s a slightly steep walk back up to the car park. National Trust car park charges apply if you’re not a member.
Welcombe Mouth
A great spot for exploring if you can navigate the bumpy lane to reach it — and it never seems to get too crowded. Dramatic rock formations and a lovely waterfall flowing out to sea. At high tide there’s no sand, but when the tide is out there are great rock pools and plenty of sand. National Trust and free to visit, though there are no facilities at the beach.
Widemouth Bay
One of the most popular beaches in North Cornwall, with vast expanses of golden sand at low tide — perfect for families and beginner surfers, with a gentle shelving beach and surf schools in the summer. There are cafés and shops at the beach, and The Beach House bar has been listed among the Times’ top 20 beach bars in the UK.
Crackington Haven
A hidden gem tucked into the North Cornwall coast, framed by some of the highest cliffs in Cornwall and known for its rugged, dramatic beauty. Sand and rock pools appear at low tide, with the coast path climbing spectacularly away on either side. The Coombe Barton Inn and the Haven Beach Café both serve excellent food — including some of the best crab sandwiches around.
Walks from the farm
Two walks start right here on our own 15 acres, and there are beautiful valley and coastal routes close by. Please close all gates behind you.
Woodlands Walk — Short Circular
We’re lucky to have 15 acres of our own woodland, with a couple of walks straight from the farm. This is the shorter circular route.
Woodlands to Kilkhampton
The longer of our two woodland walks, following the footpath all the way into the village of Kilkhampton.
Hawker’s Hut, Morwenstow
A short, interesting circular walk starting at St John’s Church, Morwenstow. It takes in Hawker’s Hut — a clifftop shelter built by the 19th-century vicar Robert Hawker — then up the Tidna Valley and back via the Bush Inn. The churchyard is fascinating too: Hawker insisted that seamen washed up on the foreshore be given Christian burials there. He also built the Vicarage, with chimneys modelled on the church towers of his former parishes; its grounds contain St John’s Well, dating from the 11th century and still used for baptisms.
Coombe Valley to Duckpool
A beautiful walk through some of the loveliest parts of the valley. It’s quite hilly and can get muddy in wet weather — but well worth it.
Bude Canal & Widemouth Bay
An easy, mostly-flat walk along the canal path, with a café and wildlife centre at the far end for the obligatory cup of tea and slice of cake. To make it a circular walk, follow the sign along the canal to the Widemouth Bay coastal path via the community woodlands, then at Widemouth turn right along the coast road following signs back into Bude. We have a copy of this walk in the office.
South West Coast Path
The 630-mile South West Coast Path passes just a couple of miles from the farm, and the stretch between Hartland Point and Bude is among the most spectacular in all of England — dramatic sea stacks, hidden coves, waterfalls and clifftop views the whole way. Walk as much or as little as you like, from a short there-and-back along the cliffs to a full day’s coastal hike.
Towns & villages to explore
North Cornwall and the north Devon border are dotted with characterful towns and unspoilt fishing villages, from Rick Stein’s Padstow to the cobbled lanes of Clovelly — most within an easy drive of Woodlands.
Bude
Our nearest large town, right on the coast, mixing contemporary style with old-fashioned charm. There are plenty of independent shops and a wide choice of restaurants, coffee shops and pubs to suit every budget. Take time to stroll along the canal — it has one of only two lock gates in the whole of the UK that open straight into the sea. Bude has two beaches: Crooklets, perfect for surfers, and Summerleaze, ideal for families, with its famous sea-water pool alongside. The golf club sits above the town with glorious views out to sea.
Bodmin
Famous for its moors, but with plenty to do in the town too. Bodmin Jail is well worth a visit, as is the Shire Hall’s courtroom experience, where you take a seat as a member of the jury in a re-creation of a real Victorian murder trial. In 1844, on the wind-swept slopes of Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor, the body of local girl Charlotte Dymond was found — a murder that has intrigued people ever since. You weigh the evidence and decide whether the accused, Matthew Weeks, is guilty, before a tour of the original holding cells where prisoners awaited their fate: transportation, hard labour, or death by hanging.
Boscastle
One of the few remaining unspoilt harbour villages in Cornwall, set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty within the parish of Forrabury and Minster. The National Trust cares for the medieval harbour and surrounding coastline. Once a busy trading port with Wales, Bristol and the south of England, the little harbour now shelters a handful of fishing boats. A lovely valley heads inland, where a path follows a fast-flowing stream to several hidden churches and the little-known connection between North Cornwall and the writer Thomas Hardy. The village is perhaps best remembered for the dramatic flash floods of August 2004, the worst in local memory.
Clovelly
The cobbled, traffic-free high street of this world-famous fishing village tumbles down a 400-foot cliff, past whitewashed cottages festooned with flowers, to a tiny working port. It’s famous for its donkeys, which traditionally carried goods up the hill while sledges brought things down, and has links to Charles Kingsley, Turner, Dickens and even the Spanish Armada. The New Inn in the heart of the village and the Red Lion by the quay serve good food, and there’s a gift shop, tearoom and a café and shop back at the visitor centre. Unusually, the village has been privately owned by the same family since 1738, who keep it in mid-19th-century style using traditional materials and craftsmanship — part of the entrance fee funds that work.
Tintagel
A pretty town famous for its association with the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. There’s plenty to see, including the visitor centre, the Pixie House, the medieval Old Post Office (National Trust) and a great Cornish pasty shop or two. Tintagel Castle, on its dramatic headland, is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and cared for by English Heritage.
Port Isaac
An attractive fishing village since the 14th century, its narrow winding streets lined with old white-washed cottages. In more recent years it has been the location for the television series Doc Martin and Poldark. Park at the top of the village and walk down through the lanes to the working harbour, where fishing and scenic boat trips run in the summer months. There’s a good fish-and-chip shop at the top of the hill and plenty of restaurants and cafés specialising in the local catch of the day.
Padstow
Known to locals as ‘Padstein’, thanks to chef Rick Stein’s many establishments here. Nestling on the beautiful Camel estuary, this working port wears a holiday hat well: a colourful harbour ringed by pastel-washed medieval houses, with excellent boutiques and independent shops filling the little lanes. Relax at peaceful Harbour Cove with its sandy beach and estuary views, or take the ferry across to Rock and the hushed church of St Enodoc, where Sir John Betjeman is buried. No fewer than seven bays lie within a five-minute drive. It gets very busy in summer, so a good tip is to park in Rock and catch the passenger ferry across.
Newquay
Cornwall’s best-known surfing resort, with excellent beaches and wide, family-friendly bays. Boat trips run from the harbour, from half-day pleasure cruises to a full day’s sea fishing. Just up the coast at Watergate Bay you’ll find Jamie Oliver’s former restaurant Fifteen’s old home and a string of beachfront eateries.
Explore North Cornwall from Woodlands.
Book your stay — the perfect base for beaches, coast path and countryside.