famous road
Atlantic Highway (A39)
Spectacular coastal road running through north Devon and Cornwall past dramatic cliffs, surfing beaches and picturesque harbour villages.
1 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Bude
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Bude
Bude works well as a base: 10 minutes from Poundstock, 1km from Atlantic Highway (A39).
Bude is in England, United Kingdom, with about 7,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Poundstock, about 6 km away.
Bude (, locally /buːd/ or /bɛwd/; Cornish Standard Written Form: Porthbud [pɔɹθbyːd] ) is a seaside town in north Cornwall, England, in the civil parish of Bude-Stratton and at the mouth of the River Neet (also known locally as the River Strat). It was sometimes formerly known as Bude Haven.
It lies southwest ofRead more
Stratton, south of Flexbury and Poughill, and north of Widemouth Bay, located along the A3073 road off the A39. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric in Brittany, France. Bude's coast faces Bude Bay in the Celtic Sea, part of the Atlantic Ocean. At the 2021 census, the built-up area as defined by the Office of National Statistics had a population of 7,350.
Its earlier importance was as a harbour, and then a source of sea sand useful for improving the inland soil. This was transported on the Bude Canal. The Victorians favoured it as a seaside resort. With new rail links, it became a popular seaside destination in the 20th century. Bradshaw's Guide of 1866, Section 2, described Bude as "a small port and picturesque village in the north-eastern extremity of Cornwall". It described the town as having the dignity of a fashionable marine resort with excellent facilities for bathers. The harbour bed consists of fine bright yellow sand consisting of small shells. "The sea view is of a striking, bold and sublime description – the rocks rising on every side to lofty broken elevations." It also describes Bude as a romantic retreat.
Where to Stay in Bude
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Explore the Area
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Bude?
Within an hour or so of Bude: Atlantic Highway (A39) (1 km), Hartland Quay (19 km), Clovelly (22 km), A39 Atlantic Highway (Barnstaple to Bude) (22 km).
Are there any good drives near Bude?
The nearest famous roads are A39 Atlantic Highway (Barnstaple to Bude), B3212 across Dartmoor and Countisbury Hill.
Where is Bude?
Bude is in England, United Kingdom, about 6 km from Poundstock.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 7,011
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 50.8244, -4.5413
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Bude
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Hartland Quay
Savage stretch of North Devon coast where contorted rock strata zigzag into the Atlantic, reached by a dead-end road down the cliffs to a 16th-century harbour site and pub. Shipwreck country with a small museum.
19 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Clovelly
Impossibly steep cobbled fishing village cascading down to a tiny harbour, where donkeys once carried goods and no cars are permitted.
22 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
A39 Atlantic Highway (Barnstaple to Bude)
The North Devon and Cornwall coast road with sea glimpses, steep combes and access to Clovelly and Hartland.
22 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Hartland Point
A dramatic right-angled turn in the coast where Devon's cliffs meet the Atlantic, with a lighthouse below and notorious wrecks offshore.
22 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Tintagel Castle
Dramatic clifftop ruins steeped in Arthurian legend, connected to the mainland by a striking modern footbridge above the Atlantic.
23 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
St Nectan's Glen
A mystical 60-foot waterfall that bores through a holed rock in a fern-draped wooded glen near Tintagel.
23 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Brown Willy
The highest point in Cornwall at 420 m, a long granite-topped ridge in the middle of Bodmin Moor.
27 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Bude
- Right hereAtlantic Highway (A39)Spectacular coastal road running through north Devon and Cornwall past dramatic cliffs, surfing beaches and picturesque harbour villages.
- 19 kmHartland QuaySavage stretch of North Devon coast where contorted rock strata zigzag into the Atlantic, reached by a dead-end road down the cliffs to a 16th-century harbour site and pub. Shipwreck country with a small museum.
- 22 kmA39 Atlantic Highway (Barnstaple to Bude)The North Devon and Cornwall coast road with sea glimpses, steep combes and access to Clovelly and Hartland.
- 22 kmHartland PointA dramatic right-angled turn in the coast where Devon's cliffs meet the Atlantic, with a lighthouse below and notorious wrecks offshore.
- 27 kmBrown WillyThe highest point in Cornwall at 420 m, a long granite-topped ridge in the middle of Bodmin Moor.
- 37 kmThe RumpsA twin-headed promontory near Polzeath ringed by Iron Age ramparts, with a fine short walk from Pentire Point.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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