If you're travelling with kids, the best idea for a sunny day is to head to Widemouth (pronounced wid-muth). It has acres of sand at low tide, plenty of facilities, good safe swimming and lifeguarding throughout summer. Though it looks like one long continuous stretch at low tide, it’s officially two beaches (North and South) divided by the spiny spur of Black Rock. It's about 3 miles south of town.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.1 MILES
This magnificent manor, 2.5 miles southeast of Bodmin, offers a fascinating insight into Upstairs, Downstairs life in Victorian England. The house was…
12.37 MILES
Famous as the supposed birthplace of King Arthur, Tintagel's epic clifftop castle has been occupied since Roman times and once served as a residence for…
15.76 MILES
Clovelly is privately owned, and admission is charged at the hilltop visitor centre. The village's cobbled streets are so steep that cars can't cope, so…
21 MILES
Run by the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Rosemoor is a must-see source of green-fingered inspiration. One of only four RHS gardens open…
21.04 MILES
Around 1.25 miles west of St Cleer, these crashing waterfalls are one of the most renowned beauty spots on the moor. Around the falls are the remains of…
11.22 MILES
Hidden away in a secret valley, this little glen feels like something from a fairy tale. Fringed by climbing ivy and shrubs, a 60ft waterfall tumbles…
25.18 MILES
At the head of the Tamar Valley sits the Tudor manor of Cotehele, one of the Edgcumbe dynasty's modest country retreats. The cavernous great hall is the…
28.15 MILES
The enchanting blend of landscapes here make this garden one of the best in Devon. Its 3 hectares encompass wildflower meadows and South African planting,…
Nearby attractions
2.53 MILES
Housed in a peculiar folly behind Summerleaze beach, Bude Castle was built by local inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, whose creations included theatrical…
2.63 MILES
Bude's main family beach is a classic bucket-and-spade affair, with its proximity to town ensuring it's awash with windbreaks in summer. It's also home to…
2.74 MILES
Built in the 1930s, this handsome seawater pool sits behind Summerleaze beach to provide a safe place for sea swimming, without the danger of tides or…
2.97 MILES
Slightly to the north of the town centre, this is a busy town beach backed by a huge car park. It's popular with families, beach bums and surfers alike,…
4.9 MILES
Probably the most dramatic of Bude's beaches, it has rock shelves and pebbly sand bordered by black cliffs, speckled by a blaze of wildflowers in spring…
6.11 MILES
Precious few people make the effort to seek out this remote cove, and to be fair, it's a bit rocky and pebble-strewn, not to mention quite a trek down…
7. Museum of Witchcraft & Magic
9.29 MILES
This oddball museum has been a fixture in Boscastle since 1960, and apparently houses the world's largest collection of witchy memorabilia, from haunted…
8. Tamar Otter Wildlife Centre
9.8 MILES
Generally, you'll need the skills of Ray Mears to spot otters in the wild, but this wildlife centre 5 miles outside Launceston guarantees a sighting…