Bude has the pick of the beaches in Cornwall, with two in particular - Crooklets Beach and Summerleaze Beach offering excellent family beach facilities and good surfing at Crooklets.

Crooklets beach sits just north of Bude, only about a 5 minute walk from the centre. A full lifeguard service is offered in peak summer season, and Crooklets beach has a superb range of facilities including ample parking, a cafe, beach huts for hire, a skate park, Bude Lifesavers club and toilets. Surf clothing shops and surf gear hire are conveniently situated near the beach, plus there's a good choice of surfing schools in the area including Shoreline Outdoor Pursuits situated on Crooklets Beach and offering not just surfing but kayaking, abseiling, canoeing, archery and a choice of team working activities.

If you're in Bude you're in one of the best areas for Cornwall Surfing. Move up towards Hartland Point and hit Sandymouth Beach, and idyllic beach actually owned by the National Trust. Superb clean water here too. Moving just outside of Bude up and down the North Cornwall Coast you'll discover stunning hidden beaches away from the crowds. Check out Northcott Mouth just North of Bude, a beautifully secluded spot with excellent surfing. Many of these small beaches though don't have lifeguards, so best for the experienced surfer!

Just to the south is superb rock pool beach Widemouth Bay, with spectacular cliff walks here too and good surfing. Also on offer is a choice of small sandy beaches with rock pools galore....