Bude Tunnel

A short walk from Bude town centre takes you to this Victorian-era tunnel carved straight through the cliff face - your reward is direct access to Summerleaze Beach without the faff of finding a route round the headland. It's genuinely clever Victorian engineering, the sort of thing you'd expect to find on some grand estate rather than squeezed into a Cornish clifftop.

The tunnel itself is narrow and a bit claustrophobic if you're not keen on enclosed spaces, but it's only a minute's walk through. The real appeal is the beach on the far side - golden sand, proper good for swimming and families with small kids who'd rather not clamber over rocks.

It's free and always accessible, which is the main draw. You'll want twenty minutes maximum to walk through and take a few photos, though most people combine it with a proper beach session at Summerleaze. Bring a torch if you're going in low light - the tunnel's unlit and genuinely dark in the middle. Summer weekends get rammed with visitors, so if you're after a quiet walk, go early morning or shoulder season.

If you're staying at Wooda Farm Holiday Park nearby, this is an easy stroll for families - way less effort than fighting for parking at the main beach. Worth the detour? Only if you're already in Bude. As a standalone attraction it's five minutes of novelty, but bundled with a beach morning it makes practical sense.