The Castle Bude

The Castle in Bude isn't what you'd expect. Rather than some crumbling medieval fortress, you're looking at a peculiar Victorian folly built in 1830 by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney - a man who decided Bude needed a proper landmark and set about creating this odd, cylindrical tower plonked right on the seafront. It's compact, frankly a bit daft in the best way, but worth the five-minute wander from the town centre to work out what on earth the man was thinking.

The thing pulls in two sorts of visitors: families poking about for something quick before hitting the beach, and architecture enthusiasts who actually understand what Gurney was attempting. You're not looking at a major expedition here - budget twenty minutes maximum unless you're genuinely fascinated by Victorian eccentricity. The exterior does the job; the views across the bay towards Widemouth and beyond are solid rather than spectacular, especially if the weather's come in.

It's free to have a look round, though access to the interior varies depending on local arrangements - worth checking locally when you arrive in Bude. The castle works best as part of a broader wander around the seafront rather than a destination in itself. Combine it with a proper beach session at Summerleaze just down the road.

If you're basing yourself at Wooda Farm Holiday Park, you're only a ten-minute drive away. Even Atlantic Surf Pods is close enough for an afternoon pop-over when the swell's down or you fancy a break from the caravan.