Trebarfoote Wood

The woodland around Trebarfoote, just inland from Bude, gives you proper forest walking without the tourist crush. You're threading through a mix of deciduous and conifer plantation - the kind of place that feels properly wild on a grey Cornish afternoon but is genuinely accessible for families who don't fancy a full moorland hike.

The walking is straightforward enough. Paths wind through the trees with enough variation to keep things interesting, and you get glimpses of the valley below as you move deeper in. It's the sort of wood where kids can spot things without parents having to manufacture adventure - fallen logs to clamber over, streams to paddle in if the weather's been wet. A good solid two to three hours if you take it slowly and let people explore.

This works brilliantly as a half-day add-on if you're based at one of the nearby parks like Wooda Farm or Bude Camping and Caravanning Club Site. The drive from Bude itself takes barely ten minutes, so it's ideal for that moment when everyone's sick of beach life and needs something different. Go midweek if you can - weekends pull in serious numbers of local walkers.

There's no charge that I'm aware of, and facilities are minimal, so bring what you need. The muddy season runs October through March, when the whole place turns proper boggy. Summer is nicer but busier. Honestly, it's not dramatic or unusual, but it's reliable, well-maintained, and does exactly what a forest should do - gets you moving and away from things.