Vicarage Wood

Dark trees and dappled light create a proper meditative walk through Vicarage Wood, just inland from Bude's coastal chaos. It's a modest woodland - nothing vast - but the paths wind nicely through mixed forest with enough height variation to keep things interesting without being a proper slog.

The appeal here is straightforward: shade and peace. If you've spent the morning on Bude's beaches getting battered by wind, this is where you come to reset. Families with younger kids will find it manageable, though it's not a destination in itself - more a two-hour activity that slots neatly into a holiday itinerary. Walkers after genuine wildness might find it a touch tame, but that's rather the point.

You'll want decent shoes for muddy stretches, particularly after rain. Bring a bit of time to wander without a schedule - rushing defeats the purpose entirely. The woodland opens up enough that you won't feel claustrophobic, and birdsong tends to be decent if you're patient and quiet.

It works well as a morning detour from either Atlantic Horizons or Wooda Farm Holiday Park, both within easy reach. Pop in after breakfast, work your legs for an hour or so, then head to the beach for lunch. It's the sort of place that earns its place in a proper Cornish break through reliability rather than spectacle - and sometimes that's exactly what you need.