Bude canal
Bude Haven
PoE 4 Bude loop a 6.5 miles
PoE 4 Bude loop b 3.5 miles
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Bude is a fascinating town that was once a part of Devon. The canal was built in the 1820s to carry sand, made rich in lime by shattered sea shells, to the acidic soil of inland farms. This was prior to the building of adequete roads and the canal is an acknowledged feat of early Victorian engineering. Its first mile or so is now a nature reserve. Loop a of this eight follows its course to Helebridge.
There are several popular beaches in Bude and a tidal pool built by the Thynne family in the 1930s. Each new tide washes fresh sea water into a pit carved from the slate bedrock allowing safe bathing in brine. Bude Castle was built by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney in the 1830s and enjoyed a form of pre electric lighting called the bude light. A conical sculpture cast in concrete by Carole Vincent was sited outside the castle in 2000 to commenorate the millenium. It too is called the Bude Light.
This eight mixes town and country walking. Bude Canal is a delight. The coastal path hugs a main road from Widemouth Bay at one point but retains plenty to interest the curious.