"The long, wave and the thundering shores of Bude" as Tennyson expressed in his poem The Birth of King Arthur, have long made Bude a surfer's paradise. The Atlantic-pounded beaches of both Summerleaze and Crooklets have been described by Australian surfers as the "Bondi of Britain" and it was here in 1953 that some of them formed the first Surf Life Saving Club in the country. The Club still thrives and weekly demonstrations give an insight to its valuable role. The town overlooks a wide bay of hard golden sand flanked by spectacular cliffs and protected by a breakwater. There is a seawater swimming pool under Summerleaze Downs which means safety for swimmers even at low tide. Two excellent lifeguard patrolled beaches - Crooklets and Summerleaze - have extensive flat sands when the tide is out and are perfect for beach lovers of all ages. As well as the seawater pool, Bude now also boasts a large heated indoor leisure pool with flume, wave machine and cafe. Laser dome, trampolines, putting, floodlit tennis courts, mini-golf and go-karting close to the beaches all add to the family fun.

The town itself offers a wide range of amenities for the holiday maker and a visit to the splendid new Visitor Centre in the Crescent car park would be an excellent place to start. Alongside an extensive display by the North Cornwall Heritage Coast and Countryside Service, and a children's area, a full range of tourist information is available and the staff will be pleased to help you plan your holiday - whatever the weather. Bude offers Summer theatrical shows, concerts, regular dances, discos, numerous fetes and events, many with an historical theme, specially staged for visitors. Attractions include a weekly Cornish Furry Dance, full scale Carnival Week, Folk and of course the internationally renowned 8 day Jazz Festival (now in its 10th year). In fact something for everyone!

Several years ago the phrase "the loveliest peace of Cornwall" was coined to describe the pleasure of Bude and its environment, and despite the fact that it has now become the centre for several Festivals, little has changed to alter this claim. The natural beauty of the surrounding countryside and rugged coastline have been carefully preserved. Crisp, clean sands, great Atlantic surfing rollers, a high rate of sunshine and walks with magnificent views of Bude Bay, are there for the visitors' enjoyment and always will be. The choice is yours: whether to soak up the excitement and atmosphere of one of the Festivals, or to just soak up the peace and sheer beauty of the environment, whether to participate in the many and varied activities or to relax totally in a town renowned for its helpful friendliness. One word of warning though - we have it on good authority that one visit to Bude is rarely enough - many visitors return again and again to experience this "the loveliest peace of Cornwall".

STRATTON , the parent town of Bude, probably dates back to Roman times, but it was as the stronghold of King Charles and the Royalists that it made its mark in history. During the Civil War the 7'4" Cornish giant, Anthony Payne, was enlisted as a bodyguard to the Royalist Sir Bevil Grenville. He fought beside Sir Bevil, Who commanded the King's army in the victorious battle at nearby Stamford Hill in 1643. Payne lived and died in the Grenville manor house at Stratton - now the Tree Inn. It is said that, when the giant died, the house had to be restructured to allow his huge coffin to be carried in and out. Many of the very fine churches of Cornwall still bear the Royal Crest decreed by the King in gratitude to his loyal Cornishmen during the Civil War.

POUGHILL is a picturesque village just one mile northeast of Bude and winner of the Best Kept Village award on a number of occasions. The church of St. Olaf is one of the treasure houses of Cornwall, from its Norman font and wonderful collection of bench-ends (78 in all) telling the story of the Passion in remarkable detail, to the pair of immense 15th Century paintings of St. Christopher facing each other across the nave. The old Iychgates are kept in the tower and the huge Royal Coat of Arms is dated 1655, a reminder that the Headquarters of Sir Bevil Grenville, during the Civil War, was at nearby Stowe Barton.

WIDEMOUTH BAY just south of Bude, lies in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the North Cornish coast. Facing the Atlantic, the beach is ideal for surfing and a paradise for children with its beautiful stretch of golden sand and innumerable rock pools to explore. The justly famous Coastal Footpath runs along the cliff-top in either direction and offers walkers a superb panorama of the coastline and surrounding countryside. There are two large car parks next to the beach, each with its own cafe and toilets.

LAUNCELLS is set in a secluded valley three miles east of Bude; it is away from everywhere, charming in its loveliness among the fields. The church of St. Swithin has a very old door with an immense lock leading us to a delightfully unrestored interior with some fine examples of carved bench-ends, barrel roofs and some interesting 15th Century floor tiles from the Barnstaple potteries. The grave of the famous inventor, Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, lies here and 40 yards south of the church is the small but impressive well of St. Swithin.

MARHAMCHURCH lies on the disused canal just two miles south-east of Bude. It was founded as a monastic settlement by St. Morwenna and every year, on the Monday after 12th August, the ancient Marhamchurch Revel is held to celebrate the Saint's good works. A Queen of the Revel is elected from among the village schoolgirls and crowned by Father Time on the spot in front of the church where St. Morwenna's cells once stood. A procession, led by the local band and the newly crowned Queen riding on horseback, then passes through the village to the Revel Ground.

MORWENSTOW like Marhamchurch, has a church dedicated to St. Morwenna. Standing high above the sea, about 7 miles north of Bude, the church is very impressive with much remaining of the original Norman building including the south doorway and the font. There is also work of the 13th, 15th and 16th centuries and some fine wagon roofs. During the Last century, the originator of the Harvest Festival, the eccentric poet/priest Robert Hawker was Vicar here. The chimneys of the rectory, which he had built, each represent buildings with which he had earlier been associated. He showed great concern for shipwrecked sailors, campaigning vigorously against the wreckers in his parish and had a shipwreck lookout on the cliffs nearby.

KILKHAMPTON stands 600 feet above the sea, three miles south of Morwenstow. It is a large attractive village in the heart of "Grenville country" - Sir Richard (cousin of Walter Raleigh and friend of Sir Francis Drake) was born here in the 16th Century and Sir Bevil in the 17th Century. Nearby Stowe Barton was the house of the Grenville family. It was built on the site of Stowe House, once one of the most magnificent homes in England and described by Charles Kingsley in "Westward Ho!". The church, standing in the village street by a quaint courtyard of cottages, speaks eloquently of heraldry, and it is obvious that rich men have lavished their wealth upon it. It contains some of the finest work in Cornwall, from its Norman south doorway to its large collection of bench-ends and fine window tracery of the 15th and 16th centuries.

WEEK ST. MARY is a quiet village about seven miles south of Bude. Its history dates from the time of Domesday when it was probably the religious centre of the district - a Harvest Revel is held every September. The great lady of Week St. Mary was Thomasine Bonaventure, a local shepherdess who was taken to London by a rich merchant. Here she married three Lords in turn, the last Sir John Percival who became Lord Mayor in 1497. When he died she came back to her village home as Lady Bountiful. She built a school which has now become a group of cottages, she endowed a chantry in the church and left the vicar of Liskeard a beautiful chalice.

ST. GENNYS is a delightful little village perched 400 feet up on the cliff side just above Crackington Haven - it clings to the hillside and looks out to the great headlands which drop sheer down to the sea. The churchyard is so steep that one of its paths is almost level with the roof. Much of the church is as it stood in Norman England.

POUNDSTOCK three miles north-west of Week St. Mary, is the site of Penfound Manor, the oldest inhabited manor house in Britain. Part Saxon, part Norman with Elizabethan and Stuart additions, it was mentioned in the Domesday Book and even boasts a friendly ghost. Unfortunately this fascinating Manor is not open to the public. The 14th century Guildhouse, restored in 1919, is the only one still in use in Cornwall, the upper floor of the two storey cob and stone building has a lofty timbered roof and medieval doorway.