Cycling in Bude

Bude is the doorstep to a wealth of cycling opportunities.  We have a vast network of quiet country roads, taking in both breathtaking coastal scenery and the unspoilt North Cornwall and nearby Devon countryside and villages. 

As an established holiday location, Bude has a huge infrastructure of visitor accommodation and attractions - including the historic Bude Canal, the South West Coast Path and, of course, the many beautiful beaches. Those who bring their bikes to Bude will be well looked after and will find plenty of beauty and interest to cycle to. 

There are plenty of designated cycle-parks where you can securely chain your bike whilst exploring on foot too.

Bude itself is on the main National Cycle Network down the west side of Cornwall (NCN3).  This links southwards to Cornwall's renowned Camel Trail, passing through wonderful coastal and moorland scenery on quiet country roads and lanes.  It also links Bude northwards to Devon's Tarka Trail via minor roads through picturesque Ruby Country landscape.

As a result, Bude is a planned overnight stop for many cyclists riding the 'End-to-End' (Lands End to John O'Groats - or vice versa) via the scenic route.

The sunny beaches interspersed by breathtaking cliffs and the valleys with their little streams and ancient bridges all mean that the cycling in the coastal area is not flat!  The cyclist who wants a challenge will find plenty.  Indeed, just south of Bude is the stunning coastal climb at Millook that features as the biggest challenge of the annual 'Cornwall Tor' cyclosportif.  Just a few miles inland are country lane rides, lakeside rides and forest rides with a much more gentle profile. 

For the less intrepid, there are a multitude coastal and gentle routes, plus quiet country lane circular rides and village to village routes to be enjoyed from Bude, ranging in distance from a few miles to a full day's cycling,

There are off-road cycle tracks either existing or being developed - for example at Stowe Woods, Cookworthy Forest and Tamar Lakes.

While most people who plan to cycle here will bring their own bikes, many of the holiday accommodation providers around Bude are starting to have bicycles available, we have a Bike hire outlet and there is a new cycle centre opening in Spring 2011.

Bude's Atlantic Trail website documents some of the existing rides and should have many more by early 2011 as well as providing links to other cycling services.  The visitbude.info website has comprehensive and ever evolving cycling and route information.

Bude offers a lovely stretch of traffic-free cycle path along the river Neet and through the Nature Reserve from the Tourist Information Centre building, two miles inland to Helebridge.  From here, the Atlantic Highway (A39) links to the Sustrans Route, where you can continue south to the Camel Trail or north to the Tarka Trail.  

• Gentle Routes
• Coastal Routes
• Quiet Road Circular Routes
• Village to Village Routes
•  Tamar Lakes Cycle Route