Cornakey Woods

Walk into Cornakey Woods and you're immediately wrapped in that particular kind of quiet that only old woodland gives you. The trees here are properly thick - oak and beech mostly - creating this green tunnel effect that feels miles away from anywhere, even though Bude is just a short drive south.

It's a straightforward woodland walk rather than a designed attraction with visitor facilities. Expect muddy tracks, dappled light through the canopy, and the occasional moment where you genuinely forget there's a town nearby. The paths aren't manicured, which is exactly what makes it worth your time. You're looking at maybe 45 minutes to an hour if you take the main loop without rushing.

Families with kids old enough to manage uneven ground will do well here - it's the kind of place where children actually engage with walking rather than just endure it. History types might notice traces of old field boundaries and the bones of the landscape, but don't expect interpretation boards or heritage signposting.

If you're based at either Atlantic Horizons or Wooda Farm for a week, this works perfectly as a morning escape. It's free, naturally, and requires no planning beyond sensible footwear and checking the weather - these woods get proper boggy after rain. Go early in the day when you've got the place virtually to yourself. Late afternoon light filters through nicely too, if you're after photos.