Penstowe Castle

The ruins of Penstowe Castle sit on a headland just south of Bude, commanding views across the Cornish coast that make the short walk out here thoroughly worthwhile. It's not a dramatic fortress - more an Iron Age hill fort that the Normans later reinforced - so don't expect castle towers or grand gateways. What you get instead are earthen ramparts, ditches, and the sense of how people defended this stretch of coast centuries ago.

Walkers will find it a decent half-hour detour from Bude itself. The site's exposed, so pick a calm day if you can - the wind up there can be properly fierce. You're looking at maybe forty minutes to an hour total if you want to poke around the ramparts and take in the view properly. It's free to access, which is refreshing, though there's nothing in the way of facilities on site.

Archaeology enthusiasts will get more from it than casual visitors, to be honest. The layout tells a story if you know how to read it, but if you're just after a viewpoint, there are better-positioned spots nearby without the historical legwork. Families with younger kids might find it a bit underwhelming unless they're genuinely interested in Iron Age fortifications.

If you're staying at Wooda Farm or Atlantic Horizons - both excellent holiday parks within easy striking distance - Penstowe works as a morning walk before heading into Bude proper for lunch. Couple it with a coastal path ramble and you've got a proper half-day sorted.