Category: Featured retreats

Walk through – Bude

Just a ten-minute drive along the winding coast road from Widemouth Bay is Bude – a surprise gem of a town. Join us on our walk-through.

Arriving in Bude via the windy coastal road from Widemouth Bay is worth the trip alone, but families will be surprised just how much there is to do in this small seaside town in North Cornwall.

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a hot tub? Check out our cottages with a hot tub for a relaxing getaway.

Bude Tourist Information Centre is a good place to set off from, with plenty of parking and the canal and waterfront within a short walking distance. Bude TIC can book any number of activities on offer, such as surfing, SUPping, sailing, windsurfing, archery, rock climbing and lots more – take a look.

We’re immediately drawn to the waterfront lined with shops, cafes and restaurants. Allow yourself time sit back, relax and take in the slower pace of life.

Bude sea pool

Bude Farmer’s Market runs every Friday throughout Summer from 10am-3pm – a fantastic little market held on the Green overlooking with waterfront with a selection food producers, craft makers and florists regularly attending.

Rowing boats and pedalos can be hired along the Canal, perfect for a leisurely few hours on the water or for finding your own picnic spot. Cycling is also popular with a number of recommended cycle routes to Widmeouth Bay, north to Northcott Mouth and inland to the villages of Stratton and Marhamchurch.

It’s hard not to miss the tall towers of Bude Castle. Formerly the home of Victorian inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, The Castle is now a heritage centre with exhibition galleries, an archive with research facilities, an education room, shop and restaurant which overlooks the water out to sea.

Onwards and Summerleaze is a beach that can keep all visitors happy. There’s crabbing on the beach into the Canal, nice right-hand waves for longboarders, a sea pool for swimmers seeking shelter from the Atlantic, and pretty pastel beach huts which you can hire for the day from Bude TIC.

Away from the water and walking into town from the top of the hill, there are plenty of shops to explore – it would be rude not to leave without some homemade fudge.

Fancy staying in Bude? Check out our luxury holiday lets in Bude.

Experience the magic of Christmas in Cornwall with our top five must-dos, from festive markets to enchanting National Trust gardens.

COMPETITION – Win a seven-night getaway

*COMPETITION CLOSED*

In desperate need of a bit of beach time? Then this competition for a week-long getaway is for you – and three friends or family!

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Visit Cornwall to offer a special seven-night stay for four people overlooking Watergate Bay on the north coast of Cornwall. Here’s what you need to know:

The beach and local area

Watergate Bay’s two-mile stretch of sand calls for you to do as little or as much as you like. Foodies will find Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, The Beach Hut and Zacry’s catering for all tastes. Or if hitting the waves if what you fancy, the Extreme Academy surf school and hire is right on your doorstep for surfing, kitesurfing and other watersports you never knew existed.

We doubt you’ll tire of the beach, but if you do you’ll find Padstow and Newquay a few miles drive away with Rick Steins, Nathan Outlaw or other casual eating options to have your fill. There’s a spectacular coastline, or head to the south coast for a more laid-back coastal scene.

Take a look at our favourite ‘must sea’ retreats and explore our other holiday lets.

The accommodation

Your prize includes seven-nights at The Village – Watergate Bay’s new eco-development cut into the cliffs overlooking the beach. You and three others will be staying in a two-bedroomed self-catering property which serves up contemporary open-plan interiors and en-suite bedrooms. Coupled with surf stores, outdoor showers and full-width balconies, these are holiday pads you won’t want to leave.

Fancy staying in Watergate Bay? Check out our luxury holiday properties in Watergate Bay, Newquay.

How to enter

Just follow follow this link to Visit Cornwall’s website, fill in the form – it’s as easy as that. You’ve got until 30 June to enter. Good luck!

*COMPETITION CLOSED*

Discover unbeatable savings and unforgettable experiences with Beach Retreats’ exclusive special offers.

The Village Interior Design, Cornwall

We are often asked where the furniture in many of our properties is from, especially The Village at Watergate Bay. It seems that many of you want to make your holiday last a little longer by recreating a beach side home for yourselves.

Interested in staying in our most luxurious holiday cottages? Check out our luxury coastal cottages.

The Village Apartments, Watergate Bay

Want to stay in Newquay? Have a look at our luxury holiday properties in Newquay.

200 metres from the sand at Watergate Bay in North Cornwall is The Village built into the hill above the beach. If you would like to stay in one of our eco-homes please call 01637 861005.

Get the look of the Interior Design Masters winner with our expert tips, bringing award-winning style into your home.

Blue Bay – Catered self-catering, Cornwall

Blue Bay offers a lot more to guests than your average self-catering property. Not only does it have beautiful views over Mawgan Porth beach, it also offers an award winning restaurant service. James and Pippa, Blue Bay’s owners, are experienced chefs having travelled around the world, working in some of the best restaurants. They have fitted Blue Bay with an industrial kitchen, which guests are welcome to use, but its main use is catering for up to 20 people at a time for breakfast, lunch and dinner, if requested*.

Visiting with a large group? Discover our large holiday homes perfect for big families or friend groups.

James and Pippa offer a seasonal menu year round, from steaks to local seafood, proper Cornish fish and chips to Italian inspired pasta dishes. It’s fair to say you won’t go hungry at Blue Bay. James and Pippa go above and beyond for guests, if requested they can leave dishes in the fridge ready for guests to heat up when they arrive at the beginning of their holiday. They also offer to make up beach picnics using locally sourced food from Mawgan Porth or BBQ packs tailored to the party’s unique requirements.

The service offered at Blue Bay is truly unique and flexible. We asked James whats the most challenging request he has had since running the Blue Bay kitchen and we were very surprised by his answer.

Want to stay in Newquay? Have a look at our luxury holiday properties in Newquay.

‘A few years ago Pippa and I were asked to host a 40th wedding anniversary for a group of 20 guests staying at Blue Bay. We assumed they would want a full three course meal of the finest produce Cornwall has to offer, but instead they requested a meal inspired by the rations of WWII. Having never had such a unique request we spent weeks researching everything from how to use potato flour to dried egg powder. It really was a fun and interesting challenge which met high praise from the anniversary party’

The beauty behind the catered option of Blue Bay is that guests can dip in and out of the service. If they are going out for an evening meal they can just ask for breakfast, or alternatively, dive head first into the self-catered option and give James and Pippa the week off.

‘We want it to be an added extra of staying at Blue Bay. There is no pressure to have every meal catered for, in fact we love to see guests using the kitchen and creating culinary masterpieces of their own. However, we recommend everyone to try James’ profiterole mountain with lashings of chocolate sauce and sparklers for decoration’

Blue Bay is the perfect place to host a special occasion or family get together. Take a look round Blue Bay here.

Add some luxury to your self-catered holiday with Beach Retreats.

Interested in other Beach Retreats properties? Get a taste of paradise with a weekend at Porth Beach House – expect luxury, relaxation, and memories to last a lifetime with Beach Retreats.

*at an additional charge