Mallards is a luxury self-catering holiday cottage in Bude on the coast of North Cornwall, situated about half a mile from the town centre on the banks of the historic Bude Canal. Bude is a lively place all year round, much more than just a tourist destination, with a wide range of shops, pubs, restaurants and sports facilities, as well as two sandy beaches. There are large areas of public access and National Trust land on the cliff tops on either side of the town, with the South West Coast Path running through it.

The beaches and the town centre can be reached on foot in about ten minutes, though you can also use the rowing boat to get there if you wish! In less than an hour by car you can reach much of the coast of North Cornwall and its many charming villages and superb beaches, as well as most of the rugged coastline of North Devon and the endless moorland and pretty river valleys of Dartmoor.

Mallards is a perfect holiday cottage for a relaxing stay with family or friends, with a huge choice of things to do each day. The beaches and town centre are so close that you don't need to drive anywhere if you don't want to, and older children can be largely independent. Bude is more easily accessible by car than most places in Cornwall, being just over an hour from Exeter and with traffic jams hardly ever a problem. There is also a frequent express bus service from Exeter which has excellent rail and air links.

Mallards is part of a lovely old building which used to be a Steam Laundry and before that a Timber Mill. It was converted into three large houses in the 1980s, each with its own private terrace beside the canal. The house embraces the last three windows and arches on the right in the photos above. There is parking space next to the house for up to 3 cars with access along a private drive. The sheltered location and central heating make it ideal for use all year round.

The property is suitable for use by up to 8 adults, plus 2 children under 10.
New for 2008! Wireless broadband internet connection available free of charge.
Pets are welcome, but must be confined to the ground floor and be kept on a lead outside.
This is a non-smoking house, but you are welcome to smoke outside in the covered entrance porch.

There is little point in giving a detailed guide to Bude and the surrounding area here, as there is plenty of information on other web sites. The most useful for the local area is: www.visitbude.info. The tourist information office for the Bude area is just a few minute's walk from the house beside the canal. For information about Cornwall and Devon generally we suggest you simply use your preferred internet search engine. The following is a very brief summary.

Along the coast to the south of Bude there is a series of interesting villages, beaches and coastal scenery within an hour's drive including Crackington Haven, Boscastle, Tintagel, Trebarwith Strand, Port Issac, Polzeath, and Rock from where there is a ferry across the estuary to Padstow.

To the north of Bude the coast is more rugged and has no sheltered harbours, but there are some lovely small bays, idyllic little valleys and many quite remote villages set deep in hilly and wooded countryside. Wild and windswept Hartland Point and its lighthouse mark where the coast turns to the east, and just beyond this is the idyllic old fishing village of Clovelly. Further on there are some big beaches such as Westward Ho! at the end of the estuary of the Rivers Taw and Torridge, close to the large towns of Bideford and Barnstaple. On the north side of the estuary about 8 miles beyond Barnstaple are more superb surfing beaches including Croyde Bay.

The road nearest the coast in both directions is often quite narrow, steep and winding, but the A39 'Atlantic Highway' runs a few miles inland and makes it easy to get to all the places mentioned above.

It is quite a way from Bude to another town of similar size. The nearest is inland at Launceston, 19 miles away. Bideford is 28 miles to the north, and the well-known 'Atlantic Village' shopping centre is here. Barnstaple is 8 miles further on. Okehampton on the edge of Dartmoor is also 28 miles, and Wadebridge on the Camel estuary is 30 miles to the south . The picturesque but very busy fishing village of Padstow is 8 miles beyond Wadebridge by car, but you can also reach it by passenger ferry from Rock if you want to combine a visit with a trip down the coast.

Walking: There is an extensive network of public footpaths in the Bude area, both inland and along the coast, including some of the most spectacular parts of the South West Coast Path. In addition the local authority and the National Trust are very active in improving access to the coast by creating permitted paths and access land by agreement with landowners. These are well signposted, but only appear on the most recent O.S. maps. The more popular routes are well-maintained and signposted and there are numerous circular walks and nature trails of varying lengths.

Careful study of the tide tables will enable you to walk for several miles along the firm sand beaches to the north of Bude as far as Sandymouth (and its National Trust tea shop!) and Duckpool. There are also local bus services which can save retracing your steps on coastal walks. In complete contrast, large parts of north and west Dartmoor can be reached by car in less than an hour, and there is a fast bus service to Okehampton which has direct access to the moor.

The coastal path can be reached in about 10 minutes along a public footpath from the end of Mallards driveway. The canal towpath opposite the house is perfect for an evening stroll, or as part of a longer walk with a cream tea or lunch stop at the inland end of the canal, before heading for the coast and back along the cliff top. Dog-owners should note that there are relatively few dog bans on local beaches with Bude's Summerleaze, the south end of Widemouth, Northcott and Sandymouth all being dog-friendly all year round. Dog bans on other beaches do not apply from October to Easter.