To make sure you get the most out of your stay with us at the Camelot Hotel, whether it’s one night bed and breakfast or a week long holiday, we strive to find out what’s going on in the area. If you’d like to know more about any of these events just get in touch.

Lundy Island Day Trip: Running until 26/10/10

Spend a day on the natural & historic National Trust island of Lundy, take the ferry from Bideford across and experience the unspoilt charm of this island.  Lundy lies off the coast of North Devon, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel, Lundy itself is a granite outcrop, three and a half miles long and half a mile wide that is filled with unique and interesting wildlife and fauna.

Bude Jive Club (Lessons): 06/09/10, 13/09/10, 20/09/10, 27/09/10

Bude Jive Club has been in existence for five years and due to its popularity has moved to bigger premises – namely The Parkhouse Centre in Bude three years ago. The rise in interest has developed from combining two dance styles, traditional rock and roll and jive. Bude Jive Club has fast gained a reputation as a friendly club and has a very varied social diary supported by Rock and Roll club members throughout the southwest. Throughout the year dances are run with live bands, record hops and other events. The live band nights usually take place at the Bullers Arms, Marhamchurch, near Bude.  This is a great and friendly dance club that suits all levels of experience and are very friendly!

Bude Canal & Harbour Society Guided Walks: 05/09/10, 26/09/10

Discover Bude Canal with a guided walk and fitting narrative with the Bude Canal and Harbour Society.  Explore the beautiful landscape of Bude while learning a little about its rich history.  Guided tours begin at 2PM on the above dates, check the weather forecast first though to dress the part!

Jazz Festival 29/08/10 for a week

Bude Jazz Festival is getting closer and closer!  Don’t miss out on one of Bude’s biggest events, the Jazz festival is renowned throughout the Jazz world as one of the most diverse, with over 140 items on its week long programme and a great range of artists and musicians.  For more information take a look at our article on Bude Jazz Festival and see our bed and breakfast rates for the week.

Duchy Opera Presents The Merry Widow: 16/10/2010

Duchy Opera is proud to present a unique adaptation of Lehar's much-loved operetta, The Merry Widow. Set amidst the celebrations in Maxim’s, a run-down cabaret bar in Berlin, it offers a glimpse of the lives affected by three decades of East and West Berliners being kept apart as the despised Berlin Wall is finally torn down, brick-by- brick, on 9 November 1989.

Art Exhibition by Gwynngala: 29/08/2010 - 13/09/2010

Art Exhibition featuring works by 'Gwynngala'. 20 Artists and Makers will be exhibiting paintings, textiles, prints, photography, sculpture, papier mache and cerramics at The Willoughby Gallery at The Castle Heritage Centre, in Bude.  This will be a mixed media exhibition by a group of artists and makers from the Launceston area who have taken as their main inspiration – just jazz!

Line Dance Social: 10/09/10

Enjoy the community sprit at thhhe Line Dance Social at Poughill Village Hall on Fri 10th September 7.30 - 11pm. Charity raffle in aid of Macmillan Cancer/Research. Bring and Share Supper. Tickets £4 on the door.

Fishing is a sport on the rise; more and more people are learning to fish or are returning to a much loved hobby introduced in their youth.  We recognise the appeal of fishing whether it’s the relaxation of the day or the thrill of the catch there is always something to keep everyone happy.

To make sure you get the most from your fishing holiday while staying with us in Bude, we have put together a series of tips and tricks for the new angler and some helpful reminders for those who have done it all before.

A focus on: Trout Fishing

Understanding how moving water shapes the stream channel will improve your chances of finding trout. In most streams, the current creates a Riffle-Run-Pool pattern that repeats itself over and over. A deep pool may hold a big brown trout, but rainbows and smaller browns are likely found in runs. Riffles are where you will find small trout, called troutlet, during the day and larger trout crowding in during morning and evening feeding periods.

•    Riffles have a fast current and shallow water. This gives way to a bottom of gravel, rubble or boulder. Riffles are morning and evening feeding areas. Trout usually spawn just above or below riffles, but may spawn right in them.

•    Runs are deeper than riffles with a moderate current and are found between riffles and pools. The bottom is made up of small gravel or rubble. These hot spots hold trout almost anytime, if there is sufficient cover.

•    Pools are smoother and look darker than the other areas of the stream. The deep, slow-moving water generally has a bottom of silt, sand, or small gravel. Pools make good midday resting spots for medium to large trout.

•    It is recommended that when fishing for trout, that the fisher should use line in the 4-8 lb test for stream fish, and stronger line with the same diameter for trout from the sea or from a large lake.

•    For bait, trout also find salmon eggs, worms, minnows, cut bait, or corn attractive with corn and the occasional marshmallow especially attractive to farm raised trout.

Fishing at the Camelot Hotel

At the Camelot Hotel we recognise that a holiday in Cornwall should be a mixture of relaxation and activity and there is no greater fusion of the two than there is in fishing.  There are many opportunities for the angler, including sea, game, and coarse fishing in Cornwall and Bude in a wide and diverse series of locations.

We have recently set up connections with local fisheries and sea fishing vessels throughout North Cornwall and can offer our guests access to these venues, whether you are a master angler or have never fished before we can arrange a premier fishing experience tailored to your specifications, just ask one of our front of house managers when booking your stay or take us up on one of our upcoming holiday packages!

Bude canal is unusual in that it starts from the harbour in Bude, with the first lock opening to the sea. The recent renovation of the lock gates means that once again ocean-going boats can be seen tied up in the bude canal basin.

How it all began

The coastal area at Bude has sand that is unusually rich in minerals, and the poor agricultural land of the locality was found to benefit considerably from application of the sand. However transporting sand was exceptionally difficult even to land relatively close to the coast.

Several schemes were put forward to construct a canal to bring the sand to the countryside. In 1817 a new route was surveyed and work commenced in July 1819. By 1823 the canal was operational, involving three locks and six incline planes over the length of 35.5 miles.

The canal system

The main line of the canal ran south east from Bude to a wharf near Launceston, with an easterly branch to Blagdonmoor, beyond Holsworthy. There was a northerly feeder arm from a new reservoir called the Tamar Lake. There were two conventional locks in the short broad canal section which terminated at Helebridge, about two miles from Bude, and ordinary coastal barges travelled this far up the canal.

Tub boats were designed to use the main part of the system, and they made the transit from the harbour at Bude, or from Helebridge if trans-shipping from coastal vessels there. After Helebridge there were inclined planes and the whole of the central part of the system was 433ft above sea level. Having no intermediate locks on the tub boat sections, the canal had to follow the contours exactly between the inclined planes. The tub boats were hauled up and down the inclined planes by chains which were operated by waterwheels.

An unhappy history

On completion of the canal, the owning company was constantly short of cash. The income was less than expected and there were many technical problems in operating the system. When the London and South Western Railway reached Holsworthy this initially  boosted traffic. The canal carried large volumes for onward conveyance by rail. However the arrival of the railway soon spelt the ultimate doom of the canal: manufactured fertilisers had become commonplace and cheap, and they could be brought in by rail, and so the demand for the local sand was diminished considerably.

Finally the tub boat operation ceased in November 1891. The canal was bought by the Urban District Council in 1902 and this enabled them to supply domestic water to local communities from the canal's Tamar reservoir.

The canal today

In recent years the state of the canal between the sea lock gates and Helebridge had steadily deteriorated, but in 2005 ambitious plans to redevelop the canal were approved. Funding of £5.5 million was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Objective One and the South West Development Agency, and the Spring of 2009 saw the completion of the massive regeneration project.

The two locks between the harbour and Helebridge have been rebuilt, the canal has been dredged and the tow paths recreated. The Bude canal and its surroundings are once again a source of pride to the residents of Bude and Stratton.

North Cornwall is blessed with a rugged and dramatic coastline, with towering cliffs interspersed with sandy beaches and deserted coves. The large tidal range means that beaches can have a dramatically different character at low and high tide.

At low tide many beaches are an expanse of golden sand, but when the tide comes in the sand is sometimes covered, perhaps leaving just a narrow pebbly strip at the head of the beach. Here is a description of all the beaches close to the Camelot. All these beaches have lifeguard cover during the holiday season (May to September).

Polzeath

Polzeath is about 40 minutes drive from the Camelot, but it is one of the most popular beaches in Cornwall. It is wide and Sandy, and sheltered by low cliffs on both sides. The sand is firm and most of the car parking is actually on the beach itself. The surf here is very mellow and great for learner surfers and children. With all the amenities close to the beach, a good surf shop, and easy parking, this is a great family beach.

Trebarwith Strand

Although a little off the beaten track this is a very picturesque beach. At high tide the beach disappears completely and all you will see is a bay surrounded by high cliffs. This is the time to retire to the Port William pub which overlooks the bay. There is not much parking close to the beach but there is a large car park five minute’s walk away. Access to the beach is by a short but rough track. Although plenty of families with very young children come here it is perhaps better suited to those with slightly older kids who will enjoy exploring the rock pools.

Crackington Haven

Crackington is dominated by the very high cliffs on both sides which gives it a slightly closed-in feel. It is quite rocky and there is often not that much sand, but it is never really busy and it does have a car park, toilets and cafe very close to the beach, not to mention the Coombe Barton pub which overlooks the beach.

Widemouth Bay

Just five minutes south of Bude, Widemouth is a very popular beach. It is wide and sandy with ample car parking just feet from the beach. It is a great place to learn to surf. For those wishing to explore, a few minute’s walk up the beach in either direction leads to a more secluded and sheltered part of the bay, with plenty of rock pools for the kids. A cafe, toilets, and surfboard hire are all available at both ends of the beach. In fact sometimes at high tide the beach is briefly separated into two by a low promontory, and at times like this it seems there are two different beaches, each with its own character and facilities.

Summerleaze

Situated in the heart of Bude, this beach has it all. Except at low tide, the beach is sheltered from the heaviest of the surf by the breakwater. There is ample car parking, excellent facilities and easy access to the beach. And there is plenty of additional interest close at hand. To one side of the beach is Bude's sea pool - naturally filled with seawater at high tide, it gives the experience of being in the sea but in a sheltered environment. On the other side of the beach is Bude’s small harbour and the lock gates where the canal enters the sea. Overlooking the beach is an excellent cafe and bistro: Life’s a Beach. At low tide acres of sand are uncovered and the beach merges with the neighbouring beach, Crooklets.

Crooklets

Just a few minute’s walk from the Camelot Hotel in Bude, Crooklets beach is the home of the country's first Surf Lifesaving Club: you will always see very good surfers in the water here. There is parking, toilets and a cafe just yards from the beach. On the lowest of low tides it is possible to walk northwards along the water's edge for miles, perhaps with a little rock hopping, to the next two beaches.

Northcott

Just a few minute’s drive from the Camelot Hotel, or a mile’s walk along the cliff tops, is Northcott beach. There is limited parking and no facilities but It is a lovely spot and quieter than the busy beaches of Bude. At high tide there is often very little sand, but there is no shortage of rock pools to explore!

Sandymouth

Owned by the National Trust, Sandymouth is a stunningly beautiful stretch of coast. At low tide the sand extends north and south for about a mile, interspersed with fingers of rock. At high tide there is often not much more than a narrow pebbly beach with cliffs behind. If walking on the beach towards high tide take care not to be cut off. The sandbanks here make it a popular place for experienced surfers, but there can also be dangerous currents and you would be well advised not to swim in the sea here unless in the lifeguard supervised area. The car park and cafe are quite close to the beach, but access to the beach is down a short but fairly steep rough track.

Bude is proud of: the Cornwall Air Ambulance

A familiar sight in the skies above Bude is our own distinctive red and yellow helicopter, the Cornwall Air Ambulance.

First introduced as an integral part of Cornwall’s ambulance service in April 1987, the Air Ambulance is charitably funded by the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust and it is the fantastic support given by the people of Cornwall and local businesses that keeps the Air Ambulance flying.

 

The Air Ambulance can reach any part of Cornwall in 20 minutes

The County of Cornwall has a widely scattered population with remote communities and many narrow lanes, often making the use of conventional ambulances more difficult. Our beaches, cliff tops, moorland and the sea attract many people who participate in water sports and extreme sports which also increase the incidence and severity of accidents. Bude is an hour's drive from the nearest major hospital so having the Air Ambulance on call is a great benefit to the town. And although no-one from the Camelot Hotel has ever required the Air Ambulance's services it's a comfort to now it's only a few minutes away.

From its base at Newquay Airport, Cornwall’s Air Ambulance can reach any part of the county within 20 minutes, and the Isles of Scilly in 28 minutes. This purpose-built aircraft flies at 140mph, and on average arrives on scene within 12 minutes of a 999 call so although it is expensive, its use can significantly reduce the time taken to convey seriously ill and injured people to hospital. In very many cases over the last 23 years, this has simply been the difference between life and death.

 

The Air Ambulance attends about 1000 incidents a year

In its 21st year, the helicopter attended its 20,000th 999 emergency call, and statistics for recent years show that the service is attending around 1000 incidents each year. This is one of the busiest helicopters in the UK, and is tasked several times every day, giving Cornwall a hardworking value for money service.

Space inside the Cornwall Air Ambulance is limited but it is fully equipped like a road ambulance. Equipment carried on board includes a range of monitors, which give the paramedics and the emergency teams in the hospitals important information about the patient.

There are many other carefully stowed bags and containers, each containing equipment, dressings and drugs used to save lives and manage the patient’s condition at the scene, and during the journey into hospital.

 

The Cornwall Air Ambulance was the first

The Cornish people are extremely proud of the air ambulance, and especially of the fact that it was the first of its kind in the UK, a successful model that has been envied and copied across the majority of the country, where there are now 26 air ambulance helicopters, the majority funded by charitable donations just like ours in Cornwall. The helicopter bears the wording “Funded by the People of Cornwall” along the fuselage, because whether through donations, legacies, the lottery or the collection jars, it is the people of this county that have remained steadfastly supportive and passionate about their air ambulance.

Bude lifeboat station has operated for over 125 years and the crews have been presented with awards for gallantry. It's different from other Lifeboat stations in as much as it has to launch into the surf by tractor and with the often treacherous weather conditions of the unpredictable Atlantic Ocean, the crew, who are all volunteers, have to be very skilled! {p style="text-align: left">For years the Bude Lifeboat Station was only open during the summer and dealt with mainly beach safety issues and the rescue of people who, for example, had been cut off by the tide. These days Bude Lifeboat Station is open all year with both the Boat crew and a hard working Shore crew who maintain and prepare the lifeboat. These guys deserve to take just as much of the glory as the Boat crew because without them the Bude Lifeboat wouldn't be float. Did you know that under strict RNLI guidelines, if the lifeboat capsizes and the engine is flooded, that engine is never used again? It is sent off to be repaired and sold on, and a new engine is fitted to the lifeboat.

 

During the Summer season you can watch their exercise days every Thursday 5pm - 7pm & Sunday 10am - 1pm. On occasions our Lifeboat has the opportunity to exercise with the Search and Rescue Seaking Helicopters from either RNAS Culdrose or RAF Chivenor.

New lifeboat station on Summerleaze beach

In 2004 the Lifeboat station relocated to Summerleaze beach. A new boathouse for the lifeboat, carriage and launching tractor was completed, also providing new crew facilities and a souvenir shop. The funding for the boathouse was donated by Bridget Blundell OBE. On May 11th 2004 a new D class lifeboat (ILB 1) Henry Philip -D617 - was placed 'On Station'. The D class has been the workhorse of the service for 40 years and has continued to evolve since its introduction. It is small and highly manoeuvrable, making it ideal for rescues close to shore in fair to moderate conditions. It has a single outboard engine and can be righted manually by the crew following a capsize.

Volunteer fundraising

Bude Ladies Guild was reformed on 21st June 1971 and is fortunate to have one of the original members of that committee, Mary McMahon as President. The Guild works very hard to raise funds for the RNLI and support Bude Lifeboat. They have a very successful new souvenirs shop which is built into the Lifeboat Station and to show how dedicated they are they raised over £20,000 in 2004. The last Lifeboat quiz raised a further £1009. Bude Lifeboat Day on August Bank Holiday Monday is one of the busiest in the South West and the Guild raises over £5000 with it's stalls in the marquee and outside the shop. Thirty volunteers keep the shop open for six days a week from 10am to 4pm. If you think you would like to help then pop into the shop and meet some of the Ladies who will give you any information you need.

Early Bude Crew - Lifeboat and Boathouse c1850

The original Lifeboat House can still be seen in the car park opposite The Falcon Hotel and Brendon Arms Public House. Over the entrance is the inscription: "The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea"