Like hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered. September, October and November perks in Bude are little known to those but locals. The autumn months are possibly the best months be in Bude. Here are six little gems revealing how man and nature conspire to bring you this breathtaking little place.
Enjoy!
1. The sea water is at its warmest
It is a common misconception that the hotter the air is, the hotter the sea water will be. In actual fact, the sea takes a long time to heat up, and likewise, it takes quite some time to cool down again. So, throughout summer it only gets warmer and warmer, and the water temperature peaks in September. The air temperature is still usually nice and warm in to October too. This makes it a great time for swimming and surfing, SUP’ping and everything in between.
Surfing September in Widemouth Bay
2. Accommodation costs less
The wide range of accommodation in Bude really does provide something for everyone. From high-end hotels with jaw-dropping sea views to holiday cottages to cost effective lodgings to campsites to yurt villages, Bude and its surrounding areas have it all. Many places begin charging their off-season rates and so your accommodation costs less. This makes Autumn great value for money. Not only that, all of the best places won’t be fully booked. This means you have plenty of choice to find just the right accommodation for the whole family.
You could even stay at Atlantic House, one of the hotels featured on Channel 5 ‘The Hotel Inspector’
3. The surf is better
As a general rule of thumb in the UK, the waves are better through September, October and into the winter. This is because of the increased storm activity in the Atlantic sending better swells our way. These swells start gracing our shores and often the most memorable surfs happen at this time. Warm water with good waves in an emptier line-up, sounds perfect right? We love it.
4. It is quieter than peak season
Of course it is quieter than peak season, but there’s still a lot of summertime energy! In peak season, Bude is buzzing. The beaches get really busy and it looks as if the town sells more clotted cream and Cornish pasties than there are grains of sand on the beach. This is great for those looking for a lively summer holiday, but it might not appeal so much to those who like things to be quite quiet. That said, Bude never seems excessively busy and those looking for a quiet holiday in peak season just need to find out a little about the many serene spots around here. If that’s you, keep an eye out on our blog, you never know, we might give you some ideas about where to find them in the future.
After the summer things start to quieten down. The beaches become less packed, but they’re still lifeguarded until the end of October and full of energy. There are less people to share the waves with. You won’t find yourself queuing for lunch. You’ll be able to get a booking at your favourite restaurant at short notice. And best of all, you can catch a swim in the Sea Pool, just you and your family. Sounds perfect, right? Keep reading because it only gets better.
5. Big tides uncover shipwrecks and treasures
Big tides deliver huge tidal ranges, with tides as low as 0.4m. At some point soon we will probably do a short guide to tides for you, but for now all you need to know is that these are very low tides, and this means that much more beach will be exposed than usual. With such low tides there’s a chance of catching rarely seen shipwreck ruins. We all know that shipwrecks mean treasure! And if you don’t find any jewels, gold or silver, there’s always the treasure of seeing the beaches and rock formations below the cliffs in their unusually exposed splendour. These dates in September make a perfect time to go exploring. Take your camera and go wild.
It’s important to note that when the tides start coming up again and they move fast. Make sure you have somewhere very safe and easily accessible to get back too. Stick to the main beaches if you are not to sure. You can also ask the lifeguards on duty at the main beaches for information about the tides.
6. The Awesome Foursome Quadrathlon
Bude has been home to the high profile Awesome Foursome Quadrathlon every September since 2002. It’s an extreme multi-sport event for individuals, pairs and relay teams. The tough yet iconic course goes as follows:
The event starts with an 800 m sea swim, a double loop within Summerleaze bay, protected by the breakwater. Next a 30 km cycle following the coast road to past our surf trailer at Widemouth Bay, Wanson Mouth and Millook before meeting the A39 at Wainhouse Corner and returning to Bude. Then a 10 km Kayak paddle, which is a double loop of the Bude canal. And finally a 10 km run along the canal towpath to Helebridge, following the marked footpath across the fields to Widemouth and returning to Bude via the coastal path.
As we can see, the course is suitable for competent athletes only. Bude being so beautiful and the community so welcoming, the event also makes for a great day spectating, so everyone can come down and get involved.
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Bude is an amazing place all year round, that’s a fact. It does change a lot as the seasons change though, so getting to know what it’s like at different times of the year can really help you to make the most of it. Freewave is running a series of articles to help you get to know the place so well that people might think you’re a long-time local. Wouldn’t tha’ be proper! Earlier we gave you 10 free things to do in Bude, and today we’ve uncovered seven reasons why Bude rocks in September.
Just before we leave you to browse our other blog posts, here’s one more unofficial Autumn perk that speaks for itself. It usually rains less in Autumn than it does in July and August!
Now you know why we love Autumn in Bude so much. We hope you’ll come and enjoy it with us.