We are looking to take our dog for the first time to bude camping in the summer. We are looking at camping at bude meadows and the nearest beach is Widemouth bay . Has anyone taken there dog on this beach, I have looked in to it and they say you can only go on south beach, whats this like? We have to children who love body boarding
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Hi we went to Cornwall last year the same time as my nephew. He stayed at Bude meadows and we used to meet him at a beach called Black Rock which was about 10 mins drive from the campsite (it's on the coast road into Bude itself). You can take dogs on there any time of the day and my nephew, his girlfriend, my 9 year old son went bodyboarding there while my 5 year old played in the rock pools (which were a lot warmer than the sea) and made sandcastles. There is a reasonably priced hire shop too, right by the beach as well as a cafe/bar and toilets. You do have to pay to park there but if you go early or in the evening you can park for free because no ones on the gate. We are going back there again this year as we are taking our new puppy with us this time. I hope this helps.
I think that south half of the beach is ok and the other half is prohibited. The beach is fine both ends, it's just where the cliffs divide it a high tide, at low tide it's all one beach.
Check www.thecornishcoast.co.uk/DOGM.htm
for most of the beaches in Cornwall. It's not 100% up to date, as our beach Portreath allows dogs in the morning and evenings, but is shown as banned.
Give the tourist office in Bude a ring to double check, but more beaches are relaxing their rules a little.
There are no full dog ban beaches in Cornwall any more they are either completely dog friendly or restricted access which is before 8.00am and after 7.00pm. However it is wise to check with the relevant Council as to what restrictions are in place. This is following the new "Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act" which has enabled Councils to relax the previous dog bans.
Just to add that thecornishcoast.co.uk website is really out of date as all the Penwith beaches are now dog friendly (fully or time restricted) and are not subject to ban as shown on their website. This changed last year so they need to get up to date.
------------- Nigel
March 2012 - Dove Meadows
6th July Moving to Hayle
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I've checked with www.thecornishcoast.co.uk and they tell me that it will be updated at Easter when all details of the times/bans are known.
I'm not sure that about there being 'no full dog ban beaches in Cornwall', because the Kerrier site is showing many of the beaches on the Lizard are fully banned, but maybe this will change by Easter. We're having one big Cornish council soon (with an awful logo!!), so maybe we will have one rule for the beaches as well.
Personally I think the hours should be 7pm to 9am or even 10am, as our local ban is 7am, meaning that you really struggle to get to the beach by 7am, let alone off of it!!
Widemouth beach is great for all your activities and as Tasty Chef quite rightly states Black Rock beach is the doggie friendly area.
If you fancy venturing into Bude use Summerleze Beach. Fab for kids and dogs are allowed on BUT have to be on a lead from 10am - 6pm during the summer but OK off the lead outside those hours. They are UNFORTUNATELY NOT allowed on either Middle Beach or Crooklets in the summer!!!! You can walk them along the Bude Canal (when it's fully open after the fortune they have spent on it!) too.
Whatever you do, we hope the sun shines for you all this year (and for us of course!).
Kernow Camper
------------- More adventures in 2026 -
Feb - Steamer Quay CAMC, Totnes
May - Cheddar & Dulverton
June - Lake District
July - Devizes, New Forest & Dorset
September - TBA
Christmas - Ayr, St Ives
New Year - Hillhead CAMC, Brixham
We've used Budemeadows for the past 3 years-we're actually going elsewhere this year due to getting very wet there last year and to be honest, not finding the staff overly helpful-but generally speaking the site is great.it's clean and tidy. Widemouth Bay is fab for surfing etc and a clean beach.Bit stoney tho as you go into the sea so wear surf shoes!!And it's great for rockpooling when the tide's out.Parking is £4.00 all day which I think is pretty reasonable.
Dogs are not allowed on the main part of the beach where the surfers etc are.Not sure about 'after hours' but, as the lifeguards go at 6pm I suppose you can take them then.Don't quote me on that!!
By the way, inflatables are also banned from the beach.
------------- ...as long as it's dry.....
Lisa xx
count your rainbows not your thunderstorms.....
Easter-York
August-Cornwall
October half term-Dawlish
Xmas-still looking...
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the south beach has a few more rocks out to sea than north, but is still good for body boarding.
we've been to budemeadows for 2 consecutive years now, & we used to park in the car park at south beach & set up not too far from the beach shop & cafe. from there, me & my boy would wander off to test the surf in the 2 locations (one on south beach, the other on north) marked out by the lifeguards to see which had the best waves (it's amazing how they could be different every day)
if you do go to the north beach, the dog is allowed on the dunes behind the main beach, & you will still be able to see your kigs boarding from there
The lifeguards there are very good & there's always lots of surf schools out in the water so it's pretty safe
I can't agree with the previous reviewer regarding the site owners, as we've always found them to be extremely helpful & obliging. I would recommend talking to them however & discussing that you've learnt from UKCS of the ground getting very wet over the last 2 years, with a view to reserving a pitch that they know will be almost guaranteed to remain dry. They're ex-campers who have brought the site & used UKCS when they toured, & I'm certain would be more than willing to oblige such a request.
Hi Akernow. I grew up in Illogan and my folks still live there.
The info you gave will be of interest to them as they are now too old to be walking up the Carn everyday throughout the summer season and there dog loves it down Portreath as do I !
Many Thanks.
------------- Albino, Can"t say fairer than that !
There are no full dog ban beaches in Cornwall any more they are either completely dog friendly or restricted access which is before 8.00am and after 7.00pm.
That is well worth knowing - thanks for posting that.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Dogs at Widemouth bay...Help?
