In the Bude area, while the full extent of the planned developments was not achieved, the project did create a new route for the multi-use trail to use an underpass under the A39.   This avoided a dangerous road crossing via a traffic island and made the route much safer, particularly for childen.  

This has vastly increased use of the trail.

A celebratory walk/ride to 'open' the underpass was held on 29th October 2011; over 120 people of all ages took part.

A39 underpass opening event     event photos

In addition, a section of the old railway line south of the river Neet was purchased by the TRAC project in 2010 to add to the section north of the Neet already owned by Cornwall Council.   A cycle trail was subsequently laid through this, and a cycle/footbridge built over the River Neet.   This leads to a further section, as yet without a surfaced track, which has space to create an activity area and picnic spot close to the river.


Atlantic Ruby Way

Devon County Council have investigated extending the existing off-road cycleway at Holsworthy viaduct to make more of the existing route off-road between there and the county border near Titson.   This would link to the Ruby Way cycle routes that Devon are constructing and, particularly, to the off-road route between Holsworthy and Hatherleigh which is now substantially complete.

The intent is to designate the Bude to Holsworthy route as the Atlantic Ruby Way
Downloadable information about cycling routes in the Ruby Country can be found on
          www.visitdevonsrubycountry.co.uk/ruby-country-activities/cycling/


Bike Hire

From April 2023 Bude has a new bike hire service.   This is based at the Ride It Cycles shop in Lansdown Road, Bude, Cornwall EX23 8BN   Tel: Tel:01288 359247

Ride It Cycles have an extensive range of bikes for hire
        (including several types of e-bike plus road, mountain, kids and bikes and trailers).

        The webpage to view these bikes and make bookings is:
        www.rideitcycles.co.uk/bike-hire

The previous bike hire service in the Bude area was Bude Bike Hire (now closed).   This was based from 2019 to end 2022 at Whalesborough Farm (just off the A39 at Helebridge.

This Bude Bike Hire business originally started in a complex of new buildings at Pethericks Mill - where the current multi-user path exits from the route over the old railway bridge and then goes back over the flood defence bank into Bude marshes.   The complex was designed specifically to house a cycle centre and cafe/restaurant plus one other shop.

The 'Bude Bike Hire' section of this complex opened in June 2011 and the 'River Life Café' at the front of the building opened in July that year.

While there was previously some limited bike hire from cycle shops in Bude, the new centre dramatically increased the level of bike hire by both locals and visitors, the usage of the cycleway and the development of local cycle route information.

The building construction attracted some 'Regional development' funding; it has certainly justified that in terms of the employment opportunities it has created.   The success of the site encouraged the building of a further restaurant on the site.

Tamar Lakes cycle track

South West Lakes Trust, in conjunction with 1Southwest, constructed a family-friendly green cycle track at Upper Tamar Lake over the 2010/11 winter.   This is a loop of 4.7km, encircling the whole lake from the café and crossing back to the café over the dam.

This compacted well over the first winter and was 'officially' opened in April 2011.   The Tuesday cycling group made a longer-than-usual ride earlier that year to explore it (as can be seen from the pictures in the Gallery page).   Since then new growth has come up round the track; it is now looking very good indeed and provides a wonderful route round the upper lake for both cyclists and walkers, and particularly for young families who wish to stay totally off-road.

There is also a children's playpark area beside the café and several picnic benches in the area between the café and the sailing club.

There is ample 'pay & display' parking near the café so those just wanting the lakeside circuit can take their bikes there by car.
As well as this parking, there is also parking near the dam at Lower Tamar, with a well gravelled track leading round the south end of the lower lake to the entrance to the upper lake.


There is also an attractive quiet road circular ride from Bude (or Stratton) to Tamar Lakes
- so, for families/groups with a mix of nervous and more competent cyclists, some can cycle to the Lakes while others meet them there to cycle or walk the new lakeside track.

(Caution: The loop does have a brief section on the A39 near Kilkhampton, this can be avoided by using the access lane through Penstowe Holiday Park (where there is a cafe/restaurant) or by going to the lake via Stratton and returning the same way.)

The circular ride from Bude to Tamar Lakes and back to Bude can be done as either a clockwise or anti-clockwise loop.
A brief description of the clockwise route is available.   (see brief route description)
Alternatively, a more detailed description of the loop in both directions is available.
(see detailed route description)


Whalesborough permissive bridleway
  & 4 mile loop   & Weir coffee-house/bistro

Note:   Previous users of this website (and visitors to The Weir) will know that they used to have access to a very scenic cycleable loop right round the farm's land on a track stabilised with plastic-mesh under the grass; there were also two links across Whalesborough to Widemouth Bay.

Whalesborough had carried out major work many years ago to upgrade the permissive bridleway across their land that links from Helebridge to the coast road above Widemouth Bay.
This work included the laying of a gravel path to link the lower concrete access road from Helebridge to the concrete road that runs out to the coast road, extra signage and also the building of a much wider gateway to the coast road.

Whalesborough (with the help of European funding) subsequently installed a green plastic underlay on permissive paths that formed a four-mile loop right round the outskirts of their land plus put in a hardcore surface and extra drainage in areas that became boggy in winter.   The grass grew through to stabilise the mesh and the loop became cycleable for much more of the year.

Sadly, much of the permissive bridleway and the four-mile loop is not currently available as the new owners of Whalesborough have closed parts of the permissive paths on which these routes were based (during major construction work).

However, cyclists can still use the southern part of that plastic-mesh stabilised track to get off-road from Helebridge to Widemouth Bay.   This is described in detail on the Local-links page.   The less-than-even surface ideally requires hybrid or mountain-bike tyres.

Whalesborough opened a large coffee house / bistro near the start of this route at Helebridge, with views out over a new lake and the Helebridge valley.   There is also an extensive children's playpark area.

This building also houses a wildlife interpretation centre.

Full access to The Weir bistro remains and there is still a public footpath for walkers running from The Weir's driveway to Widemouth Bay.