Widemouth Bay
North Cornwall's most exposed corner — heavy Atlantic beach break with the road running along the back of the beach.
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● Spot · shaded: the wind directions that work here. It is not a riding area or a permitted kite zone. Two fingers to move the map.
Location & launch
Know before you go.
- Launch
- Open sand and shingle south of Bude, with a road running along the back of the beach.
- Wind
- S · SSW · SW · WSW · W · WNW · NW · NNW · N winds work here.
The shaded area shows the wind directions recorded as working here. It is not a permitted kite zone or a safe launch boundary. Check local signs.
Local rules, hazards & spot guide
Need to know
The things that catch people out here.
- Fully Atlantic-exposed. On a big day this is a serious piece of water.
- Rock reef at both ends of the bay, exposed and sharp at low tide.
- The road runs right along the back of the beach, which makes access unusually easy for North Cornwall.
- Summerleaze at Bude, a few minutes north, has a sea pool and more shelter if Widemouth is out of hand.
Conditions
- Best
- Works
- Offshore
- Works in
- S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW, N
- Best in
- SSW, SW, WSW
- Offshore (careful)
- NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE
- Wind quality
- moderate
- Water
- Waves
- Depth
- mixed
- Best tide
- Low to mid
- Spring range
- 7.3 m
- Beginner
- Not suitable
- Intermediate
- Good
- Advanced
- Ideal
Hazards
Most serious first. The level is in words as well as colour.
- high
rocks Extensive rock reef exposed at low water at both ends of the bay.
- high
current Powerful Atlantic rips.
- high
shore break Heavy beach break on a decent swell.
Access & rules
- Launch
- Open sand and shingle south of Bude, with a road running along the back of the beach.
- Permit
- Not required
- Insurance
- Third-party liability expected
- Tuition
- Permitted
- Facilities
- toilets, cafe, shop
Parking
- Widemouth Bay car parks
paid
Seasonal restrictions
- May–Sep
RNLI bathing and surfing zones in season.
Safety
Who is around if it goes wrong. None of it makes the water safe.
- Lifeguards
- Seasonal RNLI cover.
- RNLI
- Bude RNLI
- Nearest A&E
- North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple (~60 min)
- Water quality
- Designated bathing water — excellent
The spot
Widemouth Bay sits just south of Bude on Cornwall's most exposed stretch of coast. It takes the full Atlantic swell, produces a heavy beach break, and carries powerful rips. On a big day it is a serious piece of water.
What makes it unusually practical is the access: the road runs right along the back of the beach, so the walk with kit is short. Rock reef is exposed at both ends of the bay at low water. If it is too big, Summerleaze at Bude a few minutes north offers more shelter and a sea pool.
Sources
Where this record came from, and how confident we are in it.
- Into Cornwall — kitesurfing guide
Checked 2026-09-07 · conditions
- Kiteforum spot guide — Widemouth Bay
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- UK Windsurfing beach guide — Widemouth Bay
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- Kite & Windsurfing Guide — Widemouth Bay
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
Verify locally. Coordinates 50.7899, -4.5546. Conditions, access arrangements and beach rules change; check them on the day before you rely on anything on this page.