Nearest train station: Bodmin Parkway/Okehampton
We love a good tidal pool here at Really Wild Swimming, and we’re looking enough to have the UK’s largest tidal pool, Walpole Bay Lido, right on our doorstep.
The UK has plenty of tidal pools around its shores however, and if you happen to be visiting Cornwall and are looking for a wild swimming spot by the sea, then definitely check out Bude Sea Pool.
Built in 1930, Bude Sea Pool is a semi-natural tidal pool that is totally free for visitors to use. It is filled twice a day as high tide emerges and is easily accessible via ladders and a ramp. This end of the Cornish coast is very popular with surfers, with the Bude Sea Pool providing a safe respite to sea swim away from such hazards.
Given the warmth of the Atlantic Ocean carrying on into the autumn, a visit to Bude Sea Pool is highly recommended outside the busy Cornwall summer period. Consider wearing a good swimming wetsuit autumn through to spring however.
How to Get to Bude Sea Pool
We’ve provided detailed instructions on how to get to this beautiful tidal pool in Cornwall by various means of transport below, as well as general travel information nearby.
By car
The best way to get to Bude is by car.
Enter the postcode EX23 8HJ into your sat nav, which will take you to the main car park in Bude. This may get busy during the summer, so it may be worth looking at some of the other parking spots in Bude (of which there are several).
By public transport
The nearest train station is technically Okehampton, however the better-served Bodmin Parkway is likely your route in by train if you’re coming from elsewhere in Cornwall. However, this will only send you in the direction of Plymouth, which is out of the way somewhat.
If you’re coming eastward, then the most likely route is via Plymouth, however bus routes from Plymouth into Bude take well over two hours.
As such, it’s recommended to get to Bude by car.
By bike
There are some great cycle routes around Bude that take you around the various towns, beaches and farms in the surrounding area. This route is a particular favourite of ours, and allows you to do a loop heading south from Bude into Northcott.
Why not end your ride with a refreshing jump in the Bude Sea Pool afterwards?
What else is nearby Bude Sea Pool
This entire section of the Cornish coast has plenty on offer to explore in the form of costal walks and additional top-class beaches to swim in.
Head further down the coast and you’ll come across another beautiful sea pool in the form of Trevone Sea Pool.
Crooklets Beach to the north is a stone’s throw away, and leads you into the gateway of the stunning Hartland Cornwall Heritage Coast.