Home · Blog · Bude Guide
Local Know-How

Best Sunset Spots in Bude: Compass Point and the Sea Pool

2026-08-26·Bude

Short answer: Compass Point, the octagonal folly on the cliff above Summerleaze, is the best view in Bude and it's free. Summerleaze Beach and the sea pool are the easy alternative if the climb doesn't appeal.

Bude has an unobstructed western horizon, which makes for genuinely dramatic sunsets on a clear evening.

Compass Point

The octagonal stone folly on the cliff above Summerleaze — a short climb, free, and the best vantage point in town by a clear margin.

Summerleaze Beach and the sea pool

Flat, easy access and a genuinely lovely spot as the light goes, with the tidal pool in the foreground. The easy option if the climb to Compass Point doesn't suit.

Crooklets

Slightly further from the centre and correspondingly quieter, with the beach café nearby for a drink beforehand.

The Bude Canal

Flat, accessible, and a different kind of view — reflections on still water rather than open sea. Good if the wind is up.

A note on the weather

Bude's exposure is what makes the sunsets good and also what makes it cold. Take a layer more than you think you need.

The walk up to Compass Point

It's a genuine climb from Summerleaze, on grass that gets slippery when wet. Fine in trainers in dry weather; less pleasant in the dark on the way back down, so take a torch if you're staying for the last of the light.

Bude sunsets, at a glance

See the full Bude guide, filtered by who's with you.

Plan your day near Bude →