Sunday, 21 February 2010
Otter Sightings
There has been great excitement in Bude recently, as many sightings of otters in the canal have been reported.
It is understood that there is a family of three.
Most of the sightings have been at the Rodd's Bridge end of the canal.
A kingfisher has also been spotted early in the morning.
Wednesday, 02 January 2008
Bude Canal Project
Bude canal is undergoing a £3.8 million facelift which will improve the canal for the benefit of all. The works include towpath improvements, dredging, lock gate restoration, the creation of a canal interpretation centre, workshops, office space and much more. Work on the lower basin has already been completed so will not affect any of the properties adjacent to the canal at that point.
In 1998, a canal partnership was set up to actively pursue the regeneration of the Bude Canal. The idea was to set up a group to explore the possibility of the restoration of the Barge Canal from Bude to Helebridge, nr, Marhamchurch, a distance of 2 miles. This will require the dredging and restoration of banks etc, the re-instatement of the 2 inland locks and the reconnection of the existing canal to Helebridge Basin, which is the terminus of the Barge Canal.
Funding has been achieved that will also see a 20 mile circular walk, extend the Tamar Way from Launceston to Tamar Lake, completing the route from Plymouth and create 3 short circular walks in the Holsworthy area, using sections of the canal in that area.
For more information on the canal please visit: www.bude-canal.co.uk
Tuesday, 06 November 2007
Bude Lifeboat Day
Every August Bank Holiday, Bude Lifeboat Day kicks off to a great start with a Search and Rescue demonstration involving the Lifeboat, Bude Coastguard and Sea King helicopter from RAF Chivenor, watched by hundreds of people on Summerleaze Downs.
The day includes a Sand & Culn fund run, canoe polo on the canal, pasty competition, Hog roast, Treasure Hunt, cream teas and The Grand Firework display from the Castle grounds in the evening.
There is live music throughout the day which usually includes the Lifeboat Singers, Friggin' Riggin', A Bit O' Luck, Bude Metric Brass, The Bideford Youth Pipe Band and Atlantic Highway.
This is a really fun, family day and is a great fundraiser for the RNLI; an organization that is so important to coastal resorts and now provides Lifeguard cover on the beaches throughout the country.
Tuesday, 06 November 2007
Rescue 2010 Lifesaving World Championships Awarded to Britain
Great Britain has won the bid to host the Rescue 2010 Lifesaving World Championships at the world famous Fistral surfing beach in Newquay, Cornwall. Speaking at Fistral Beach, Cornwall Jonathan Ball, President of Surf Life Saving Great Britain and Chairman of the British bid team said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Britain and the result of a lot of hard work by a top class project team.
Andrew Freemantle, Chief Executive of the RNLI said: “The award of Rescue 2010 to Britain will encourage the development of Britain’s swimmers and promote water sports amongst the wider population, and young people in particular, as part of a healthy lifestyle. Volunteer lifeguards are essential to our plans to double the size of our lifeguard operations in the next five years. These championships will give a huge impetus to our strategic partnership with SLSGB to develop volunteer lifeguards on our beaches.”
Lord Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “When we won the bid to bring the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to London, we hoped our success would lead to more top sporting events coming to the UK. This is a very good example – many congratulations to all involved.”
6,000 competitors and officials from the life saving national teams and clubs of 55 nations are expected to attend – greater competitor numbers than the Commonwealth Games. More than 120 individual and team events in surf and pool will be held at Newquay over two weeks in June and July in 2010. The opening ceremony will take place at the Eden Project in St Austell, Cornwall.
For more information please email info@rescue2010.co.uk
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
The Castle Restaurant – Bude Castle
Whilst staying with us we thought you might like to know Bude’s latest restaurant. The Castle Restaurant opened recently to wide acclaim and is to be found in the newly refurbished Bude Castle.
Owned and run by Kit Davis, chef patron, and his wife Katie, they have created a stylish and informal restaurant with superb views over Summerleze beach and the breakwater. Double doors open on to a paved terrace where you can unwind, relax and enjoy a simple cup of coffee or a full meal.
Kit is a local Bude man, and after moving to London as a teenager to learn his trade he has worked with such luminaries as Sir Terence Conran at Bibendum, in Notting Hill at the renowned Ladbroke Arms and Cotto, Olympia.
More recently Kit and Katie decided to return to Bude and have run very successfully Scrummies restaurant in the town followed by a move to the Bush Inn at Morwenstow. When the opportunity of opening the new Castle Restaurant appeared they could not resist the challenge.
The menus at the Castle Restaurant change regularly; only the freshest seasonal vegetables and locally sourced products are used where possible. Rather than use bottled mineral water the restaurant offers its own Dowr (Cornish for water) bottled still water, sponsored by Breakwater Holidays.
The restaurant is open for morning coffee from 10am and lunch is served from noon to 2.30pm for those wanting a light lunch; a full lunch menu is also available. Dinner is served from 6pm to 9.30pm – closed on Sunday evenings. Sunday lunch is served from noon to 3.30pm offering Kit’s gourmet version of a traditional Sunday roast.
This week’s menu included starters of Avruga caviar with crepe parmentier, crème fraiche and chives (£7), Pan-fried scallops with parsnips, rocket and 8 year old balsamic (£6.50). Mains included 10oz sirloin steak with red onion rings, wild mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil and thin fries (£15) and roasted organic salmon with olive oil mash, French beans and fish cream (£14).
A not to be missed Boca negra with crème fraiche (£5) or the excellent Somerset Gold cheese with chutney and crackers (£5.50) complements the main meal superbly.
An excellent local restaurant that is sure to receive rave reviews and enthusiastic support. Children are very welcome and can be served with smaller portions of all dishes. Please ensure you book first as tables are going very fast – 01288 350543. Being so new the necessary machine for taking credit and debit cards has not arrived so payment needs to be made either with cash or cheque for the time being.