North coast beach
Widemouth Bay: dogs, parking and water quality
Photograph to come Widemouth Bay, Cornwall.50.793° N, 4.558° W
The essentials for Widemouth Bay on Cornwall’s north coast: the council’s dog rules, the nearest council car parks and the Environment Agency’s water quality ratings, each linked to its source.
- Dogs
- No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 SeptemberThe council’s rules in full
- Water quality 2025
- ExcellentEnvironment Agency rating
- Council parking
- Widemouth Bay, BudeEX23 0AW · 100 m (0.1 miles) away · all nearby
- Lifeguards
- Check the RNLI finderSeason mainly May to September, varies by beach (Cornwall Council)
- Nearest station
- Gunnislake station38.9 km (24.2 miles) in a straight line · by train
- Nearest town
- Bude3.6 km (2.2 miles) away
Dogs on Widemouth Bay
Dogs are not allowed on Widemouth Bay 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September. Cornwall Council lists it as “Widemouth Beach, Bude”. The council publishes a map of the restricted area (PDF).
Outside those dates and times the council restriction does not apply, but signs on the beach and Cornwall’s other dog orders (such as picking up after your dog) still do. The council says breaking a dog order can lead to a £100 fixed penalty notice (council penalties page).
Parking near Widemouth Bay
Cornwall Council car parks within about 1.5 km of the Environment Agency’s sampling point for Widemouth Bay, nearest first. Distances are straight-line estimates from our own calculation, not walking routes.
| Council car park | Postcode | Distance (straight line) | Spaces | Open | Council page updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widemouth Bay, Bude | EX23 0AW | 100 m (0.1 miles) | 560 | 24 hours | 22 July 2026 |
| Viewing Point South, Widemouth Bay | EX23 0AW | 850 m (0.5 miles) | 12 | 24 hours | 25 June 2026 |
Parking near many Cornish beaches is run by the National Trust, parish councils or private owners. We have not checked those yet, so they are not listed. Charges change, so we do not quote prices: each council page has current tariffs. All Cornwall Council car parks.
Water quality at Widemouth Bay
The Environment Agency rated Widemouth Bay Excellent in its 2025 classification. Ratings for the last four years:
| Bathing water | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Widemouth Sand | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
The 2026 bathing season ran from 15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026, with 20 samples planned at Widemouth Sand.
- Widemouth Sand: no daily pollution risk forecasts are made here. The EA says a warning would still be issued if a pollution incident happened.
Streams and run-off at Widemouth Sand (EA profile)
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. There is a very small stream flowing onto Widemouth Sand from Widemouth Bay village which can affect water quality after heavy rainfall.
Seaweed at Widemouth Sand (EA profile)
For the four year (2022-2025) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was not assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable, but was observed as being present on 76% of visits. The bathing water can become covered with large amounts of seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed, but that it can occur in noticeable quantities from time to time.
Source: Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. See every Cornish bathing water rating.
About Widemouth Bay
The Environment Agency describes the bathing water like this:
Widemouth Sand is on the north coast of Cornwall. It is a large sandy beach resort, approximately 560 metres wide, backed by low cliffs. There are rock pools and a small stream that flows onto the beach.
Quoted from the Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. Beach material recorded by the EA: rock, sand. Designated as a bathing water in 1988.
Safety and tides
Whether a lifeguard is on duty depends on the beach and the date. Cornwall Council says the RNLI’s main lifeguard season runs from May to September and varies from beach to beach, so check the RNLI’s lifeguarded beach finder before you go. We do not list lifeguard dates until we can check them.
The council points visitors to BBC tide tables for tide times. In an emergency at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard (HM Coastguard). More in our beach safety guide.
Getting to Widemouth Bay by train
The nearest National Rail station to the Environment Agency’s sampling point for Widemouth Bay is Gunnislake, about 38.9 km (24.2 miles) away in a straight line. You would need a bus, taxi, bike or a long walk from there. The three nearest stations:
| Station | Distance (straight line) |
|---|---|
| Gunnislake station | 38.9 km (24.2 miles) |
| Liskeard station | 39.0 km (24.2 miles) |
| Coombe Junction Halt station | 39.1 km (24.3 miles) |
Straight-line distance, our own calculation from OpenStreetMap station locations (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). It is not a walking or road route. Station links go to National Rail for times and facilities. See beaches near a railway station.
Where is Widemouth Bay?
Nearby beaches
- Summerleaze4.3 km (2.6 miles) away · Dogs on leads 10am–6pm, 21 May – 30 September · water Excellent
- Crooklets4.8 km (3.0 miles) away · No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September · water Excellent
- Northcott Mouth6.1 km (3.8 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Sandymouth7.5 km (4.7 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
Photos
Quick answers
Are dogs allowed on Widemouth Bay?
No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September, under Cornwall Council’s dog orders. Outside those times the council restriction does not apply, but check signs on the beach.
Is the water clean at Widemouth Bay?
The Environment Agency rated Widemouth Bay Excellent in 2025. During the bathing season (15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026 in 2026) it publishes sample results online.
Where can I park for Widemouth Bay?
The nearest Cornwall Council car park we found is Widemouth Bay, Bude (EX23 0AW), about 100 m (0.1 miles) away in a straight line. Check the council page for charges.
What is the nearest railway station to Widemouth Bay?
The nearest National Rail station is Gunnislake, about 38.9 km (24.2 miles) away in a straight line (our calculation from OpenStreetMap data).
Sources and checks
- Cornwall Council: dogs on beaches – page last updated 23 October 2026, checked 1 November 2026
- Environment Agency: Widemouth Sand bathing water profile – checked 1 November 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0
- Cornwall Council car park: Widemouth Bay, Bude – page last updated 22 July 2026
- Cornwall Council car park: Viewing Point South, Widemouth Bay – page last updated 25 June 2026
- Cornwall Council: beach safety – page last updated 1 April 2026
- OpenStreetMap: railway station locations – ODbL; distances are our own calculation
Last checked: . Published by Oaknest Media. How we check: editorial policy.