Len Goodman visits Broomhill Manor with Jake Wood to recapture a memorable childhood holiday, for Holiday of My Lifetime on BBC One!
Who’d have thought that a childhood visit to Bude in 1980 for the then 8 year old Jake Wood, would have made such an impression on him!
Len helped Jake recreate his childhood – starting with a coach journey in a vintage coach and arriving at the beautiful, sandy and unchanged Summerleaze beach! He even arranged for his old headmaster, the man who brought Jake to Bude originally, to be waiting for him at the beach!
They recalled all the highlights of the trip – including a visit to Broomhill Manor Stables – although Jake took a rain check on actually getting on a horse! On his original visit he was taken riding on the beach as a novice 8 year old boy and unsurprisingly came a cropper – where was health and safety in 1980?!! Understandably it put him off and he’s not been back on a horse since!
Here’s Len’s Seven – his top tips of things to do when you holiday in Bude for a special treat for every day of the week!
Enjoy a Cornish Pasty – as you would expect there are many opportunities to try this excellent local fayre – in fact this Saturday is the annual World Pasty Championships held at the Eden Project on St Piran’s Day – 5th March, with live music and entertainment from the Fisherman’s Friends, Seth Lakeman and Kernow King… and of course, lots of pasties!
Visit the Gnome Reserve – for a charming, if not slightly eccentric day out, visit the Gnome Reserve at Holsworthy just a few miles away, home to the largest collection of gnomes dotted around the 4 acre nature reserve and arranged in charming feature settings. You are even encouraged to wear a gnome hat of your own so you can really get in the mood! There’s also a picnic area where you can enjoy locally made cakes, sandwiches and ice creams from the Gnome Kitchen!
Ride out from Broomhill Manor Stables – unlike the early 80’s there is now a much greater emphasis on health and safety – not always a welcome addition in all areas, but certainly a good idea if you have never been on a horse before! At Broomhill Manor Stables, Helen caters for all ages and levels of experience and makes sure she matches the rider to the right horse. Beach rides are available – but only for the experienced rider!
Rent a Beach Hut – the Beach Huts at Summerleaze and Crooklets beaches are as much a part of Bude as is the fabulous coastline! The Beach Huts were even featured on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway last Saturday as one of their secret sofa locations! And this year you will be in for an even bigger treat, as they are all rebuilt for the 2016 season – many are already available providing a great base from which to enjoy your beach holiday and Bude’s famous Sea Pool. Book a Beach Hut via Visit Bude – for the inside track on local tourist information!
Go rock climbing – the rock formations and geology of Bude are fascinating and there are several local specialists that offer abseiling and rock climbing in Bude, including Shoreline Extreme Sports. Or if like Len, you prefer to appreciate the cliff face with your feet firmly on the ground, Dr Roger Higgs is an expert on Bude’s rock formations and runs regular guided tours starting at Bude’s Tourist Information Centre!
Hire a Horse and Carriage – if you are unfamiliar with Bude or want to see the town from a different perspective, how about a ride around the town in a traditional carriage. The tour starts at Bude Castle, travels sedately past a local coaching inn and features the Canal with its lovely waterside and coastal views before dropping you back at the Castle’s Limelight Café!
Taste the mystique of Cornwall – located high up on the wild Bodmin Moor, is Jamaica Inn. Built in 1750 as a Coaching Inn, it soon became known as a smugglers retreat for locally plundered contraband and was the inspiration for Daphne du Maurier’s famous tale of smugglers, rogues and pirates. Daphne took refuge there in 1930, having lost her way in a thick mist that came down as she was out riding on the moors. Just 30 minutes away by car, you can re-live the experience – there is also a Du Maurier museum there!
So there you have it – Len’s Seven – and that’s without even mentioning the enormous knickerbocker glory of local ice cream that Len and Jake each enjoyed as they recalled the favourite bits of their holiday in Bude!
If you are planning a holiday in Cornwall currently, I would highly recommend checking out Jake Wood’s Holiday of My Lifetime – it aired on BBC One on 29/2/16 and is available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days.
See the show for yourself on demand on BBC iPlayer – Episode 21, Series 2 – My Holiday of a Lifetime with Jake Wood
#WeAreBude #holidayofmylifetime
