New coastal additions bring science, heritage and community together along Bude canal

A number of exciting new additions have appeared along the canal in recent days, offering both locals and visitors new ways to enjoy Bude’s unique coastal environment. Two of the most eye‑catching features are the newly installed Coast Snaps cradles - simple but powerful tools that invite everyone to take part in monitoring our changing shoreline.

Citizen Science in Action
The Coast Snaps cradles are specially designed posts fitted with secure smartphone holders. By placing a phone in the cradle, taking a photo, and sharing it as instructed on the signage, members of the public can contribute directly to monitoring changes on the coast.


Each image captures a consistent viewpoint, creating a long‑term visual record of how the coastline evolves. With enough photos taken across different tidal stages and weather conditions, researchers can link erosion and accretion events to storms, seasonal changes, and other environmental factors. These community‑generated images help local authorities, organisations, and coastal managers make informed decisions about how best to protect and care for our beaches.

Deputy Mayor for Bude-Stratton Town Council, Cllr Herbert‑Coulson, who championed the idea of installing Coast Snaps cradles along the canal, said:

“I am delighted that the Future Coast Bude project have been able to fund two new ‘Coast Snaps’ sites in Bude. The photos collected through this innovative citizen science initiative will help the project monitor how the sand dune changes over time, as well as the changes to the river. It turns out they are also very good for holding a phone for a family photo!”

The new cradles can be found halfway along the sand rails path and near the lock, making them easy to spot during a walk.

Honouring heritage with new granite sett benches

Alongside one of the Coast Snaps cradles sits another welcome addition: a beautifully crafted new bench. This is one of two benches created using historic granite setts unearthed during the sand rails restoration work in 2025.

Phil Wooster, Project Manager from Cormac explained:

“Having been very involved in the project to re‑open the sand rails access way to the beach, I know how important it is to the people of Bude for us to preserve its heritage. These two new benches use the granite setts that were unable to be repositioned into the walkway, and allow them to be on display, in the location they were found.”


The benches are designed to be used from either direction—perfect for watching the RNLI trial boat on the river or simply taking in the scenery. Their solid oak seating echoes the look of traditional railway sleepers, helping them blend naturally into the historic setting.

The siting of the benches was informed by Active8, who advised that the midpoint of the upper path was an ideal rest spot and would be especially helpful for those who may need to pause during their walk.

We hope that both the benches and the Coast Snaps cradles can be enjoyed for many years to come.

The project would like to say a big thank you to Evie from the Youth Board, for taking some beautiful photos on a spectacular morning in Bude.
Categories: Sand Rails Access Work Update
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