Checking out Bodhi's Surf Bar, May 2023
“Little hand says it’s time to rock and roll”
I’ve been lucky again this year, to make multiple trips down to my favourite North Devon location, and earlier this year during the month of May, I was graced with some awesome UK weather which allowed time for lots of coastal walks, exploring and photography time. I do love these trips, they allow me to capture the details and beautiful light that often present themselves for people that know, within this amazing Devon microclimate.
Walks to Baggy Point, Saunton Sands, Woolacome, and around the village and beach were all on the agenda, and subsequently all ticked off the list. I had my trusty Canon R6 and Fujifilm X100V with me to document these walks and events that were in front of me.
I will document and post more of what I captured in a forthcoming post, but for now I wanted to focus on a new business and bar that had literally launched the week we were there.
Bodhi’s Surf Bar is the brainchild of Chris, a great local guy, who had dreamed of opening his own bar for a long time. He thought it would be something that would happen further down the line, but when the opportunity arose, he and his partner Vicky jumped at the chance.
With an extremely strong and pleasing brand and a name taken from Chris’ love for the film Point Break and all things surfing, Bodhi’s was subsequently born. It is situated in the most amazing location, and even by other Croyde bars and pubs, this is quite possibly the best! Situated at just off the B3231 / Croyde Road at Downend, Bodhi’s looks straight out over the Bay and the rolling waves beyond. It is the perfect location to drop in on, after a long walk, surf or to finish up your evening and enjoy the awesome sunsets that regularly grace this coastline.
When you combine Bodhi’s with the beach cafe street food vendor that serve the most amazing curries you are on to a winner.
Cocktails are Bodhi’s main stay, with fresh and new recipes appearing on their menu and socials. They also serve local beers, brews and ciders, but the emphasis is on fresh and natural ingredients and products for their cocktails, which is what makes them so special. On this occasion myself and my brother Rob had just got back from a long walk to Saunton Sands and decided to pop in and check it out. After having a great chat with Chris and a few beers later, I decided to take some photo’s to document my visit.
Using my Canon R6 coupled with the impressive RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens and then switching to the EF adapted 70-300mm F4-5.6 L IS USM Series lens, allowed for a nice mix of tight and wider shots. Hopefully through the photo’s you get an idea of the fantastic location, and the style, ambience and atmosphere that is on offer, although when the photo’s were taken, they had literally been open a week, so it was early in the season and relatively quiet. This has definitely changed since with the bar having become a very popular place for surfers, locals and visitors to visit.
With another trip to Croyde made last weekend, we managed to call in and catch up with Bodhi’s over a beer on the Friday night, and it was great to visit one more time in September before the end of the season.
If you are visiting North Devon, I can’t recommend Bodhi’s enough, who offer a perfect mix of ocean views, beers, cocktails and sunsets. Go and check them out.
and on instagram follow: @bodhiscroyde
Thanks for taking the time to read my latest blog, and if you have enjoyed it, please feel free to leave a like or comment, which are always much appreciated. Bodhi’s have gained a huge following and become super popular over the last few months, and rightly so, it was nice to witness the beginning…
Adios amigo.