Whether you’ve always wanted to give surfing a try or you’re an experienced surfer looking for some incredible waves, Cornwall is the place to go. The 422 miles of coast, the longest county coastline in the UK, offer some spectacular beaches with just the right environmental and geographical qualities to make them some of the best beaches in the UK to surf.
In this post, we’re talking all things surfing on the northern coast of Cornwall, which we call home. From what makes Cornwall’s waves the biggest to the best beaches for beginners, we’ve covered it all in our surfing guide.
Why is Cornwall so good for surfing?
Thanks to its complete exposure to the Atlantic Ocean, Cornwall is lucky to experience consistent, powerful swells. A swell is the name given to waves that are generated by energy beneath the surface of the ocean, started by faraway wind sources and sustaining their form. These are different to the typical waves you see cresting on beaches, which are generated by local winds.
As Cornwall (specifically the northern coast) has nothing to block waters travelling to it from long distances, it experiences the results of these large swells, created by far-off Atlantic storms and winds. This is what gives us such fantastic waves that reach amazing heights consistently, making Cornwall a truly brilliant place to surf.
If you’re wondering which is the best side of Cornwall to surf, or where to find the biggest waves in Cornwall, stick to the exposed north coast. This is where you’ll find the best waves, best surf schools, and best surfing experience, no matter your level. For those wanting to stick to just the beginner waves, the south coast is still an excellent option. It doesn’t get the same strong winds as the north, which can result in broken waves.
The best beaches for surfing in North Cornwall
We’ve put together a list of the best beaches to surf in North Cornwall according to local experts and surfing enthusiasts.
Fistral Beach, Newquay
Why is Newquay so good for surfing? The consistent waves, diverse surfing skill level spots, and incredible section of exposed coastline. Thought of as the surf capital of the UK, Newquay brings surfers from all over the world of varying skill levels, with different beaches and coastal stretches suiting all manner of surfing talents. Because of this draw, Newquay town provides everything a surfer wants and needs to create the perfect surfing experience.
Fistral Beach is one of the best beaches for surfing in Cornwall, thanks to its golden sands, beautiful landscape, annual surfing events and competitions, and consistent swells. The conditions here are ideal for beginners and more experienced surfers alike at different points along the coast, and for spectators, who can sit along the dunes or in one of the bars overlooking the water.
Beginners should head east of Fistral Beach to the Towan Beach section, just a 15-minute walk away through the town. This beach experiences more gentle waves, perfect for really getting to grips with the sport.
Watergate Bay, Newquay
An excellent beach for surfing, Watergate Bay is sheltered by cliffs to keep the wind away from the fantastic high-tide waves found there. This sandy beach is truly made for beginners in summer, when the waves are less susceptible to closeouts, which is when a wave breaks all along its length at the same time, parallel to the coastline, making it fairly unrideable. The beach provides waves for all skill levels, especially between September and November when the larger waves hit.
Polzeath Beach, Polzeath
Polzeath Beach is the surfing hub for beginners, boasting surf schools and easy, approachable waves to ride. You won’t find too many wave walls here, so the beach tends to be full of those starting their surfing journey. Watch out for the flying boards of those falling! We recommend heading here outside of winter for the best beginner waves. Polzeath Beach is also an excellent place to simply spend the day in the sun and sand, and it’s one of the best beaches for rockpooling, too.
Constantine Bay, Padstow
This picturesque bay is a beautiful spot for experienced surfers looking for strong rips to help them paddle out past breaking waves. Widely acknowledged as one of the best beaches for surfing in Cornwall, with its consistent top-notch waves and sandy beach, Constantine Bay provides for skilled surfers. It’s recommended that those who don’t have much surfing experience avoid taking on these waves due to hidden rocks and strong rip currents.
Summerleaze Beach, Bude
This lovely beach features golden sands and sloping dunes, as well as the Bude sea pool, a sectioned-off pool of seawater filled when the tide is in. This beach has a smaller swell during high tide, making it great for learners and beginners, but during low tide, the waves can be steeper, which are ideal for shortboard surfers.
Crooklets Beach, Bude
For high, powerful waves, Crooklets is the beach for you. There’s always a wave to ride in the waters here, thanks to the consistent swells, but they’re definitely more challenging, so it’s a better spot for the more experienced surfers. High tide can even beckon hollow waves, a major draw for avid surfers in Cornwall and beyond.
Gwithian Beach, Gwithian
This long beach has plenty of space to roam and relax while the surfing beginners spend time on the water. The waves vary in size along the beach, offering variety, and can even get fairly steep and hollow to give the more experienced surfers a bit of fun.
Perranporth Beach, Perranporth
This is a beach best enjoyed in spring, summer, and autumn, as winter can be a little rough on its waters because of how openly exposed it is to the Atlantic. This exposure breaks the waves when heavy winds are present, so leave this off your winter surf list. Fortunately, the swells are great in summer, giving you some fantastic waves to ride while the Cornish sun shines down.
The best time to surf in Cornwall
Can you surf all year round in Cornwall? This is a question often asked by those just starting out with surfing or coming from outside of the county. Thanks to the deep Atlantic waters surrounding Cornwall and its exposed position, we’re blessed with powerful swells all year round. Waves have the chance to build up and grow on their way to the coastline, especially in the North, which is what gives Cornwall such big, beautiful, and consistent waves to surf on.
The best time of year to surf in Cornwall depends on what you’re looking for and how skilled you are. If you’re after big waves and you’re at a higher skill level, then the fierce swells of winter are a must for your surfing trip. We’d highly recommend a winter trip to Cornwall in general to enjoy the county without summer crowds.
Autumn is broadly thought of as the best time to surf in Cornwall, with the Atlantic swells starting to build as winter nears, while the water retains some of its summer warmth. Spring and summer still boast great waves, just at a more tame level. Beginners may find they prefer the warmer seasons to hit the waves.
Where to get your surfing gear
These are just some of the top-rated surf stores in North Cornwall, all boasting fantastic reviews from visitors and locals alike. You’ll find wetsuits for sale at all of them, with many selling boards, accessories, equipment, and surf fashion too. All of these surf shops also offer wetsuits and equipment hire if you’d rather not purchase your surfing gear. Each one is situated on some of North Cornwall’s best surfing beaches.
- Zuma Jay Surf Shop, Bude
- North Coast Wetsuits, St Endellion near Port Isaac
- Sunset Surf Newquay, Newquay
- Seven Bays Surf, St Merryn near Padstow
- Constantine Bay Surf Store
- Bathsheba Surf, Perranporth
As Cornwall is so popular for surfing, you won’t find many spots that don’t have a relaxed and laidback surf shop just around the corner. For delivery straight to your accommodation (perfect for those who have travelled to Cornwall on public transport and plan on sticking to where they can walk), look up Just Surf. These guys will deliver your hired equipment and gear straight to where you’re staying, and will even pick it up again after.
Where to stay on your north Cornwall surfing trip
We here at CRW call North Cornwall home, and we’re proud to offer a wide selection of beautiful homes along this stunning coastline. Discover properties near brilliant surfing beaches like Constantine Bay and Polzeath Beach in our holiday homes page and find the perfect place for you to rest your head after a day on the waves.
