Surfing in Cornwall

Best Surfing Beaches in Cornwall

You don’t have to travel far in Cornwall to get your surfing fix in one of the county's beautiful beaches and coves. Although the North Coast tends to dominate, there are plenty of great places on the…

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Best surfing beaches in Newquay for beginners

Whether you’re new to the sport or consider yourself a wave warrior, arguably Cornwall’s best surfing beaches are found in Newquay. A hotspot famed for its surfing credentials, whether you’re looking…

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Big Blue Surf School, Bude

Known by locals for its excellent coaching with barrel loads of fun, Big Blue Surf School is found based in their mobile surf unit in the car park at the popular Summerleaze Beach. Over 15 years, o…

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Black Rock Beach, Widemouth Bay

Black Rock is a west-facing beach at the rockier, southern end of Widemouth Bay, Bude, with its own car park and café. It is generally quieter than the main beach at the bay. The fabulous news? It…

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Booby’s Bay, Padstow

You are bound to wonder from where the curiously-named Booby's Beach the beach got its name, and may be surprised that it comes from a gannet-like bird called the booby. Some suggest it may come from…

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Chapel Porth Beach

National Trust-owned, Chapel Porth on the North Cornwall Coast, perhaps most notably, has the dramatic ruins of the famous Wheal Coates engine house overlooking the beach. As one of the most expose…

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Constantine Bay Beach, near Padstow

Three miles west of Padstow is the wonderful Constantine Bay. Neighbouring the humorously-named Booby’s Bay, but separated by a thin rocky point. Constantine Bay is backed by a cluster of grassy sand…

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Cornish Surfing Surf School

Cornish Surfing is a great way to begin your surfing odyssey, providing surf lessons at one of Cornwall’s best surfing spots... Polzeath Beach. Gain the essential skills of catching waves, paddling ou…

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Crackington Haven Beach

Crackington Haven is a lovely shingle cove in a tiny coastal village, with golden sands and rock pools when the tide is out. Now a proud recipient of a Seaside Award, it was originally a small port fo…

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Crooklets Beach, Bude

Bude's town beach, Crooklets Beach has a bit of everything; popular with surfers, it’s more pebbled at the top end, but there’s plenty rock pools for young explorers to discover and a large stretch of…

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Daymer Bay Beach

This splendid beach offers a long stretch of golden sand at low tide, backed by suntrap dunes and scenic views across the Camel Estuary. There is parking, via narrow roads. The car park also has gr…

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Escape Surf School, Newquay

For a specialist open ‘all-year-round’ surf school, especially suitable for those serious about the sport, but also for anyone keen to take to the waves, surfing is king here. Escape is small but s…

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Fistral Beach, Newquay

An iconic tourist hotspot renowned for surfing, Newquay's Fistral Beach has wonderful big, wild waves and is a centre for many surfing competitions such as the high profile Boardmasters which attracts…

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Great Western Beach, Newquay

Named after Great Western Railway which ran a very popular service to Newquay between 1876 and 1960, this centrally-located beach is a privately-managed but is open to all. Lifeguarded from May unt…

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Gunwalloe Beach

Gunwalloe is one of those beaches that gives you loads for very little effort: a handy car park close by, two very different coves to explore, and a big open feel that works in almost any season. It’s…

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Harlyn Bay Beach, Padstow

Just under three miles west of Padstow is epic Harlyn Bay. At low tide it's a wide stretch of sand – with a few pebbles in the mix too – backed by dunes. Rock-pooling enthusiasts are well catered for…

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Harlyn Surf School, Padstow

Slightly off the beaten track, away from the crowds on a beautiful sheltered sandy stretch (also fabulous for just relaxing) Harlyn Surf School is near Padstow at Harlyn Beach. Led by Chris Rea, you a…

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Holywell Bay Beach, near Newquay

Owned by the National Trust, Holywell Bay boasts a gorgeous sweep of golden sand. Lesser known than its neighbours Perranporth and Newquay, Holywell and the surrounding coast offers you a haven of bea…

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Lusty Glaze Beach, Newquay

Crowned Beach of the Year 2017 by the The Sunday Times in 2017, there’s a lot to love about Lusty Glaze, beyond its fun and fancy name. While it’s a privately-owned beach it has full public access.…

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Mawgan Porth Beach

Just four-miles from vibrant Newquay is a quieter spot, Mawgan Porth, with its own beautiful ‘Sunday Times award-winning’ beach. In contrast to the huge, rugged north Cornwall cliffs, this gently s…

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Mother Ivey’s Bay Beach, near Padstow

Protected from the wind by the rocks and tucked behind Trevose Head, Mother Ivey’s Bay on the North Coast lies in a sheltered location framed by stunning coastal scenery. This soft sandy beach is much…

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Northcott Mouth Beach, Bude

The next beach on from Bude’s Crooklets Beach, Northcott Mouth is National Trust owned, dog-friendly beach. As it’s away from the town centre a little quieter than its neighbours and can feel like a s…

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OA Surf Club, Bude

OA Surf Club is a surfing and coasteering school offering accommodation for surfers and non surfers at Atlantic Court, building on the great reputation of Outdoor Adventure. With 35 years of experi…

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Perranporth Beach

If your holiday is not a real break without your canine companion, take a deep breath and relax, because Perranporth Beach is just one of the many pet-friendly open spaces along this section of herita…

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Perranporth Beach

You will find one of the north coast’s largest stretches of sand at low tide at Perranporth Beach. It is also very accessible, with parking and many facilities, such as shops and cafes, right next to…

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Perranuthnoe Beach

Just a mile to the east of Marazion, with stunning views of St Michael’s Mount and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, sits pretty Perranuthnoe. The beach is truly spoiling with easy access,…

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Polzeath Beach

A perfect surfing beach, Polzeath is a Blue Flag award-winning beach, which is easily accessible. It tends to long, slow-breaking surfing waves; hence, its immense popularity in an area packed with a…

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Porth Beach, near Newquay

Heading out of the town of Newquay, Porth Beach has a wonderful expanse of golden sand. A narrow beach, it’s a popular choice for families with the headlands on each side keeping Porth Beach sheltered…

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Porthcothan Beach, near Padstow

Around five miles of south of Padstow, Porthcothan Bay is a large sandy beach which is popular with families and surfers alike. Perfectly set up for a day at the beach, lifeguards are on patrol from M…

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Porthleven Beach

Porthleven is probably most photographed during epic storms, where the harbour village takes a dramatic battering from the elements. But when the sun is shining, beyond Porthleven’s harbour you’ll fin…

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Porthmeor Beach, St Ives

The wonderful Porthmeor Beach is overlooked by the café terrace of the iconic art gallery, Tate St Ives. Central to the artistic community, Porthmeor grew in popularity as a beach in the 1960s/70s,…

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Portreath Beach

Portreath’s pretty sandy beach has a stream running down to the sea on the left-hand side. Popular with surfers and bodyboarders, this lifeguarded beach has a laidback, chilled feel and very handy par…

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Praa Sands Beach

Having walked on this beach wearing summer clothes in December, Praa Sands (pronounced pray or prah, heatedly debated locally, though pray probably wins) comes highly recommended. Roughly halfway b…

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Sennen Cove Beach

After escaping the rather more commercialised Land’s End (1.5 km away), it is a delight to reach family-friendly Sennen Beach, sometimes called Sennen Cove (although it is not a cove) a mighty fine be…

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Shoreline Extreme, Bude

If extreme sports is for you, then Shoreline Extreme is worth a good look, because they really do maximise the potential of the amazing North Cornish scenery in their wide array of activities, which w…

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Spring Surfing in Cornwall: Where to Stay Near the Best Waves

While you may think surfing is exclusively a summer sport in the UK, from October through to April, the waves in Cornwall hit harder. With much larger breaks and more consistent swells, if you’re an e…

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St Ives Surf School

There are a variety of water sports on offer at St Ives Surf School. Beyond the cobbled streets and cottages, St Ives has some glorious beaches, just perfect for surfing. Learn the art of surfing o…

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Summerleaze Beach, Bude

Just a short walk from the vibrant town centre with its shops and cafes, Summerleaze is Bude’s main beach (with a large car park) which has excellent/good water quality. There are also great waves…

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Tolcarne Beach, Newquay

Gorgeous soft sand, sheltered swimming, and plentiful rock pools – alongside its central Newquay location – makes it a popular choice for families. Privately owned, but open to all, in a pretty cresce…

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Towan Beach

Near St Mawes and Porthscatho on the Roseland Peninsula, at the southernmost tip of St Gerrans Bay, lies something of a hidden gem for you and your four-legged friend. Towan Beach is one of the quiete…

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Trevone Bay Beach, near Padstow

A trip to Padstow’s closest Blue Flag beach (approximately two miles) is always worthwhile. The main beach is more of a sandy inlet that’s deeper than it is wide and to either side there’s  plenty of…

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Watergate Bay Beach near Newquay

The beach at Watergate Bay is just north of Newquay. The fine expanse of soft, golden sand stretches for over 2 miles, accentuated by steep gorse-covered cliffs with caves. It is a brilliant place to…

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Widemouth Bay Beach, Bude

Widemouth Bay is a few miles south of Bude with a beautiful surfing beach. The bay is wide, framed by cliffs, and easily accessed (there is plenty of car parking toilets, and café facilities). Alte…

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