Best Surfing Destinations in Britain

As summer hots up around Britain’s beach resorts, so does the surf culture. The UK may not always have the best weather, but its waves can be up there with the very best. There are numerous spots around the country which attract devotees of the sport: everyone will have a different opinion about which are the finest; but here is a selection of some of the most popular.

The following are all places which have not only great waves, but also a thriving surf culture and plenty of surf hotels to choose from.

Surfing Destinations in Britain

First up, possibly the most famous of all – Watergate Bay in Newquay, Cornwall.  With over 2 miles of pristine beach, surf schools for both beginners and experts wishing to hone their skills and a fantastic selection of Hotels in Newquay, Watergate Bay makes for an excellent surfing destination.

The contemporary Watergate Bay Hotel is as surfer-friendly as it gets – you can even walk from your room to the waves, in your wetsuit.  Newquay is arguably the surf capital of the UK, so if you fancy a change from Watergate Bay there are several other outstanding choices of surf beach in town including Fistral Beach (home to a number of world-famous competitions), Towan, Tolcarne, Lusty Glaze and Crantock.

On to Wales, and Llangennith beach in Gower. There are beach breaks all the way along the pristine 3 miles of surf heaven here. Its size means that if you’re prepared for a short walk, you should always be able to find a less crowded spot.  However, this is not a place for the unfit, as the paddles out can get exhausting and there are occasional rips to be wary of.

Bournemouth been a popular surfing destination for decades, with surfers of all abilities catching the South Coast waves from Boscombe Pier (home to Europe’s very first artificial reef), Southbourne Beach, Highcliffe and Kimmeridge bay.

The beaches here are all very clean and safe.  Since there are a number of excellent hotels in Bournemouth, including a wide choice of budget and surfer-friendly options, it does get quite crowded in summer, so you might be better off arriving in the autumn when the weather is still decent enough and the water is as warm as it gets.

Croyde village on the North Devon Coast, near Woolacombe in North Devon, is fast growing into an international surfing hotspot.  Croyde is home to a beautiful, clean Blue Flag beach with a number of excellent facilities including surf hotels, cafes and bars, surf schools and clothing stores.

Croyde offers fast, hollow waves which are particularly good even at low tide. It’s a better destination for experienced surfers; beginners are advised to try the slightly slower pace of nearby Saunton Sands.

Back to Cornwall, and this time Sennen Cove, near Land’s End. Being in such as exposed location, Sennen gets some decent sized waves and will often have surf when everywhere else is flat.

There are excellent facilities in Sennen, including some excellent hotels, pubs, beach cafes, surf schools, shops – and all within very easy reach of the beach.  It’s a beautiful cove and although remote, it does get very popular in summer with surfers and non-surfers alike.

You can find the best rates on hotels in uk’s best surf towns using the Hotels Fairy Hotel Price Comparison tool, in the sidebar on everypage of this website.