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Cornwall

NORTH COAST CORNWALL
Bude: Like most Cornish beaches works best on SW or W swells with the wind from the SE . In the town..

..Crooklets: Works on all tides but produces a gnarly shorebreak at high tide, an excellent bodyboarding wave;

Middle Beach: Works well at mid tide off sandbanks;
Summerleaze: By the harbour, works on all tides.

South of Bude, Widmouth: picks up more swell than the town beaches and works on all tides, best from mid to high. At the southern end of Widmouth beach there's a reef called Black rock which works on all tides.

Crackington Haven: is a small beach break sheltered from a north wind by a high cliff, best at mid tide.

Polzeath: is a popular break and because it's a fairly flat beach it's a good beginners beach. At high tide there's a lefthander which comes off The Rock, and is fun for the more experienced. Polzeath works on most swells with winds from S-NE, and is best on an incoming tide just after low tide.

Harlyn:a north facing beach break, works on big a southwesterly so it's mainly a winter break. When the winds are offshore S-SW at low tide, it's pretty hollow and there are some tubes to be had. Crowds and dirty water in summer!

Constantine: is a high to mid tide break. Excellent bodyboarding wave at high tide. At the northern end there is a rock point, and on a neap tide and a good swell, it's the best wave at this beach. The wave is offshore on a SE or E but is okay on a NE or N wind.

Watergate Bay: is two miles north of Newquay, but is pretty crowded in the middle peak; However, either side you can get away from the crowds. Watergate is a West facing break, which sometimes works well at high tide, on a decent swell. Watch out for rips in the middle of the beach.

Newquay: is supposedly the surfing mecca of Britain, which in turn means you will be faced with large crowds. Fistral:, a NW facing break does have its moments. Offshore on S-E, OK on a SW. Lefthander at South Fistral cranks on a low tide, while North Fistral picks up more swell and can give perfect peaks, especially at low tide, although crowded. At low tide Little Fistral, at the very north corner of the beach, is excellent. It's sheltered from NE winds, and picks up most swell. There's a handy rip by the rocks on the right. Beware of the Cribbar, Newquay's mythical big wave that breaks off the headland.

Towan: is good for beginners as its pretty mellow (although it can get suckey at low tide). Occasional fun high tide wedge on big swells.

Great Western: picks up more swell and like Towan is predominantly a closeout.

Tolcarne Beach: is home to the wedge, (supposedly) one of the best bodyboarding waves in the country, if you can get a ride at this crowded break. Works at high tide (6m+) on a clean medium sized swell.

Perranporth: is a good place for an uncrowded surf as the west facing beach is two miles long.

Droskyn: at the southern end of the beach, can be fast and hollow with backwash, and side wash mixed in. The middle beach is best for beginners.

St Agnes: faces north so it works well on big SW or W. Always crowded.

Porthowan: is a northwest facing beach break. It works at all tides (but best at mid to low), and produces an excellent bodyboarding (hollow)wave at low tide. One of the best English breaks on its day. Bad pollution and crowds can be a problem.

Portreath: can be good on a south wind at high tide by the harbour wall.

Gwithian/Godrevy: picks up loads of swell, and can give fine hollow A-frames at mid-low on a SE-E wind.

Porthmeor: right in the centre of St Ives town, works on a big SW swell. The main break is best at low tide and on an outgoing tide. One of the cleanest beaches in England (like all the rest ay..!?). A good bodyboarding spot.

Sennen: is a northwest facing break which works around mid tide.

Gwenvor: at the northern end of Sennen works best from low to mid tide. Beware of bad rips at this break. Excellent wave.

SOUTH COAST CORNWALL
Praa Sands: is good when the North coast is blown out, on a big north westerly. Good shorey at high tide.

The reef at Porthleven is an excellent wave- unfortunately everyone knows it, and crowds are a real problem. However, you might get lucky during a weekday and score one of the best waves in England. It works best when there's a low off Biscay and a NE wind. Best from mid to high tide, it is also surfed at low tide, when dangerously shallow; For experienced riders only.

Pentewen: is a SE facing beach break which works best at mid tide. It works on a SE or huge SW swell.

Whitsands: is a long SW facing break; At low tide there's a nice hollow shorebreak. There is a small wedge at main beach at high tide.

Less crowded than Whitsands, the next beach along , Tregantle works on the same conditions, however it is sometimes closed by the M.O.D.

Surf Cams and reports
Bude
Newquay
Perranporth
Sennen
Praa Sands

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Useful Guides, Books and DVD's

Go Surfing

108 - page magazine aimed at the many thousands of surfers who are just getting into the sport. Covers everything you need to know: where to surf, what equipment to buy and how to get started. Jam-packed with superb photos of Britain and abroad. £3.95 + p&p

 
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Surf Schools

Barefoot Surf School

Bluelagoon Surf Holidays, Sennen 07833370370

Bude Surfing Experience@adventureinternational
Bude 01288 355551

BSA National Surfing Centre
Fistral Beach,
Newquay 01637 850737 (01736 360250)
email: info@britsurf.co.uk
www.nationalsurfingcentre.com

Dolphin School of Surf
17 Eliot Gardens,
Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2QC 01637 873707
email: dolphinsurfschool@yahoo.co.uk
www.surfschool.co.uk

English Surfing Federation Surf School
Newquay 01637 879571
email: englishsurfschool@hotmail.com
www.englishsurfschool.com

Gwithian Academy of Surfing
01736 757025

Harlyn Bay Surf School
Padstow 01841 533076

Reef Surf School
Agar Road, Newquay TR7 2EW 0707123445527
email: reefsurfschool@aol.com
www.reefsurfschool.com

Rob Barber Bodyboarding School
Newquay 07974729639
email: school@robbarber.com
www.robbarber.com

Surf's Up & Polzeath Beach Surf School
Polzeath 01208 862003

121 Surf School
Newquay (+44) 0 7966 259 839
email: info@121surfcoach.com
www.121SurfCoach.com

 


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