Surf Information
Local Breaks
Bedruthan Steps: a long steep climb down a cliff face makes this beach a quiet surfing spot. Works at low tide only producing a series of beach breaks up and down its length. A definite no-go area for surfers who are inexperienced or can't stand heights.
Boobies Bay: positioned at the Northern end of Constantine, it picks up large amount of swell and can produce a powerful, hollow right hander at low tide which starts to back off two hours after low. S.E. winds are best.
Chapel Porth: quality beach break, S.E. winds are offshore and low to half tide is best. Banks may shift from time to time but usually produce fast, hollow waves. Old ships boiler on left hand side of beach gives a good wave.
Constantine Bay: Constantine has several small reefs which can produce great waves when conditions are good.
Crantock: good quality beach break, best from low to mid tide. Sheltered from S.W. to N.W. winds, works best on S.E. On large days the southern end of the beach produces good hollow lefts. Track down the beach from the Bowgie Inn car park.
Daymer Bay: is tucked into the mouth of the Camel Estuary and on a big swell produces a long walling right hander when sand bars are good. Best when 5-8ft with winds from N. and around to S.E. Very popular with windsurfers.
Fistral Beach: the most famous beach in Cornwall is the venue for the Hot Tuna Surfmasters along with many other surfing contests. At the Northern end of the beach is a good right hander with many other waves breaking along its length on the various banks. High tide tends to get a bit full but can still be rideable. At the Southern end of the beach is Little Fistral which, when conditions are right, can be classic. Fistral holds up to 10-12ft swell and S.E. winds are offshore, but there can be hassles with the crowds.
Harlyn Bay: when big swells move up the North coast and the wind is South West, check out Harlyn. A fast right breaks off the rocks on the North end of the beach at high to mid tide. Best at 6- 8ft.
Mawgan Porth: an average beach break which is surfable at all stages of the tide. It needs a fair sized swell and a S.E. wind. Good place to avoid the crowds.
Newquay Bay - Lusty Glaze - Tolcarne - Western - Towan: all four beaches can offer some great fun waves. Towan is the most sheltered, but gets the least amount of swell. The further North up the bay you travel the more swell you get but the beaches become more exposed to the winds. S.W. winds offshore at Towan and Western can produce fast hollow waves with an optimum swell size of 4-6ft. All these beaches can get extremely crowded during summer months. Look out for surfing restrictions on Towan.
Perranporth Bay: three miles of good quality beach breaks. At the Southern end, Droskyn point gives a good left, working best at 4-8ft. Just take your pick of the banks which work from low to high tide. Penhale corner can be very good on occasions at low tide. S.E. winds are best for the main beach, but Penhale is also sheltered from Northerly winds. No surf here means the rest are flat.
Porthcothan: small sandy cove which rarely gets a rideable wave. May be worth a quick look when passing by at high tide during big swells because the coast road almost crosses the beach.
St. Agnes or Trevaunance Cove: sheltered from southerly winds, good from low to 3/4 high tide. Good right hand break over rocks, hollow at low tide. Works on any wind from E. to S.W., best at 3-8ft. Needs a good size swell to pick up a wave.
Treyarnon: this is a very small, rocky cove with wicked currents and hardly ever a rideable wave.