UK surf regions

Cornwall has the most consistent surf in the UK, with Fistral, Sennen and the north coast beaches picking up Atlantic swell on most days. For quality, Thurso East on Scotland's north coast is widely rated the best wave in Britain, and Pembrokeshire, the Gower and North Devon are close behind.

Watergate Bay and Polzeath in Cornwall, Saunton Sands and Woolacombe in Devon, Rest Bay in Porthcawl, Tynemouth Longsands and Cayton Bay in Yorkshire are among the best places to learn to surf in the UK: long sandy beaches with gentle waves on small days, lifeguards in season and surf schools.

Autumn is the best time to surf in the UK. September to November brings regular Atlantic swell, lighter winds than winter and the warmest water of the year. Winter has the biggest and most consistent surf, and summer is the smallest and busiest season.

Yes, and winter is when the UK gets its most consistent surf. You need a 5/4 wetsuit with boots, and gloves and a hood in Scotland, the North Sea and anywhere the sea drops below about 10°C.

Most UK surfers use a 5/4 wetsuit with boots from November to May and a 4/3 or 3/2 in summer. Scotland and the North Sea coasts run a couple of degrees colder than Cornwall and the Channel Islands.

The east coast. The usual south-west wind blows onshore in Cornwall, Devon and Wales but offshore in the North East, Yorkshire and Norfolk, so those coasts are often clean when the west is blown out, as long as there's swell in the North Sea. In the south-west, Putsborough and other spots tucked under headlands give some shelter.