Swell OtterEngland · Surf travel guide
Surfing in Cornwall
Two coasts, hundreds of beaches and reefs, and swell from the open Atlantic on three sides.
- Breaks
- 40
- Best months
- Jan, Feb, Mar
- Sea temperature
- 10–17°C
- Consistency
- High
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North Cornwall surf spots
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Fistral surf forecast and guide
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Watergate Bay surf forecast and guide
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Summerleaze, Bude surf forecast
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Widemouth Bay surf forecast
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Polzeath surf forecast
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Constantine Bay surf forecast
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Harlyn Bay surf forecast
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Mawgan Porth surf forecast
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Crantock surf forecast
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Holywell Bay surf forecast
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Perranporth surf forecast
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St Agnes surf forecast
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Chapel Porth surf forecast
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Treyarnon Bay surf forecast
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Trevone Bay surf forecast
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Towan surf forecast
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Tolcarne surf forecast
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Lusty Glaze surf forecast
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Crooklets surf forecast
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Sandymouth surf forecast
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Trebarwith Strand surf forecast
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Portreath surf forecast
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Porthcothan surf forecast
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Summerleaze surf forecast
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Millook surf forecast
West Cornwall surf spots
South Cornwall surf spots
The Swell Otter take on Cornwall
The safest bet in Britain for getting wet, but the best days go to people who drive to the wind, not to the beach they know.
Most visitors park at Fistral, paddle out into a south-westerly chop and decide Cornwall is overrated. The county rewards the opposite habit. Read the wind first, then pick a coast. A south-easterly cleans up the whole north coast from Sennen to Bude. A northerly that wrecks Newquay turns Porthleven and the coves around the Lizard into the best surf in England.
Our forecasts back that up. Across the Cornish breaks we track, autumn and early winter beat summer by a distance for surfable days, and the sea is still holding most of its summer warmth in October. If you can only come once, come then, not in August.
The one thing we'd change about how people surf here: stop waiting for the perfect swell. Cornwall's edge is volume. A small, clean day at a sheltered corner beats a big, messy day at the famous beach almost every time.
- When we'd go
- September to November, on a high-pressure week with an easterly wind.
- When we'd skip it
- August bank holiday, unless you like queues for car parks and waves.
Our take, by Tom Otto, checked against three years (2023–2025) of wave, wind and sea temperature history for these breaks.
Cornwall spot guides
Surfing in Cornwall
Cornwall sticks out into the Atlantic further than anywhere else in England, so it picks up more swell than any other county. The north coast, from Bude round to Sennen, faces straight into the prevailing swell and has something rideable on most days of the year. The south coast, from Porthleven to Whitsand Bay, needs a bigger or more southerly swell but comes alive when a north wind blows the north coast out.
That choice of coasts is Cornwall's big advantage. In a south-west wind, look for sheltered corners on the north coast. In a north or north-east wind, head south. Summer is the smallest and busiest season. Autumn usually brings the best mix of swell, lighter winds and warm water, and winter brings the biggest and coldest days.
Positives
- The most consistent surf in England
- A coast for every wind direction
- Great for learners
- Surf schools and hire everywhere
Negatives
- Very busy in summer
- Onshore in the usual SW wind on the north coast
- Cold water in winter
- Holiday prices in August
When to surf in Cornwall
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surf | ||||||||||||
| Typical size | 6ft | 5ft | 5ft | 3ft | 2ft | 2ft | 3ft | 3ft | 3ft | 4ft | 4ft | 6ft |
| Surfable days | 86% | 82% | 81% | 70% | 60% | 41% | 39% | 47% | 66% | 73% | 75% | 74% |
| Good days | 49% | 48% | 48% | 36% | 21% | 12% | 9% | 14% | 27% | 35% | 34% | 35% |
| Big days (8ft+) | 27% | 19% | 13% | 5% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 6% | 6% | 10% | 17% | 25% |
| Wind | ||||||||||||
| Average | 14mph | 14mph | 14mph | 13mph | 11mph | 11mph | 12mph | 13mph | 12mph | 13mph | 14mph | 16mph |
| Offshore days | 28% | 28% | 30% | 34% | 27% | 16% | 12% | 15% | 27% | 29% | 25% | 24% |
| Water | ||||||||||||
| Sea temp | 10° | 10° | 10° | 11° | 13° | 15° | 17° | 17° | 16° | 15° | 13° | 12° |
| Wetsuit | 5/4 | 5/4 | 5/4 | 5/4 | 4/3 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 4/3 | 4/3 | 5/4 |
| Weather | ||||||||||||
| Max air | 9° | 10° | 11° | 13° | 16° | 18° | 19° | 19° | 18° | 16° | 13° | 11° |
| Min air | 5° | 6° | 6° | 8° | 10° | 13° | 14° | 15° | 13° | 12° | 9° | 8° |
| Rain | 143mm | 114mm | 133mm | 112mm | 66mm | 76mm | 120mm | 105mm | 136mm | 124mm | 170mm | 156mm |
| Wet days | 17 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 |
Worked out from up to ten years (2016–2025) of hourly Open-Meteo history (CC BY 4.0) using the same star ratings as our forecasts. Surfable means at least one 2-star hour in daylight, good means 3 stars. Temperatures in °C.
Wetsuit by month
Boots from November to May, plus gloves and a hood when the sea drops below 10°C.
The break lowdown
How the 40 breaks here compare.
Ability
Type
Bottom
Consistency
Crowds
Direction
Travel information
- Getting around
- The A30 is the spine of the county, and the A39 and A3075 link the north coast towns. Newquay to Sennen is about an hour, and Newquay to Porthleven about 45 minutes. Allow longer on summer weekends.
- Where to stay
- Newquay has the most choice and nightlife. St Ives, Bude and Polzeath are quieter bases on the north coast, and Helston or Penzance put you within half an hour of both coasts.
- Hazards and hassles
- Rips are common on most beaches, so surf between the flags when lifeguards are on. Shallow reefs at Porthleven and some north coast points. Heavy traffic and full car parks on summer weekends.
- Handy hints
- Check the wind before you pick a coast. North coast for south and east winds, south coast for north winds.
Cornwall surf questions, answered
Where is the best surfing in Cornwall?
The best surfing in Cornwall is on the north coast between Bude and Sennen, which faces the open Atlantic and has waves on most days of the year. Fistral in Newquay is the most famous and consistent beach, Sennen picks up the most swell in summer, and Porthleven on the south coast is the county's best reef when a north wind blows.
When is the best time to surf in Cornwall?
The best time to surf in Cornwall is January, February and March, the most reliable months across the breaks we forecast there. In three years (2023–2025) of history, about 81% of winter days and 42% of summer days had at least one surfable (2-star) session, so summer is the smallest and quietest season.
What are the best surfing beaches in Cornwall?
Fistral, Watergate Bay, Sennen, Polzeath, Perranporth, Gwithian and Godrevy, Widemouth Bay and Summerleaze in Bude are Cornwall's best-known surf beaches. Porthleven, Praa Sands and Poldhu Cove are the main south coast options for days when the north coast is blown out.
Which Cornwall beach is best for beginner surfers?
Watergate Bay, Polzeath and Perranporth are the best Cornish beaches for beginners, with long sandy bays, gentle waves on small days, lifeguards in season and surf schools on the beach. Avoid Porthleven, a shallow reef for experienced surfers only.
Is Cornwall good for surfing?
Yes. Cornwall is the most consistent surf region in England because it sticks out into the Atlantic and has coastlines facing north, west and south, so there is usually a sheltered beach for whatever the wind is doing.
Is Newquay the best place to surf in Cornwall?
Newquay is the easiest base for surfing in Cornwall, with Fistral, the town beaches, Watergate Bay and Crantock all within a few minutes. It is also the busiest. Bude, Polzeath and St Ives are quieter bases with excellent surf nearby.
Can you surf in Cornwall in winter?
Yes, and winter brings Cornwall's most consistent surf. The sea drops to about 10°C, so you need a 5/4 wetsuit with boots, and often gloves and a hood. Days are short, so check daylight as well as the tide.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Cornwall?
Surfing in Cornwall needs a 5/4 wetsuit with hood, boots and gloves in late winter, when the sea drops to about 10°C, and a 3/2 in late summer, when it reaches about 17°C.
More UK surf regions
Tom Otto
Tom Otto built Swell Otter, the free surf forecast for the UK, and writes its spot guides. Every guide is checked against years of wave, wind and sea temperature history for the break, so the advice matches the numbers and not just the postcards.