Swell OtterEngland · Surf travel guide
Surfing in North East England
Tynemouth, Saltburn and the Northumberland coast: North Sea swell and offshore south-westerlies.
- Breaks
- 17
- Best months
- Jan, Mar, Nov
- Sea temperature
- 7–16°C
- Consistency
- Medium
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Teesside surf spots
Tyneside surf spots
County Durham surf spots
Northumberland surf spots
The Swell Otter take on North East England
The most surfable city coast in Britain. When the west is blown out, Tynemouth and Saltburn are often firing.
The North East has something no other English region has: proper surf a Metro ride from a major city. Tynemouth's Longsands, Cullercoats and the beaches up into Northumberland pick up North Sea swell, and the prevailing south-west wind blows offshore. Saltburn, further south, has a pier and a long beach that can hold surprisingly good waves.
Our forecasts show the pattern clearly. The surfable days cluster in autumn and winter, when lows track across the top of Scotland into the North Sea. Summer is quiet. The water is cold enough that a 5/4, boots and gloves aren't optional from November.
If you surf the west coast and have never driven east on a south-westerly day, try it once. Clean, empty North Sea waves while everyone in Cornwall is complaining about onshore wind is one of British surfing's best-kept secrets.
- When we'd go
- October to February, a day after a northerly swell builds.
- When we'd skip it
- Surfing near piers and rocks on a big, dropping tide without local knowledge.
Our take, by Tom Otto, checked against three years (2023–2025) of wave, wind and sea temperature history for these breaks.
North East England spot guides
Surfing in North East England
The North East coast faces the North Sea, so its swell comes from storms in the north and east rather than the Atlantic. That makes it less predictable, but when it works it can be very good, with sandy beaches and some excellent reefs.
The big advantage here is the wind. The prevailing south-west wind is offshore on most of the coast, so it is often clean when the west coast is blown out. Autumn to spring brings the most swell. The water is cold, so a good winter suit is a must.
Positives
- Offshore in the common SW wind
- Friendly local scene
- Easy to reach by train and Metro
- Uncrowded reefs to find
Negatives
- Cold water
- Needs North Sea swell
- Short-period, choppy swells
- Flat for long spells in summer
When to surf in North East England
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surf | ||||||||||||
| Typical size | 2ft | 2ft | 3ft | 2ft | 2ft | 1ft | 1ft | 1ft | 2ft | 2ft | 2ft | 2ft |
| Surfable days | 68% | 45% | 70% | 56% | 41% | 31% | 39% | 36% | 53% | 62% | 79% | 62% |
| Good days | 38% | 16% | 28% | 16% | 8% | 5% | 10% | 11% | 18% | 31% | 40% | 32% |
| Big days (8ft+) | 3% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 5% | 3% | 1% |
| Wind | ||||||||||||
| Average | 12mph | 12mph | 12mph | 11mph | 10mph | 10mph | 10mph | 11mph | 10mph | 11mph | 11mph | 13mph |
| Offshore days | 62% | 54% | 34% | 23% | 23% | 46% | 44% | 51% | 39% | 51% | 50% | 55% |
| Water | ||||||||||||
| Sea temp | 7° | 7° | 7° | 8° | 12° | 14° | 15° | 16° | 14° | 12° | 10° | 9° |
| Wetsuit | 5/4 | 5/4 | 5/4 | 5/4 | 5/4 | 4/3 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 4/3 | 4/3 | 5/4 | 5/4 |
| Weather | ||||||||||||
| Max air | 7° | 9° | 10° | 12° | 15° | 18° | 19° | 19° | 17° | 14° | 10° | 9° |
| Min air | 2° | 4° | 4° | 5° | 9° | 11° | 13° | 13° | 11° | 9° | 5° | 5° |
| Rain | 66mm | 40mm | 66mm | 67mm | 57mm | 60mm | 112mm | 73mm | 81mm | 108mm | 97mm | 95mm |
| Wet days | 12 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
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 17 breaks here compare.
Ability
Type
Bottom
Consistency
Crowds
Direction
Travel information
- Getting around
- The A19 and A1 run north and south. Tynemouth to Saltburn is about 1 hour by car. Trains and the Metro reach both towns.
- Where to stay
- Saltburn in the south, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay in the middle, and Bamburgh or Alnmouth for Northumberland.
- Hazards and hassles
- Cold water, rips around piers and rocks, and some industrial coastline.
- Handy hints
- Watch for low pressure moving into the North Sea from the north. That's what brings the swell.
North East England surf questions, answered
Can you surf in Tynemouth?
Yes. Tynemouth Longsands is the North East's best-known surf beach, a long sandy bay that picks up northerly and north-easterly swells and is offshore in the usual south-west wind. It's on the Metro from Newcastle.
When is the best time to surf in North East England?
The best time to surf in North East England is January, March and November, the most reliable months across the breaks we forecast there. In three years (2023–2025) of history, about 58% of winter days and 35% of summer days had at least one surfable (2-star) session, so summer is the smallest and quietest season.
Where is the best surf in the North East?
Tynemouth Longsands and Saltburn are the best-known breaks, with Whitley Bay, Druridge Bay, Embleton Bay and Bamburgh in Northumberland and Redcar and Seaton Carew in Teesside. They work best on northerly swells with a south-west wind.
Can you surf in Newcastle?
Yes. Tynemouth and Cullercoats are on the Metro from Newcastle city centre, and both get regular surf from autumn to spring.
Is Saltburn good for surfing?
Yes. Saltburn has a long sandy beach either side of its pier and is one of the most consistent surf spots in the North East, with good waves for beginners on small days and stronger surf on northerly swells.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in North East England?
Surfing in North East England needs a 5/4 wetsuit with hood, boots and gloves in late winter, when the sea drops to about 7°C, and a 3/2 in late summer, when it reaches about 16°C.
Where can beginners surf in North East England?
Saltburn, Tynemouth Longsands, Redcar, Seaton Carew, Seaburn, Sunderland, Sandhaven, South Shields, Whitley Bay, Blyth South Beach, Druridge Bay, Alnmouth, Embleton Bay, Bamburgh, Newbiggin, Beadnell, Seaham and Amble are the best places for beginners in North East England. Pick a lifeguarded beach, go on a small, clean day and take a lesson with a local surf school first.
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.