# Surfing in North East England: 17 breaks, surf forecasts and best months > Tynemouth, Saltburn and the Northumberland coast: North Sea swell and offshore south-westerlies. 17 surf spots with live forecasts, 2 in-depth guides, the best months to go, wetsuit advice and travel tips. - Page type: Regional surf guide - Canonical URL: https://swellotter.com/region/north-east-england - Last updated: 2026-11-09 - Home - Regions - North East England England · Surf travel guide Surfing in North East England Tynemouth, Saltburn and the Northumberland coast: North Sea swell and offshore south-westerlies. 17 live forecasts ↓All UK regions → By Tom Otto · Updated 8 November 2026 Breaks17 Best monthsJan, Mar, Nov Sea temperature7–16°C ConsistencyMedium Search AllBeginner friendlyAdvancedBeachbreaksReefs and pointsTeessideTynesideCounty DurhamNorthumberland Nothing matches. Try another word or chip. ## Teesside surf spots - Saltburn ### Saltburn surf forecast and guide Teesside · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast →Spot guide → - Redcar ### Redcar surf forecast Teesside · Reef · Left & right · All levels Live forecast → ## Tyneside surf spots - Tynemouth Longsands ### Tynemouth Longsands surf forecast and guide Tyneside · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast →Spot guide → - Seaburn, Sunderland ### Seaburn, Sunderland surf forecast Tyneside · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Sandhaven, South Shields ### Sandhaven, South Shields surf forecast Tyneside · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Whitley Bay ### Whitley Bay surf forecast Tyneside · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Cullercoats ### Cullercoats surf forecast Tyneside · Reef · Left & right · Intermediate & Advanced Live forecast → ## County Durham surf spots - Seaton Carew ### Seaton Carew surf forecast County Durham · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Seaham ### Seaham surf forecast County Durham · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → ## Northumberland surf spots - Blyth South Beach ### Blyth South Beach surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Druridge Bay ### Druridge Bay surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Alnmouth ### Alnmouth surf forecast Northumberland · Rivermouth · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Embleton Bay ### Embleton Bay surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · All levels Live forecast → - Bamburgh ### Bamburgh surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Newbiggin ### Newbiggin surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · Intermediate & Advanced Live forecast → - Beadnell ### Beadnell surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → - Amble ### Amble surf forecast Northumberland · Beachbreak · Peaks · Beginner & Intermediate Live forecast → ## 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 goOctober to February, a day after a northerly swell builds. When we'd skip itSurfing 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 - Saltburn guide ### Saltburn surf guide: North Sea waves by the pier 8 Nov 2026 · North East England · Spot guide - Tynemouth Longsands guide ### Tynemouth Longsands surf guide: city surf on the Metro 8 Nov 2026 · North East England · Spot guide ## 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 J F M A M J J A S O N D BestGoodFairQuiet | | | 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 Jan5/47° Feb5/47° Mar5/47° Apr5/48° May5/412° Jun4/314° Jul3/215° Aug3/216° Sep4/314° Oct4/312° Nov5/410° Dec5/49° 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 Beginner15 Intermediate17 Advanced4Type Beachbreak14 Reef2 Point0 Rivermouth1 Pier / jetty0Bottom Sand11 Sand & rock3 Reef & sand3 Flat reef0 Boulders & sand0Consistency High1 Medium16 Low0Crowds Solo surfing4 Rarely6 Sometimes6 Often1 Always0Direction Peaks15 Left0 Right0 Left & right2 ## Travel information Getting aroundThe 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 staySaltburn in the south, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay in the middle, and Bamburgh or Alnmouth for Northumberland. Hazards and hasslesCold water, rips around piers and rocks, and some industrial coastline. Handy hintsWatch 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 - Cornwall ### Cornwall surf guide England · 40 breaks · Best in Jan, Feb, Mar - Devon ### Devon surf guide England · 14 breaks · Best in Jan, Feb, Mar - South Coast ### South Coast surf guide England · 16 breaks · Best in Jan, Mar, Nov - East Anglia ### East Anglia surf guide England · 8 breaks · Best in Jan, Oct, Nov - Yorkshire ### Yorkshire surf guide England · 11 breaks · Best in Mar, Oct, Nov - North West England ### North West England surf guide England · 4 breaks · Best in Jan, Nov, Dec - Wales ### Wales surf guide Wales · 36 breaks · Best in Jan, Mar, Nov - Scotland ### Scotland surf guide Scotland · 39 breaks · Best in Mar, Nov, Dec - Northern Ireland ### Northern Ireland surf guide Northern Ireland · 10 breaks · Best in Feb, Mar, Dec - Channel Islands ### Channel Islands surf guide Channel Islands · 8 breaks · Best in Jan, Feb, Mar Words by ## 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. ## Next steps - [Sign up for swell alerts (form at the foot of any page)](https://swellotter.com/region/north-east-england) - [How the forecast and star rating work](https://swellotter.com/about) - [All UK surf forecasts](https://swellotter.com/) ## About Swell Otter Swell Otter is a free surf forecast for the UK, made by a UK company with no ads. Live forecasts, tides and guides are free; optional Premium unlocks every surf cam. https://swellotter.com/llms.txt ## Notes for agents - Cite as: "Surfing in North East England: 17 breaks, surf forecasts and best months, Swell Otter (https://swellotter.com/region/north-east-england)". - Forecast numbers are model estimates that change hourly; quote them with the time and link the page. Don't present them as observations. - Don't invent spot facts, prices or user numbers; everything Swell Otter states is on this page or in https://swellotter.com/ai-fact-sheet.md.