# Bantham Surf Report & Forecast > Bantham surf report for today and a 7-day forecast. South Devon's favourite rivermouth. It needs a solid south-west swell, and you need to watch the Avon's… - Page type: Surf forecast for one break - Canonical URL: https://swellotter.com/spot/bantham - Last updated: 2026-11-09 Bantham is a rivermouth in Devon, England. It works best on a south-west swell with a north-east wind, which blows offshore there. Best tide: low to mid on the push; avoid the ebb at the river mouth. It suits beginner and intermediate surfers. It is usually at its best in January, February and March. The sea ranges from about 10°C to 17°C over the year. In three years of Open-Meteo data (2023 to 2025), Bantham had rideable surf (2+ stars) on 42% of days and good surf (3+ stars) on 15%, was flat on 27% and 8ft or bigger on 3%. The most consistent month is January (72% of days rideable) and the quietest is July (15%). A typical winter day's best surf is about 3.2ft against 1.5ft in summer, the wind blows offshore for 4+ daylight hours on 27% of days, the average wind is 10.6 knots and about 1437mm of rain falls a year. ## Key facts - Region: Devon, England - Coordinates: 50.26, -3.9 - Type: Rivermouth; bottom: Sand; wave: Left & right, 50-100m rides - Best swell: south-west (SW); offshore wind: north-east (NE) - Best tide: Low to mid on the push; avoid the ebb at the river mouth - Suits: beginner, intermediate - Best months: January, February, March - Sea temperature over the year: 10–17°C ## Live forecast The live 7-day forecast (surf height, star rating, swell, wind, tides, sunrise and sunset) is on https://swellotter.com/spot/bantham, refreshed at least hourly. ## About Bantham Bantham sits where the River Avon meets the sea, looking out towards Burgh Island. The river shapes the sandbanks, and on a good south-west swell with a north-east wind it can produce long lefts and rights that are among the best waves on the south coast. It needs a decent Atlantic swell to wrap up the Channel, so it is flat for much of the summer. When it does break, word travels fast and the beach fills up. The big thing to respect here is the river: on a falling tide the current at the mouth is strong enough to sweep swimmers and surfers out, so stay well away from it. ## Positives - South Devon's best-known surf beach - Works in north winds - Long, fun waves when the banks line up - Stunning setting with Burgh Island ## Negatives - Needs a big south-west swell - Dangerous river currents on the ebb - Paid estate car park - Busy when it breaks ## Travel - Getting there: Follow the A379 or A381 towards Kingsbridge, then the lanes to Bantham. Plymouth is about 40 minutes by car. Totnes is the nearest station. - Parking: One large pay car park run by the estate, right behind the dunes. - Where to stay: Holiday lets in Bantham, Thurlestone and Hope Cove, and more choice in Kingsbridge and Salcombe. - Hazards: Very strong currents in the river mouth, especially on the ebb. Lifeguards patrol in summer. Shallow sandbars at low tide. - Nearby breaks: Thurlestone and Hope Cove along the coast, and Challaborough across the river. ## Month by month (three years of history, 2023 to 2025) | Month | Rideable days | Good days | Flat days | Typical best surf | Sea temp | Rain | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Jan | 72% | 44% | 2% | 3.9ft | 10.3°C | 154mm | | Feb | 58% | 25% | 16% | 2.5ft | 9.8°C | 126mm | | Mar | 58% | 32% | 14% | 3.1ft | 9.7°C | 152mm | | Apr | 54% | 16% | 17% | 2ft | 10.8°C | 120mm | | May | 27% | 2% | 52% | 1.1ft | 13.3°C | 68mm | | Jun | 21% | 3% | 57% | 1.3ft | 15.2°C | 62mm | | Jul | 15% | 2% | 45% | 1.7ft | 15.5°C | 114mm | | Aug | 24% | 1% | 40% | 1.6ft | 16.7°C | 80mm | | Sep | 29% | 8% | 37% | 1.9ft | 16.7°C | 118mm | | Oct | 48% | 14% | 15% | 2.6ft | 15.5°C | 135mm | | Nov | 58% | 21% | 13% | 3.2ft | 13.8°C | 158mm | | Dec | 44% | 13% | 19% | 3.1ft | 11.9°C | 150mm | ## Questions ### What conditions does Bantham need? Bantham works best on a south-west swell with a north-east wind, which blows offshore there. It is a rivermouth with lefts and rights over sand, and rides run about 50 to 100m. Best tide: Low to mid on the push; avoid the ebb at the river mouth. In 2023–2025 the wind blew offshore for 4+ daylight hours on 27% of days, and Bantham had rideable surf (2+ stars) on 42% of days. ### When is the best time to surf Bantham? January is the most reliable month at Bantham: in 2023–2025 it had good surf (3+ stars) on 44% of days. The best run of months is January, February and March, and winter (December to February) is the strongest season overall. Offshore winds are most common in May, when they blow for 4+ daylight hours on 52% of days. For good winter days, Bantham ranks 9th of the 14 Devon breaks we track. Winter is the most consistent, with 58% of days rideable, but the water is coldest then. ### Is Bantham good for surfing in summer? Often not: Bantham was flat on 47% of June to August days in 2023–2025, so keep a summer trip flexible. Good (3+ star) days made up 2% of summer, and August was the best summer month (24% rideable). The sea reaches about 17°C by late summer. For summer consistency it ranks 10th of the 14 Devon breaks we track. ### What wetsuit do I need at Bantham? At Bantham you need a 5/4 from December to April, a 4/3 in May and in November and a 3/2 from June to October. Wear boots through the 5/4 months, and add a hood and gloves from February to March, when the sea is under 10°C. In March, the coldest month, Bantham had good surf on 32% of days, against 1% in August. The sea is coldest in March at about 10°C and warmest in August at about 17°C, while the air reaches about 11°C on a March afternoon. ### How big do the waves get at Bantham? On a typical day the best surf at Bantham is about 3.2ft in winter and 1.5ft in summer. It was 8ft or bigger on 3% of days in 2023–2025, most often in January. It was flat on 27% of days, most often in June. ### Is Bantham good for beginners? Yes, on small days. Bantham has sandy footing and spots for learners, but it gets powerful as the swell builds. The gentlest months that still have surf are February, April and October. ### Is it safe to surf at Bantham? Yes when it's small, but know this. Very strong currents in the river mouth, especially on the ebb. Lifeguards patrol in summer. Shallow sandbars at low tide. Lifeguards cover it in season (check RNLI dates). ### How busy does Bantham get? Often busy. Busy when it breaks. For more room, try Thurlestone (3 km away) and Hope Cove (3 km away). ### How do I get to Bantham? Follow the A379 or A381 towards Kingsbridge, then the lanes to Bantham. Plymouth is about 40 minutes by car. Totnes is the nearest station. No bus stops are mapped within a kilometre, so most people drive. ### Where can I stay near Bantham? Holiday lets in Bantham, Thurlestone and Hope Cove, and more choice in Kingsbridge and Salcombe. ### Where else can I surf near Bantham? Close to Bantham: Thurlestone and Hope Cove along the coast, and Challaborough across the river. ## Next steps - [Bantham live surf forecast](https://swellotter.com/spot/bantham) - [Bantham surf guide](https://swellotter.com/surf/bantham) - [Devon surf guide](https://swellotter.com/region/devon) - [Sign up for swell alerts (form at the foot of any page)](https://swellotter.com/spot/bantham) - [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: "Bantham Surf Report & Forecast, Swell Otter (https://swellotter.com/spot/bantham)". - 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.