# Freshwater West Surf Report & Forecast > Freshwater West surf report for today and a 7-day forecast. Wales' most consistent beach and a proper Atlantic wave. It's powerful, it's beautiful, and the… - Page type: Surf forecast for one break - Canonical URL: https://swellotter.com/spot/freshwest - Last updated: 2026-11-09 Freshwater West is a beachbreak in Wales. It works best on a west-south-west swell with an east wind, which blows offshore there. Best tide: all tides, best low to mid. It suits intermediate and advanced surfers. It is usually at its best in January, February and March. The sea ranges from about 9°C to 18°C over the year. In three years of Open-Meteo data (2023 to 2025), Freshwater West had rideable surf (2+ stars) on 66% of days and good surf (3+ stars) on 32%, was flat on 7% and 8ft or bigger on 18%. The most consistent month is March (89% of days rideable) and the quietest is June (38%). A typical winter day's best surf is about 6.3ft against 3.1ft in summer, the wind blows offshore for 4+ daylight hours on 23% of days, the average wind is 11.2 knots and about 1509mm of rain falls a year. ## Key facts - Region: Wales, Wales - Coordinates: 51.65, -5.1 - Type: Beachbreak; bottom: Sand; wave: Peaks, 50-100m rides - Best swell: west-south-west (WSW); offshore wind: east (E) - Best tide: All tides, best low to mid - Suits: intermediate, advanced - Best months: January, February, March - Sea temperature over the year: 9–18°C ## Live forecast The live 7-day forecast (surf height, star rating, swell, wind, tides, sunrise and sunset) is on https://swellotter.com/spot/freshwest, refreshed at least hourly. ## About Freshwater West Freshwater West is a long, open beach on the south-west tip of Pembrokeshire. It faces straight into the Atlantic and picks up more swell than anywhere else in Wales, so it is the first place to check when the rest of the coast is small. The beach is backed by dunes and almost nothing else, which is a big part of its appeal. The waves can be strong and the currents are serious, so it suits confident surfers rather than learners. An east wind is offshore, and on a clean swell there are usually peaks to share without much hassle. ## Positives - Wales' most reliable surf beach - Wild, unspoilt dunes - Plenty of peaks to choose from - Rarely crowded ## Negatives - Powerful rips, not for novices - No shops or cafes on the beach - Remote with few facilities - Blown out by the common SW wind ## Travel - Getting there: Take the B4319 south-west from Pembroke for about 15 minutes. Pembroke and Pembroke Dock are the nearest stations. - Parking: Small car parks behind the dunes along the coast road. - Where to stay: Campsites and holiday cottages around Angle and Castlemartin, and hotels in Pembroke. - Hazards: Strong rips and currents along the whole beach, and bathing here is not advised. There is a military firing range nearby, so read the signs. - Nearby breaks: West Angle Bay for small, sheltered days and Manorbier further east. ## Month by month (three years of history, 2023 to 2025) | Month | Rideable days | Good days | Flat days | Typical best surf | Sea temp | Rain | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Jan | 85% | 46% | 0% | 7.6ft | 9.7°C | 124mm | | Feb | 81% | 42% | 0% | 5.6ft | 8.9°C | 112mm | | Mar | 89% | 57% | 0% | 5.6ft | 8.8°C | 140mm | | Apr | 79% | 44% | 8% | 4ft | 10.3°C | 116mm | | May | 67% | 24% | 15% | 2.3ft | 13°C | 57mm | | Jun | 38% | 14% | 23% | 2.8ft | 15.3°C | 79mm | | Jul | 39% | 10% | 14% | 3.1ft | 16.6°C | 104mm | | Aug | 44% | 11% | 11% | 3.3ft | 17.5°C | 108mm | | Sep | 60% | 24% | 8% | 3.4ft | 16.9°C | 172mm | | Oct | 76% | 41% | 1% | 4.3ft | 15.3°C | 158mm | | Nov | 77% | 43% | 1% | 4.7ft | 13.7°C | 153mm | | Dec | 61% | 32% | 6% | 5.8ft | 11.7°C | 186mm | ## Questions ### What conditions does Freshwater West need? Freshwater West works best on a west-south-west swell with an east wind, which blows offshore there. It is a beachbreak with shifting peaks over sand, and rides run about 50 to 100m. Best tide: All tides, best low to mid. In 2023–2025 the wind blew offshore for 4+ daylight hours on 23% of days, and Freshwater West had rideable surf (2+ stars) on 66% of days. ### When is the best time to surf Freshwater West? March is the most reliable month at Freshwater West: in 2023–2025 it had good surf (3+ stars) on 57% of days. The best run of months is January, March and April, and spring (March to May) is the strongest season overall. Offshore winds are most common in April, when they blow for 4+ daylight hours on 38% of days. For good winter days, Freshwater West ranks 9th of the 36 Wales breaks we track. Winter often gets too big: 37% of December to February days were 8ft or more. ### Is Freshwater West good for surfing in summer? Often not: Freshwater West was flat on 16% of June to August days in 2023–2025, so keep a summer trip flexible. Good (3+ star) days made up 12% of summer, and August was the best summer month (44% rideable). The sea reaches about 18°C by late summer. For summer consistency it ranks 15th of the 36 Wales breaks we track. ### What wetsuit do I need at Freshwater West? At Freshwater West 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 January to March, when the sea is under 10°C. In August a spring suit will do on warm days. In March, the coldest month, Freshwater West had good surf on 57% of days, against 11% in August. The sea is coldest in March at about 9°C and warmest in August at about 18°C, while the air reaches about 11°C on a March afternoon. ### How big do the waves get at Freshwater West? On a typical day the best surf at Freshwater West is about 6.3ft in winter and 3.1ft in summer. It was 8ft or bigger on 18% of days in 2023–2025, most often in January. It was flat on 7% of days, most often in June. ### Is Freshwater West good for beginners? No. Freshwater West is for experienced surfers: it breaks over sand and mistakes hurt. Beginners are better off at West Angle Bay, 5 km away. ### Is it safe to surf at Freshwater West? Only if you're experienced: it gets powerful and the beach has real hazards. Strong rips and currents along the whole beach, and bathing here is not advised. There is a military firing range nearby, so read the signs. We know of no lifeguard cover, so never surf it alone. ### How do I get to Freshwater West, and where can I stay? Take the B4319 south-west from Pembroke for about 15 minutes. Pembroke and Pembroke Dock are the nearest stations. Where to stay: Campsites and holiday cottages around Angle and Castlemartin, and hotels in Pembroke. ### Where else can I surf near Freshwater West? When Freshwater West isn't working, these nearby breaks often are: Broad Haven South (13 km away) is offshore in a north wind, Freshwater East (16 km away) is offshore in a west-north-west wind and Manorbier (21 km away) is offshore in a north-north-east wind. Also close by: West Angle Bay for small, sheltered days and Manorbier further east. ## Next steps - [Freshwater West live surf forecast](https://swellotter.com/spot/freshwest) - [Freshwater West surf guide](https://swellotter.com/surf/freshwest) - [Wales surf guide](https://swellotter.com/region/wales) - [Sign up for swell alerts (form at the foot of any page)](https://swellotter.com/spot/freshwest) - [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: "Freshwater West Surf Report & Forecast, Swell Otter (https://swellotter.com/spot/freshwest)". - 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.