Thurso (Caithness)
ReefExpert
One of Europe's best rights: barrels over a slab by Thurso castle.
Each coast needs a different wind: the north a southerly, the west an easterly and the east a south-westerly, the most common one. The best season is September to April, with very short days in midwinter. Water is 7–9 °C in winter and 12–14 °C in summer: a 6/5 hooded wetsuit, booties and gloves, and plenty of respect for the ocean.
Map
Thurso (Caithness)
ReefExpert
A group of reefs west of Thurso that picks up more swell than anywhere around.
Melvich (Sutherland)
RivermouthIntermediate
A sandy bay at the mouth of the River Halladale, with quality banks.
Bettyhill (Sutherland)
RivermouthIntermediate
A wild bay next to Bettyhill, with a left at the mouth of the River Naver.
Isle of Lewis (Outer Hebrides)
Beach breakIntermediate
A sand cove on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, taking the Atlantic head-on.
Isle of Tiree (Inner Hebrides)
Beach breakAll levels
Tiree's surf beach, on the «Hawaii of the north», also famous for windsurfing.
Kintyre (Argyll)
Beach breakAll levels
A 5 km beach on the Kintyre peninsula, open to the Atlantic.
Aberdeenshire
Beach breakIntermediate
The surf hub of north-east Scotland, working with North Sea swells.
Dunbar (East Lothian)
Beach breakBeginner
The closest learning beach to Edinburgh, in a wide bay next to Dunbar.
Cockburnspath (Berwickshire)
Beach breakIntermediate
A small bay between red cliffs, the benchmark wave of the east coast.
Conditions at a glance
| Spot | Wave type | Level | Best swell | Best wind (offshore) | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurso East | Reef | Expert | NW, N, W | S, SW, SE | Mid to high |
| Brims Ness | Reef | Expert | NW, W, N | S, SE | All tides, depending on the reef |
| Melvich | Rivermouth | Intermediate | NW, N | S, SE, SW | Low to mid |
| Torrisdale Bay | Rivermouth | Intermediate | NW, N | S, SE | Mid |
| Dalmore | Beach break | Intermediate | NW, W, N | SE, E, S | Mid |
| Balevullin | Beach break | All levels | W, NW, SW | E, SE, NE | All tides |
| Machrihanish | Beach break | All levels | W, SW, NW | E, SE, NE | All tides |
| Fraserburgh | Beach break | Intermediate | N, NE, E | SW, S, W | Mid |
| Belhaven Bay | Beach break | Beginner | NE, N, E | SW, S, W | Mid to high |
| Pease Bay | Beach break | Intermediate | NE, E, N | SW, W, S | Mid |
Indicative information gathered from surf guides and surfers' experience. Conditions change with the sandbanks: check the forecast and ask at the beach.
Which wetsuit to bring
The water is around 7 °C in winter and 13 °C in late summer.
6/5 hooded wetsuit
For water below 7 °C.
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5 mm booties
Warm feet in winter and protection on rocks.
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Wetsuit gloves
In water this cold, your hands go numb first.
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