Abersoch (Gwynedd)
Beach breakAll levels
North Wales' big beach break, a 6 km bay on the Llŷn peninsula.
Most of the coast gets Atlantic swell coming up the Bristol Channel and the Celtic Sea. West-facing beaches work with an easterly wind; south-coast spots such as Langland or Manorbier work with a northerly and are the option when it blows from the west or south-west. The Bristol Channel has some of the biggest tides in the world, so each spot changes completely in a few hours. Water is 9–10 °C in winter and about 16 °C in summer.
Map
St Davids (Pembrokeshire)
Beach breakAll levels
The beach of St Davids, the UK's smallest city, with easy peaks and a long tradition.
Pembrokeshire
Beach breakAll levels
A 3 km beach in St Brides Bay, with plenty of space to learn.
Castlemartin (Pembrokeshire)
Beach breakIntermediate
Wales' most consistent beach: powerful banks between dunes and film-set scenery.
Pembrokeshire
ReefIntermediate
A cove below a Norman castle, with a reef giving rights and lefts.
Gower (Swansea)
Beach breakAll levels
The Gower peninsula's big beach, one of the most beautiful in the UK.
Mumbles (Swansea)
ReefIntermediate
Swansea's surf bay, with reefs and a beach minutes from the city.
Porthcawl
Beach breakAll levels
The closest surf beach to Cardiff and Bristol, in Porthcawl.
Vale of Glamorgan
ReefIntermediate
Rock slabs below layered cliffs, with long waves when a south-west swell arrives.
Conditions at a glance
| Spot | Wave type | Level | Best swell | Best wind (offshore) | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hell's Mouth (Porth Neigwl) | Beach break | All levels | SW, W | NE, N, E | All tides |
| Whitesands | Beach break | All levels | W, SW, NW | E, NE, SE | Mid to high |
| Newgale | Beach break | All levels | W, SW | E, NE | All tides |
| Freshwater West | Beach break | Intermediate | W, SW, NW | E, NE, SE | Low to mid |
| Manorbier | Reef | Intermediate | SW, S, W | N, NW, NE | Mid |
| Llangennith (Rhossili Bay) | Beach break | All levels | W, SW | E, SE, NE | All tides |
| Langland Bay | Reef | Intermediate | SW, S, W | N, NW, NE | Mid |
| Rest Bay | Beach break | All levels | W, SW | E, NE | Mid to high |
| Llantwit Major | Reef | Intermediate | SW, W | N, NE, NW | Mid to high |
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 9 °C in winter and 16 °C in late summer.
5/4 hooded wetsuit
For winter water at 8–11 °C.
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5 mm booties
Warm feet in winter and protection on rocks.
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4/3 wetsuit
The autumn-to-spring suit for water at 12–16 °C.
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Shapers in Wales
Order a board designed for these waves from a local shaper.