Top summer surf spots in the UK: take to the waves this summer season
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Loading... - Emma Jackson
- 20 Apr 2023
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Our selection of the best surf spots in the UK to score warm, summer waves
The UK is an island with a large chunk of its coastline jutting into the wild Atlantic Ocean, so in theory, it should be a surf mecca.
But unlike the paradise surf spots of Hawaii, Sri Lanka or the Maldives, the UK isn’t really blessed with year-round surfing conditions and the best waves typically roll in during the frigid winters. You need to have a certain resolve to don 6mm of rubber and hit the water in February.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t score fun waves as the sun beats down from above… you just need to know where to look.
Of course, most folk are going to head directly for the South West, where locations like Newquay and St Ives seem the most obvious places to strike, but with a little leftfield thinking, it’s possible to strike gold all around the island.
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite summer surf spots in the UK, all selected for the quality of waves and likelihood of surf when the sun shines. But first, a quick science lesson…
What makes waves?
In its most basic and succinct form, rideable waves are generally created by large storms and weather systems out at sea or in the deepest ocean, which disturb the water’s surface and create large ripples, this energy then ventures on a lenghty journey towards the shore. This is often referred to as ground swell.
The sudden change of depth in the seabed at the shoreline causes this energy to crank up and a wave to form, but its suitability for surfing then relies on numerous factors, including the topography and make-up of the seabed in the area. It’s complicated stuff, but the best spots for surfing will typically have a particular set of geographical USPs that make them star candidates.
With that in mind, it’s clear to see why the UK gets the best waves during the autumn and winter seasons, when large storms tend to gather out in the Atlantic and the North Sea due to changes in temperatures and weather systems aligning. Read More…
