Top 5 Surf Beaches In Cornwall And Devon

I recently embarked on a two-week solo road trip around Cornwall and Devon with a singular mission — to find the best surf spots on the southwest coast.

Having grown up in Western Australia without ever picking up a surfboard (read: sharks), my approach to surfing combines a sincere belief that I should be able to surf with a total (some might say "comical") lack of technique.

As such, I would describe this list as being targeted towards beginner-intermediate surfers who are looking for some relaxed breaks to improve their craft. We aren't surfing big Atlantic slabs off the Irish coast (yet).

Watergate Bay

Watergate Bay is probably my fav surf spot in the UK. Aside from being a simply beautiful beach, I found the waves to be exceptionally long and friendly, with plenty of space along the two-mile expanse of golden sand to avoid overcrowding. 

Best Tide: Incoming mid-tide.

Tip: Check out The Hangout, a lovely little cafe on the clifftop overlooking the bay. It's got a small car park and a few picnic benches where you can chill out and soak in the views.

Woolacombe

One of North Devon's finest surf spots. Wasn't quite firing as much as I would have liked when I visited, but still a fun wave in beautiful surrounds. There's also a lovely walk from Woolacombe along the SW coastal path around Morte Point, well known for it's population of Atlantic grey seals.

Best Tide: Mid to high-tide.

Tip: Visit South Street Food in Woolacombe for a deluxe post-surf feed. I had a crab + lobster sandwich here which, not to be dramatic, may have changed my life.

Fistral Beach

The home of British surfing — a classic, but highly vaunted for good reason. It's a cracking spot and extremely reliable, even when the swell is down.

Best Tide: Incoming low to mid-tide.

Tip: I spent most of my time down at South Fistral, which is where the less-experienced surfers tend to congregate, but I wouldn't be put off from giving North Fistral a go. The waves are bit bigger and more challenging — a natural step up if you are starting to feel cocky.

Saunton Sands

I was told by a very reliable local source that Saunton Sands has some of the very best long boarding waves in the UK. They weren't wrong. The beach itself is also magnificent, stretching for three-and-a-half miles along the Braunton Burrows Biosphere Reserve (an adder paradise apparently, not that I was desperate to see one or anything).

Best Tide: Incoming low to mid-tide.

Tip: Croyde — probably North Devon's most well-known surf spot — is just around the corner from Saunton. Take the coastal path northwards towards Baggy Point where, in the autumn months, you might see some big wave surfers on the famous Oyster Falls break a few hundred metres offshore.

Holywell Bay

Holywell is, somehow, a bit of a hidden gem. It's slightly off the beaten track but might be the most picturesque beach on the coastline around Newquay. Also where I caught my best wave of the trip, which I've done well to save mentioning until now.

Best Tide: Incoming low to mid-tide.

Tip: There were only a handful of local surfers when I visited, and they were all surfing up on the northeastern end of the beach, which seems to be the spot to go.