Cornwall's Best Surfing Beaches for Your Surf Ability

Hit the waves at Cornwall’s best surf breaks for your style and ability

Cornwall is synonymous with surfing. With nowhere being more than 20 miles from the coast, and surf schools vying for business on every beach, it’s easy enough to hit the waves from any corner of the county. But how do you pick the right surf beach for your ability and style? Here’s our pick of Cornwall’s best surfing beaches for all levels – from novices to aficionados.

NEWQUAY

Where better to start than the UK’s unofficial surfing capital? Newquay’s reputation rides on its littering of consistent surf breaks teamed with a laidback beach lifestyle. The town’s long been famous for its surf-by-day, party-by night attitude, but more recently its bars and clubs are being dwarfed by trendy brunch spots and swanky eateries overlooking the waves.

NORTH FISTRAL

Best for: Barrel hunters
Many of Cornwall’s pro surfers have cut their teeth on Fistral’s world-class waves. At low tide it delivers fast, hollow waves, frequented by a local crew of solid surfers. If you know your stuff, you might snag a bomb here on its day. And if you’re training for the likes of Nazaré, it’s also home to the legendary big wave ‘Cribbar’, which breaks on an offshore reef in mighty swells when conditions prevail. However, Fistral isn’t just a hotspot for aficionados; with plenty of peaks spreading south, a line-up of surf schools, wave-side watering holes and easy parking, it’s a magnet for all levels of surfers when smaller swells roll in.

TOWAN AND GREAT WESTERN

Best for: Beginners
Linked at low tide, Newquay’s most central duo of beaches are safe, sandy and easily accessible from town. With no shortage of surf schools and beachside attractions, it comes as no surprise that they lure the crowds, especially when storm swells and south-westerlies mess up the surrounding beaches. A Mecca for beginners, you can choose smaller peaks beside the harbour wall, or nudge your way north to catch bigger waves. Wherever you sit, be aware of surfing etiquette and the dangers of so many learners in the water.

TOLCARNE

Best for: Bodyboarders
Accessed via steps and a slipway from the eastern end of town, Tolcarne is home to the famous ‘Wedge’ – a steep and hollow wave favoured by bodyboarders. However, it’s also a great option for intermediate surfers, being a little less busy than neighbouring Great Western, and with slightly bigger waves. Boasting sugary sands backed by beach huts, a bar and restaurant, and a multi-activity centre, what more could you need?

AROUND NEWQUAY

Follow the trail of surfboard-topped traffic out of Newquay in either direction and you’ll find a string of dreamy surf beaches where the waves march in to meet white, pillowy sands.

MAWGAN PORTH

Best for: Goofy surfers
A short hop north of Newquay and just two minute’s from Cornwall’s only airport, Mawgan Porth’s sandy runway is a swell magnet boasting fast, A-frame peaks when it’s clean and offshore. Lesser-known than Watergate Bay, it’s home to a consistent low-tide left-hander that lures goofy-foot surfers. If you’re looking to start or progress your surfing journey, it’s also home to one of Cornwall’s best-loved surf schools – Kingsurf. And between surfs you can stock up on picnic supplies, fill up on fish, chips and ice cream, and kit yourself with everything you need for a day at the beach from the surfside stores.

WATERGATE BAY

Best for: Longboarders
One of the most popular and consistent surf spots on the outskirts of Newquay, the rolling waves at Watergate Bay are often perfect for longboarders – especially at mid- to high-tide. With a mellow take off and wide peaks, it’s the perfect place to watch the experts cross-stepping and nose-riding on nine-foot-plus boards. However, with two-miles of wave-lashed sands and ever-changing conditions, it can deliver waves for beginners through to pros, and is our favourite spot for a sublime sunset session. Watergate Bay is also home to a surf school and wave-side eateries including the swanky Emily Scott’s restaurant and The Beach Hut.

CRANTOCK BEACH

Best for: Paddleboarders
A pebble’s throw from the bustle of Newquay’s beaches, Crantock boasts a huge National Trust carpark for easy access to its vast expanse of dune-backed waves. A winner with paddleboarders, you can choose to tackle the waves or cruise along the flat waters of the River Gannel. If you haven’t got your own kit, there’s everything you need –from an award-winning surf school (SUP and bodyboarding also available), to a beach kiosk dishing up coffees, snacks and Cornish ice cream. Whether you want to splash in the stream or hit the surf, there are few better beaches to make camp for the day – just be aware of the rip currents caused by the river flowing out to sea.

MID CORNWALL

PORTHTOWAN

Best for: Experienced surfers
With easy parking, beachside amenities and peaks that work on all tides, Porthtowan is a popular spot with all levels of surfers. But it can be a punchy break, with rips and crowds, so it’s better suited to those who have experience in the waves. If you want some advice, lessons or gear, Tris Surf Shop has been in town since ’72. And once you’ve got spaghetti arms and can surf no more, head to the iconic Blue Bar for a surf-side pint and a legendary burger.

MEXICO TOWANS, St Ives Bay

Best for: Surfers with dogs
The three miles of golden sands yawning from Hayle’s rivermouth to the iconic Godrevy lighthouse is known as St Ives Bay, and a haven for surfers of all levels. While Godrevy and Gwithian attract masses of surfers and have dog restrictions, we prefer the slightly more mellow peaks a bit further down the beach at Mexico Towans. Here you’ve got a giant sand dune to roll down, plenty of space for the dog to frolic in the sea foam while you surf, and Sandy Acres surf school and hire to make sure you’re well equipped for the waves. There’s even a kiosk selling coffee and snacks to reward you after the calf-busting walk from the shoreline.

WEST CORNWALL

SENNEN COVE, nr Land’s End

Best for: Surf Adventures
Want to hit the road for an adventure to one of Cornwall’s most westerly surf breaks? Catching the brunt of the Atlantic swell, Sennen is the spot where you can often find a wave when no other breaks on the north coast are working. And with white sand, crashing waves and surfside restaurants, it’s not just the waves that are worth the journey to get here. Add to that Blue Flag water quality, easy parking, a lifeboat station and a surf school run by British pros, and it’s a great location to enjoy the waves on the wilder side of Cornwall.

SOUTH CORNWALL

PRAA SANDS

Best for: Winter Waves
Tucked away in a nook of coastline in Mounts Bay, Praa is the go-to in winter storms when north-easterly winds mess up the north coast beaches. It’s best at mid-tide and can get a bit sucky at high, but when you’re waiting for the tide you can soak up the winter rays, stroll along the South West Coast Path surf and enjoy a steaming hot chocolate with a view at the Sandbar – one of Cornwall’s coolest beach bars.

WHITSAND BAY

Best for: Smaller waves
While the south coast isn’t renowned for its surf, when the swell wraps around the tip of the rugged Rame Peninsula, Whitsand Bay’s four miles of golden sands are blessed with plenty of peaks where surfers can get their fill. If you need equipment or lessons, tap up the Adventure Bay surf school, and if the waves are flat you can take the plunge on a thrilling coasteering trip instead.

NORTH CORNWALL

POLZEATH

Best for: Families
This sandy swathe beckons surfers of all levels, and with a carpark bang on the sand it’s no wonder that it’s a popular spot for families who want direct access to the waves, and the ability to yo-yo from the sea to seaside facilities. If you need instruction there are sand-side surf schools ready to oblige, as well as an abundance of places to fuel up without taking your eye off the waves. A cracking spot for beginners; or, if you’re looking for a quieter peak, nudge up towards to New Polzeath as the tide ebbs.

WIDEMOUTH BAY

Best for: Intermediates
Join the convoy of V-Dubs cruising up the Atlantic Highway with boards strapped to the roof, and you’ll eventually arrive at this popular, west-facing beach break on the outskirts of Bude. With a mix of lefts, rights, sand-bottomed and reef, there’s a range of waves for intermediate surfers looking to get their fix and hone their skills. Plus there’s a beachfront car park, and an excellent surf school run by a former surfing champ.