The sun’s out and the surf’s up. So what better way to cool down this summer than to hit the waves while you’re on holiday? Living on an island, it’s little wonder that surfing is becoming such a popular British watersport; it’s fun, it’s great for your health and fitness, and there’s a vast line-up of expert surf schools ready to pass on the stoke of wave-riding. So, why not book your next coastal break to one of the best places to learn to surf in the UK?
Saunton Sands, North Devon
Part of the UK’s first designated World Surfing Reserve, this vast stretch of west-facing sand is ideal for beginners. With lots of peaks scattered along the three-mile beach, it’s easy to avoid the crowds, and the sandy bottom ensures there are no rocks in the way of your inevitable wipeouts. The pros at Surf Saunton have all the kit and caboodle you need to get started, offering tuition for everyone from absolute beginners to aficionados seeking a surf tour. And when you’ve had your fill of fun in the waves, gen up on our surf culture at the Museum of British Surfing in nearby Braunton.
Stay in a stylish sea-view pad for your Devon surf break, and enjoy the luxury of checking the surf conditions over morning coffee.
Fistral Beach, Cornwall
There are so many places to learn to surf in Cornwall, but the UK’s unofficial surfing capital ranks at the top of our list for both location, access and reputation. Many of the country’s pros cut their teeth at Fistral Beach, which is drenched in the surf lifestyle, with surf schools galore, cool bars and boutiques, and numerous surf contests and events throughout the year. While the advanced surfers hog the peaks at the north end of the beach, there’s plenty of space for beginners as you edge your way south, as well as easy parking and lots of surfside eateries where you can spectate and fuel up between sessions. If the conditions are too large, there are more sheltered beaches – also with surf schools – around the corner in Newquay Bay.
Stay in a swanky apartment sleeping four people, in a prime location just footsteps from the surfing hub of Fistral beach. Or look for other sea view accommodation in Newquay, where you’re never far from the water.
Saltburn, North Yorkshire
The pumping surf scene on Britain’s east coast has been luring wave riders for decades. Watch the experts at Penny Hole and Saltburn Point, then see what you can do on the easier breaks on each side of the pier. Get the lowdown and lessons from Saltburn Surf – they’ve been teaching surfers here for over 40 years, so they’ve got the conditions dialled for your ability, as well as kit hire if you’re keen to go solo once you’ve learnt the basics.
Stay in a stylish apartment for two overlooking Saltburn Pier, where you can make the most of the waves and travel to the moors and other attractions from the Yorkshire coast.
The Gower Peninsula, Wales
Long established as one of the best surfing locations in Britain, Wales’ Gower Peninsula is littered with excellent surf breaks and is home to a rich surfing culture. No wonder then, that surfing is one of the area’s most popular sports. When the swell pushes in, one of the top beaches for beginners is the more sheltered Caswell Bay, which is also home to the Gower Surf Academy. This surf school runs surfing lessons all year round for beginners, groups, kids and families.
Stay bang on the beach at Caswell Bay, where you can check the surf at this sea view apartment sleeping four.
Pembrokeshire, Wales
If surfing’s all about the lifestyle and location, then why not head to what’s been voted one of the best beaches in the UK for sunsets? Newgale Beach, plonked within the eye-popping beauty of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, is a prime spot for beginners to take up surfing. Under the tutelage of pro surfer and Welsh team coach Pete Bounds, you’ll get a firm foundation of ocean skills that go way beyond your first stand-up wave. And once you’ve caught the stoke, there’s little doubt that you’ll catch the sublime sunsets while you’re still in the water.
Stay in a country cottage sleeping six, close to Newgale Beach in Pembrokeshire.
Longsands, Tynemouth
At the heart of Newcastle’s surf scene, this excellent beach break is home to a league of locally-bred pros and a committed crew of surfers. Well, you have to be committed to brave water temperatures that rarely top 15C, even in the peak of summer. But with high-tech kit and the legends at Longsands Surf School ready to get you up and riding, there’s no reason to use the cold as an excuse to miss out on all the fun. Plus, you can warm up in the mighty beachside Surf Café afterwards.
Stay in a charming ground-floor apartment sleeping two, within walking distance of the wave-lashed Longsands on the Tyne & Wear coast.
Tiree, Scotland
Boasting glorious white-sand beaches and almost guaranteed surf without the crowds, the little island of Tiree really is a surfer’s paradise. Just 12 miles wide, it’s easy to find a beach to suit the weather and your level of expertise. We’d suggest starting out at Balevullin Beach, where Marti at Blackhouse Watersports runs bespoke surfing lessons, and is happy to pick the best location for your level and the conditions.
There’s little accommodation on Tiree, so combine a visit with a stay in this elegant home sleeping six near the port in Oban on the mainland where a ferry journey can transport you to the remote sandy surfing breaks of Tiree.
Belhaven Bay, Scotland
More and more surfers are making the pilgrimage to Scotland to avoid the crowds of the UK’s surfing scene. Around 30 miles from Edinburgh, just outside Dunbar in East Lothian, the shallows of Belhaven Bay make a pretty and perfect place for beginners to get to grips with surfing before hitting the busier breaks of the likes of Cornwall and Devon. Sign up for tuition with Coast to Coast Surf School, which provides unique surfing packages for all levels, including mobile surf tours.
Stay in a cosy cottage for two just a couple of minutes from Belhaven Bay and enjoy a coastal holiday in Scotland.
Portrush, Northern Ireland
Somewhat of a surfing Mecca, Ireland usually attracts the hardy surfers looking for gnarly waves in any weather. However, its reputation as a big-wave kingdom shouldn’t put you off, for there are plenty of beach breaks for learners, too. Either side of the mile-long Portrush peninsula you can hit the waves on the stunning sandy bays of County Antrim. The gang at Troggs Surf School on the town’s East Strand have been teaching surfing since 1994, and run all sorts of lessons from one-to-ones and group lessons to sunset sessions at golden hour.
Stay within walking distance of the beach in a semi-detached cottage sleeping up to six guests plus a dog.
Cayton Bay, Scarborough, Yorkshire
The surf scene the North East has mushroomed in recent years, with the beaches around Scarborough becoming a magnet for watersports enthusiasts keen to ride and glide on the consistent waves. Scarborough Surf School not only run lessons for all levels of surfers, they also provide super-warm wetsuits and hot showers, so you’ll be toasty whatever the water temperature and weather conditions.
Stay in a stylish sea-view apartment for four, where you can check the waves, wander into town and rejuvenate in the spa complex.
Want to feel the stoke of surfing on your summer holiday?
Hit the waves from one of our luxury beach cottages in the best surfing location across the UK.
