Cornwall is blessed with a huge array of different beaches and surf-spots which is why it's regarded as the top destination in the UK for surfing. Some of the spots are very closely guarded secrets (which we certainly won't be publicising!), whilst others are widely known and very popular.
The best way to explore the range of surfing options that Cornwall has is with one of our Cornish Surfaris. We run them throughout the year and our amazing and knowledgable guides have plenty of spots wired to ensure you're getting the best waves possible - click here for more info.
Here are a few examples of some surf-spots for different abilities that you might be surfing on one of our Surfaris:
Harlyn Bay
Just a short drive to the west of Padstow, Harlyn is a spot we regularly surf during the winter, but can also be awesome during bigger swells in the summer months. The bay faces dead-north which means the wind funnels offshore as long as it has even a tiny bit of southerly direction in it. When we do get hit by storms the most common wind is SW so that makes Harlyn a top choice.
The swell needs to be quite big to wrap in there but when it does you're in for a treat. The wave is a steep, fast breaking wave which is more suited to intermediate to advanced surfers than beginners, but when smaller can be great for speeding up your pop-up.
Generally surfed on lower tides but can also perform on high if the swell is big enough.
Perranporth (Droskyn)
At the southern end of the miles-long Perran Sands, Perranporth is an awesome little surf-town with a really nice vibe. Generally surfed on the lower tides as it gets a lot of backwash off the cliffs and rocks as the tide pushes in.
In a similar way to Crantock at low-tide it's a steep, fast take off but the sand-banks generally offer much more open wave-face than Crantock does.
It can get really busy however it's a big beach and finding a quieter peak isn't a problem on most days. It's really important to either surf with someone experienced (like our guides) or to stay well within the black and white flags at Perranporth as the rips can get extremely strong and people regularly get into problems here.
Polzeath Beach
A beach very close to our hearts here at BGSS as it's where Dale first started coaching surfing and where many of the team surfed for the very first time!
For learning to ride un-broken waves it's one of the best spots in Cornwall, the gently sloping waves mean the take-off is very forgiving, so you've got more time to figure out your pop-up. For more advanced surfers it is a bit of a slower, fatter wave but for intermediate surfers it's a spot we'll certainly look to take you to if the conditions are right!
Remember, this is just a selection of what Cornwall has to offer, on our Surfaris we have no mileage limit so we can go anywhere in Cornwall that'll suit your ability. Click here to find out more and we look forward to heading out on an adventure with you soon!