Best surf spots in United Kingdom for beginners
The beaches in United Kingdom where a beginner can surf on the most days of the year: small enough, clean enough, on sand. Ranked from 2 years of hourly wave and wind model data at each spot, rated the way the app rates them for beginners. Updated 3 November 2026.
Today's forecast for beginners in United Kingdom →
The beaches with the most beginner days
| # | Spot | Beginner days a year | Best months | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Widemouth Bay Bude · Cornwall | ~107 (16 good) | March to April, September to November | 9–19 °C |
| 2 | Perranporth Newquay · Cornwall | ~101 (15 good) | April to May, September to November | 10–19 °C |
| 3 | Portstewart Strand Portstewart · County Londonderry | ~101 (9 good) | September to February | 8–17 °C |
| 4 | Summerleaze Beach (Bude) Bude · Cornwall | ~97 (13 good) | March to April, October to November | 9–19 °C |
| 5 | Polzeath Polzeath · Cornwall | ~95 (9 good) | March to April, September to November | 10–19 °C |
| 6 | Putsborough Croyde · Devon | ~77 (9 good) | March, January | 9–20 °C |
| 7 | Saunton Sands Croyde · Devon | ~67 (5 good) | March | 9–20 °C |
| 8 | Longsands Tynemouth · Northumberland | ~63 (5 good) | November | 7–17 °C |
| 9 | Woolacombe Croyde · Devon | ~62 (5 good) | March, January | 9–20 °C |
| 10 | Porth Beach (Newquay) Newquay · Cornwall | ~37 (3 good) | March, December | 10–19 °C |
| 11 | Caswell Bay Gower · Gower | ~1 | December | 8–19 °C |
"Beginner days": days with a surfable hour for a beginner (small waves, light or offshore wind, no dangerous size) at that spot; "good" days rate Good or better for a beginner. From 2 years of model data, not observations: a sandbank, a rip or a crowd can change a beach. How the rating works.
When beginners should go
Across United Kingdom's beginner spots, the best months are March to April, September to November. April has the most surfable days for a beginner (about 9 a month at the best spots), July the fewest (about 1). Water: 9–18 °C over the year, see the wetsuit by month.
Questions
Where is the best place to learn to surf in United Kingdom?
On our numbers, Widemouth Bay (Bude, about 107 beginner days a year), Perranporth (Perranporth, about 101 beginner days a year), Portstewart Strand (Portstewart, about 101 beginner days a year). These are sandy, forgiving spots where the waves are small and clean enough for a beginner on the most days.
When is the best time for beginners to surf in United Kingdom?
March to April, September to November: the months with the most days of small, clean waves at the beginner spots. The fewest are in July.
Is United Kingdom good for beginner surfers?
11 of the 67 spots we follow suit beginners. At the best of them a beginner finds about 9 surfable days in April and 1 in July. Take a lesson first and surf near lifeguards.
Before your first session: your first surf lesson and rips and safety. More: all surf spots in United Kingdom · best time to surf in United Kingdom.