United Kingdom · Atlantic Europe
Each location is refreshed once every three hours. The hourly view, 7-day forecast, luck factor and packing notes come from the same stored update.
We compare the 7-day forecast with the version-matched historical observations available for the same time of year at Bantham. The delta shows whether conditions look better, worse or about the same as a typical late July.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Flat as a lake. Save your energy for another day. Short-period chop. The waves lack any real push. Onshore wind making a mess of the surface. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Bantham is a dynamic beach and rivermouth break situated on the southern coast of Devon, United Kingdom. The bathymetry is defined by a complex interaction between the coastal sandbanks and the strong tidal outflow of the River Avon. This fluvial current actively shapes the silica sand, creating pronounced, structured banks that offer steep, high-quality A-frame peaks. The break operates optimally on medium-sized south-westerly groundswells travelling up the English Channel. An easterly or north-easterly offshore wind is crucial to groom the wave face and hold up the peaking sections. The interaction between the incoming oceanic swell and the outgoing river current frequently causes the waves to jack up abruptly, providing fast, hollow drops followed by workable walls. Due to the shifting nature of the rivermouth sandbars, the presence of strong rip currents, and the steepness of the take-off, Bantham is primarily suited for intermediate surfers. It demands excellent oceanographic reading skills to identify the safest channels and the technical proficiency to navigate the rapid, changing peaks effectively.
Heads up: jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 79% cleaner than the average comparison city right now.
Significantly cleaner air than a typical city. Ideal for outdoor exercise with minimal respiratory strain.
Not a pollutant. Ozone is naturally higher at altitude and near the coast, and lower in cities where traffic exhaust breaks it down. High readings here typically indicate clean air. Can cause short-term airway irritation during intense exercise but is not linked to the long-term health risks of particulate pollution.
Additive health score: each pollutant contributes points relative to its WHO 2021 guideline and long-term health impact (PM2.5 9, NO₂ 5, O₃ 3, PM10 2, SO₂ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 15:24
Moderate water clarity: ~7m visibility
Updated 10:32
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Bantham
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
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Create Profile →Partly. The model uses stored spot geometry, swell ranges and tide preferences where configured. It cannot see changing banks, crowds, access, closures or everything visible on a local cam, so treat it as a starting point.
The best week for surf at Bantham is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Local knowledge and community tips for Bantham
Bantham sits where the River Avon meets the sea on the south Devon coast. The river current shapes the sandbanks into well-defined peaks that offer more structure than your average beach break. On its day it produces steep, hollow A-frames with a particularly good left running along the river channel. The setting is beautiful, with rolling green farmland behind and the estuary cutting through the sand.
Needs a south-westerly groundswell pushing up the English Channel. Works best in the 3-5ft range with an easterly or north-easterly offshore wind. The autumn and winter months (September to April) are most consistent. Smaller summer swells can still produce fun waves on the banks closest to the river mouth.
The best peaks usually form where the river current meets the incoming swell. On a pushing tide the left along the river channel is the pick, offering longer rides. The banks shift seasonally but the river always provides some structure. Avoid sitting too deep in the channel itself as the current will pull you out.
The river current is the main concern. It runs hard on the outgoing tide and can sweep inexperienced surfers out to sea. Rip currents form either side of the main bank and shift as the tide moves. The banks can be steep enough to produce heavy lip landings on bigger days. Keep an eye on the tide tables; the spot transforms completely between low and high water.
The car park is privately run and charges a fee. In summer it fills early with beachgoers but in surf season there is plenty of space. From the car park it is a five-minute walk across the dunes to the beach. The National Trust owns much of the surrounding land.
Busy on good weekends from spring onwards, especially when Fistral and the north coast are flat. The local crew know the banks well. On clean autumn swells midweek you can score it with only a handful of others. Summer weekends bring bodyboarders and swimmers into the mix.
The two hours either side of low tide usually produce the best-shaped waves on the main bank. If the river mouth left is too crowded, walk south along the beach where quieter peaks often go unridden. The pub in Bantham village is a fine post-surf pint.
Surf at Bantham
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Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 30 days of logged conditions.
Based on historical weekly averages
Conditions at Bantham tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 18/100
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