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Live conditions

Bundoran

Ireland ยท Atlantic Europe

Updated 35 min ago
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Type:reef
Shelter:exposed
Difficulty:advanced
Tide:mid-high
Facing:NW

Forecast accuracy at Bundoran

Not enough data yet. Log a session to help build the accuracy score.

Best time to go

No great windows in the next 2 days

Best available option is Today around 5am (score: 41). Conditions are below the Good threshold but may still be surfable.

Nearby spots right now

BundoranYou are here
1.8mCross-onshore
Good
Mullaghmore Head
6.6 miles1.9mCross-onshore
Flat

Crowd report

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Session journal

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Recent form

Last 20 days of logged conditions.

30-day average
1.4/10
Days firing
0
Score 6 or higher
Best day recently
5.5/10
30 Apr
Days logged
20
Planning tool

Best time to visit Bundoran

Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.

Key insights

  • The best week for surf at Bundoran is the week of 21 September (score 3/5) with low crowds.
  • Avoid the week of 13 July if you can due to Summer holidays and Vacances d'ete.

Best time to visit

2026
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
5: Sweet spot
4: Great time
3: Average
2: Below average
1: Avoid

Crowd calendar

How busy each week is based on school holiday overlap from feeder markets.

18 May
Moderate
25 May
Moderate
1 Jun
Quiet
8 Jun
Quiet
15 Jun
Quiet
22 Jun
Quiet
29 Jun
Very busy
6 Jul
Very busy
13 Jul
Very busy
20 Jul
Very busy
27 Jul
Very busy
3 Aug
Very busy
10 Aug
Very busy
17 Aug
Very busy
24 Aug
Very busy
31 Aug
Very busy
7 Sept
Quiet
14 Sept
Quiet
21 Sept
Very quiet
28 Sept
Very quiet
5 Oct
Very quiet
12 Oct
Quiet
19 Oct
Moderate
26 Oct
Very busy
2 Nov
Quiet
9 Nov
Very quiet
16 Nov
Very quiet
23 Nov
Quiet
30 Nov
Very quiet
7 Dec
Very quiet
14 Dec
Moderate
21 Dec
Moderate
28 Dec
Moderate
Very quiet
Quiet
Moderate
Busy
Very busy

School holidays affecting this destination

Christmas holidays(Ireland)
20 Dec - 5 Jan
Vacances de Noel(France)
20 Dec - 5 Jan
Weihnachtsferien(Germany)
22 Dec - 5 Jan
Vacances d'hiver(France)
7-22 February
February mid-term(Ireland)
14-22 February
February half-term(United Kingdom)
14-22 February
Vacances d'hiver(France)
14 Feb - 1 Mar
Winterferien(Germany)
14-22 February
Faschingsferien(Germany)
14-21 February
Presidents' Day weekend(United States)
14-16 February
Voorjaarsvakantie(Netherlands)
14-22 February
Vacances d'hiver(France)
21 Feb - 8 Mar
Voorjaarsvakantie(Netherlands)
21 Feb - 1 Mar
Voorjaarsvakantie(Netherlands)
28 Feb - 8 Mar
Spring break(United States)
14-22 March
Easter holidays(Ireland)
28 Mar - 12 Apr
Easter holidays(United Kingdom)
28 Mar - 12 Apr
Osterferien(Germany)
28 Mar - 11 Apr
Vacances de printemps(France)
4-19 April
Vacances de printemps(France)
11-26 April
Vacances de printemps(France)
18 Apr - 3 May
Meivakantie(Netherlands)
25 Apr - 3 May
May half-term(United Kingdom)
23-31 May
Pfingstferien(Germany)
23 May - 6 Jun
Summer break(United States)
10 Jun - 25 Aug
Sommerferien(Germany)
29 Jun - 11 Aug
Summer holidays(Ireland)
1 Jul - 1 Sept
Vacances d'ete(France)
4 Jul - 1 Sept
Zomervakantie(Netherlands)
4 Jul - 16 Aug
Zomervakantie(Netherlands)
11 Jul - 23 Aug
Summer holidays(United Kingdom)
18 Jul - 1 Sept
Zomervakantie(Netherlands)
18 Jul - 30 Aug
Sommerferien(Germany)
30 Jul - 14 Sept
Herbstferien(Germany)
12-24 October
Vacances de la Toussaint(France)
17 Oct - 2 Nov
Herfstvakantie(Netherlands)
17-25 October
October half-term(United Kingdom)
24 Oct - 1 Nov
October mid-term(Ireland)
26-30 October
Herbstferien(Germany)
26-30 October
Herbstferien(Germany)
31 Oct - 6 Nov
Thanksgiving break(United States)
25-29 November
Christmas holidays(United Kingdom)
19 Dec - 3 Jan
Christmas break(United States)
19 Dec - 3 Jan
How are these scores calculated?

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.

Spot guide

This guide was generated from conditions data. Know this spot? Submit your own tips below.

## The spot Bundoran is Ireland's surf capital, a small town on the Donegal coast with a remarkable concentration of quality waves. The Peak is a world-class left-hand reef break that barrels along a rock shelf below the main street. Multiple other breaks (Tullan Strand beach, Rossnowlagh further south) offer variety. The Peak has hosted international competitions and is considered one of Europe's finest left-hand barrels. ## When it works The Peak needs a north-westerly groundswell of 4ft+ with a south-easterly offshore wind. Best at mid to high tide. The 4-8ft range produces world-class barrels. Tullan Strand (beach) works on smaller swells and all tides. Consistent October through April. Ireland's Atlantic exposure ensures regular swell. ## Where to sit The Peak: defined take-off over the reef shelf. The left barrels along the rock before kicking off the inside section. The take-off zone is tight. Tullan Strand: multiple peaks across the wide sandy beach. ## Hazards The Peak has shallow reef with urchins and kelp. Powerful waves that throw with force. Getting caught inside over rock. Cold water year-round (5/4 wetsuit essential). Strong currents on bigger days. The Peak is for experienced surfers only. ## Parking and access Parking in town directly above The Peak. The beach break (Tullan) has its own car park. Easy access to both. Full town facilities including multiple surf shops. ## The crowd Busy when The Peak is working. Irish and visiting European surfers converge on good swells. The tight take-off zone means 15 people feels crowded. Tullan Strand is much quieter. The local crew are welcoming but The Peak has a clear hierarchy. Weekdays are quieter. ## Local tips Bundoran offers incredible variety within walking distance. The Peak for barrels, Tullan for mellow beach break, and numerous other setups along this stretch. The local surf community is strong and social; the pubs in town are lively. If The Peak is too crowded or heavy, drive 20 minutes to Rossnowlagh for a gentle giant of a beach break.
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Frequently asked questions

How often is this page updated?

Current conditions refresh every 3 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.

What is the luck factor?

We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Bundoran. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical late May.

How is 'best session' picked?

We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.

Where does the data come from?

Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).

Does the score capture local knowledge?

Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.

When is the best time to surf Bundoran?

The best week for surf at Bundoran is the week of 21 September (score 3/5) with low crowds.