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 Cayton Bay. 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. Strong offshore, clean but tough to paddle into. Conditions improving through the afternoon. 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.
Cayton Bay is an exposed, multi-peaked beach and reef break situated on the rugged North Yorkshire coastline, near Scarborough. The bathymetry is a complex mixture of shifting sandbanks overlaid on a flat, underlying bedrock shelf. This combination creates highly variable wave profiles depending on the state of the tide and recent littoral drift. The bay relies heavily on short-period north-easterly wind swells generated within the North Sea. To produce clean faces, a south-westerly offshore wind is required to counteract the frequently rough, disorganised sea conditions. The waves here are characteristically punchy, offering steep take-offs and fast, wally sections that occasionally barrel on the lower tides. Due to the mix of sand and rock, the strong lateral currents, and the rapid nature of the break, Cayton Bay is best suited for intermediate surfers. It requires the ability to quickly read changing line-ups and execute rapid manoeuvres in consistently cold, heavy water conditions.
Heads up: jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 84% 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 15:12
Moderate water clarity: ~4m visibility
Updated 10:32
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Cayton Bay
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 Cayton Bay is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Local knowledge and community tips for Cayton Bay
Cayton Bay is a powerful beach and reef break south of Scarborough on the Yorkshire coast. It faces east-northeast into the North Sea and picks up swell with impressive consistency for an east coast spot. The seabed is a mix of sand and flat rock shelf, creating peaks that vary from hollow beach break barrels to more defined reef sections. The headland to the south (the Pumphouse) offers a quality left on bigger days.
Best on northerly or north-easterly wind swells between September and March. A south-westerly offshore wind is essential for clean conditions. Works through most of the tide but produces its hollower waves at mid to high on the reef sections. Head-high north-easterly swells with light offshores represent the classic Cayton session.
The main beach break peaks are in the centre of the bay. The reef section (the Pumphouse) is at the south end beneath the cliffs and produces a defined left that barrels on its day. This section needs a bigger swell and more experience. Beginners should stick to the sandy middle where the consequences are lower.
Strong rip currents form along both ends of the bay, particularly on bigger days. The reef sections have shallow rock underneath. The cliffs behind limit easy exit points. Cold water year-round (5-12 degrees depending on season). The Pumphouse section is heavy and not suitable for less experienced surfers.
Car park at the top of the cliff with a steep path down to the beach. The walk takes about 10 minutes and is not pleasant with a longboard. No facilities at beach level. The access path can be muddy and slippery in winter.
Cayton has a dedicated local crew who surf it year-round. Weekends can be busy by east coast standards (15-20 people on a good day). The Pumphouse section has a tighter group of regulars. Midweek you will often share with only a handful. Respect the locals; they know the currents and can offer advice.
The Pumphouse left is the prize but do not paddle straight there on your first visit. Surf the beach break first and observe. The banks shift significantly after storms, so what worked last week may not apply today. North-easterly groundswell wraps in cleaner than due-east wind chop. The cafe at the top does a proper bacon sandwich.
Surf at Cayton Bay
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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 Cayton Bay tend to be best between 05:00 to 08:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 22/100
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