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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 Crantock. 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).
Barely any swell. Not much to work with today. Short-period wind swell: expect weak, crumbly faces. Full onshore mess. Not worth the paddle unless you are desperate. Conditions improving through the afternoon.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Crantock is a sheltered beach and rivermouth break situated near Newquay on the north coast of Cornwall. The bathymetry is profoundly influenced by the tidal outflow of the River Gannel, which actively scours the silica sand to form pronounced, highly structured banks. The break operates best on medium-sized westerly swells that wrap around the Pentire headland. An easterly offshore wind is essential to groom the wave faces. The interaction between the incoming oceanic swell and the outgoing fluvial current frequently creates steep, hollow left-handers running parallel to the river channel. Due to the shifting nature of the rivermouth sandbars, the presence of exceptionally strong rip currents, and the steepness of the take-off, Crantock is primarily suited for intermediate to advanced surfers. It requires excellent oceanographic reading skills to identify the safest channels and to fully exploit the brief, high-intensity rides before the wave dissipates into the deep water.
Heads up: rip risk elevated, and jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 63% cleaner than the average comparison city right now.
Noticeably cleaner air than a typical city. Good conditions for prolonged outdoor activity.
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, NOโ 5, Oโ 3, PM10 2, SOโ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 09:24
Good water clarity: ~8m visibility
Updated 10:31
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Crantock
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
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Create Profile โPartly. 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 Crantock is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Local knowledge and community tips for Crantock
Crantock is a rivermouth break just south of Newquay, where the River Gannel flows out across a wide sandy beach. The river current sculpts defined sandbanks that produce more structure than a typical beach break. It offers a quality left along the river channel and various peaks across the bay. Sheltered by the Pentire headland, it picks up less raw swell than Fistral but delivers cleaner, more organised waves.
Best on medium-sized westerly groundswells that wrap around the headland. An easterly offshore wind cleans things up nicely. Works through most of the tide but the river channel left is best defined around low to mid. The 3-6ft range is ideal; above that the banks become overwhelmed. Consistent from September through May.
The river channel creates a defined left-hander running south along its edge. This is the premium wave when it is on. Peaks also form across the main beach away from the river. Use the deeper channel water to paddle out without fighting the whitewater. On bigger days, a peak forms further out where the swell first encounters the outer bar.
The river current is the primary hazard. It runs hard on the outgoing tide and can sweep surfers out into open water. Rip currents form alongside the channel and shift with the tidal state. The take-offs on the channel left can be steep and fast. Do not swim or surf near the river mouth if you are not a confident ocean swimmer.
National Trust car park at Crantock village with a walk (10-15 minutes) across the dunes to the beach. Alternatively, park at Pentire and walk south. The approach is longer than many Newquay beaches but keeps the crowd down. No facilities on the beach.
Quieter than Fistral due to the longer walk-in. The local crew know the river channel left well. On good days you might find 15-20 people out, spread across the various peaks. The walk deters casual holiday surfers who stay at the easier-access Newquay beaches.
The channel left is the prize here and works best as the tide drops. If you are unfamiliar with rivermouth dynamics, spend time watching from the dunes before paddling out. The current looks deceptively mild from shore. When Fistral is crowded and onshore, Crantock often has cleaner conditions due to the headland shelter. Pack food and water as there is nothing on the beach.
Strong wind
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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 Crantock tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 41/100
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