United Kingdom ยท 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 Gwithian. 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. 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.
Gwithian is an expansive, highly consistent beach break located at the northern end of St Ives Bay in Cornwall. The seafloor comprises a wide, gently sloping expanse of fine silica sand that creates multiple shifting sandbanks along the three-mile stretch. Facing north-west, it captures unattenuated westerly Atlantic groundswells effectively. A south-easterly wind blows directly offshore here, grooming the peaks to create clean, workable A-frames. Because the sandy gradient is relatively gradual, the waves tend to spill nicely, offering steep faces without the violent, jacking shorebreak found at steeper beaches. This highly functional bathymetry makes Gwithian perfectly suited for intermediate surfers. It provides highly reliable, long walls ideal for practising speed generation and carving manoeuvres. The sheer size of the beach ensures the line-up remains diffuse, providing a safe, high-quality environment for progression away from concentrated crowds.
Heads up: jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 75% 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, 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 15:00
Moderate water clarity: ~7m visibility
Updated 10:31
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Gwithian
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 Gwithian is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Local knowledge and community tips for Gwithian
Gwithian is a long, consistent beach break at the eastern end of St Ives Bay in Cornwall. Three miles of sand stretch from Godrevy lighthouse to the Red River outlet, offering numerous peaks across the entire expanse. It picks up slightly more swell than the nearby Hayle beaches due to its more northerly exposure. The lighthouse at Godrevy and the wide-open beach give it a distinctive, beautiful setting.
Consistent on any westerly or north-westerly Atlantic swell. An easterly or south-easterly offshore wind cleans things up. Works on all tides with a preference for mid-tide when the banks are most defined. The 2-6ft range is ideal. Above that it becomes messy unless the swell is very clean groundswell. Reliable from September through May.
The peaks shift along the beach depending on sand movement. The section near the Red River outlet often has more defined banks shaped by the outflow. The Godrevy (northern) end picks up slightly more swell. Walk for 10 minutes from the main access points and you will find quieter peaks. Look for the darker channels between banks.
Rip currents are the main concern, particularly on bigger days. The beach is large enough that drifting several hundred metres is easy to miss. The rocks around Godrevy headland at the north end should be avoided. Some debris from old mining operations occasionally surfaces in the sand after storms.
National Trust car park at Godrevy and separate parking at Gwithian Towans. Both have direct beach access within a couple of minutes. The Godrevy end has a cafe and toilets. The Towans end has less infrastructure.
Busy in the main access areas but the beach is so long that you can always find space by walking. Surf schools operate near the car parks. The local crew tend to know which section is working best and congregate there. Autumn midweek sessions are quiet; summer weekends are busy near the car parks but empty 500m in either direction.
Gwithian rewards those willing to walk. The peaks 10 minutes from the car park are usually better shaped and far less crowded. The Red River section can produce longer rides along the sandbar edge. If the wind swings onshore, check Porthmeor in St Ives which has different exposure. The Jam Pot cafe at Gwithian Towans is a local favourite.
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 Gwithian tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 27/100
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