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 Harlyn 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).
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.
Harlyn Bay is a highly sheltered, north-facing beach break situated on the north coast of Cornwall. The bathymetry features a crescent of compacted sand bounded by rocky headlands. Due to its northern orientation, it is entirely protected from the dominant westerly Atlantic groundswells. It relies on massive westerly storms refracting heavily into the bay, or direct northerly swells. A southerly wind blows straight offshore, frequently providing clean conditions when the rest of the coast is blown out. When activated, the highly attenuated wave energy dissipates over the flat sandy bottom, producing very soft, slow-peeling waves. These forgiving mechanics render Harlyn Bay an exceptional, low-consequence environment for beginner surfers. The spilling waves provide highly stable platforms for practising pop-ups and basic trimming without the threat of strong rip currents or steep drops, functioning as an essential storm haven for novices.
Heads up: jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Local knowledge and community tips for Harlyn Bay
Harlyn Bay is a sheltered, north-facing beach break near Padstow on the north Cornish coast. Its northerly aspect means it picks up swell that most of the west-facing coast misses, and crucially, it offers shelter from the prevailing south-westerly winds that blow onshore at nearby Fistral and Constantine. When everywhere else is blown out, Harlyn often has clean waves. The sand is golden, the water clear, and the waves gentle.
Best when a big north-westerly swell wraps into the bay, combined with the south-westerly winds that are onshore everywhere else. This makes Harlyn the go-to option on windy days. Also works on northerly swells at any size. A southerly wind is technically offshore here but the sheltered position means light winds from any direction are fine. All tides work.
The peaks form across the bay with the central section usually most defined. On bigger wrapping swells, the left-hand corner near the rocks on the east side can produce longer rides. The inside section is gentle and perfect for learners. The outside banks on bigger days offer more punch.
Very few. The sandy bottom is forgiving, the waves rarely get heavy, and the sheltered position limits strong currents. Rocks at either end of the bay are exposed at low tide. In summer, the water can be crowded with swimmers and surf school students. One of Cornwall's safest spots overall.
Pay car park right behind the beach. Extremely short walk to the sand. Gets very busy in summer with families. Surf hire, toilets, and a small shop at the car park. Easy access makes it popular with all ages.
Busy. Very busy. Harlyn's reputation as the sheltered option means everyone converges here when the wind blows. Surf schools occupy the inside. On blown-out days, expect 30-50 people in a relatively small bay. Early mornings and late afternoons offer more space. Midweek in autumn is best.
Harlyn is the classic Plan B for north Cornwall. If your primary spot is onshore, drive to Harlyn. But everyone else has the same idea, so arrive early. The left in the east corner is the best wave in the bay but needs a bigger swell to work. If Harlyn is flat, Constantine (five minutes south) will have surf but probably with onshore wind. The Rock ferry from Padstow is a pleasant post-surf activity.
Strong wind
The air here is 73% 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
Good water clarity: ~8m visibility
Updated 10:32
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Harlyn Bay
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
Create a free profile and let employers in Harlyn Bay find you.
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 Harlyn Bay is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Surf at Harlyn Bay
Your score
Forecast feel
Score this window against what you actually found.
No scored surf reviews in the last 24 hours.
No recent check-ins. Be the first to report.
Log a day
Add Harlyn Bay to your private Companion record without GPS.
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 Harlyn Bay tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 33/100
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
View Best Time to Go โ