United Kingdom · Atlantic Europe
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Local knowledge and community tips for Porthtowan
Porthtowan is a concentrated, powerful beach break in a deep valley on Cornwall's north coast. The beach is relatively short but the banks produce steep, punchy waves with real force. It faces west and receives full Atlantic swell. When the banks align, Porthtowan produces hollow barrels that rival Croyde for intensity. The setting is dramatic, with old mine workings on the cliffs and a pub literally on the beach.
Best on low to mid tide with a solid westerly groundswell and easterly offshore wind. The steep sand gradient creates hollow waves at the 4-8ft range. Above that it starts to close out across the bay. Works September through May. Even smaller swells produce fun, punchy waves here due to the steep banks.
The main peak shifts but generally forms in the centre of the relatively short beach. The take-off is steep and fast, similar to Croyde but on a smaller scale. On bigger days the outside bank produces a defined peak with a longer ride. The inside shorebreak is heavy and not a place to linger.
Heavy shorebreak that slams onto shallow sand. The steep gradient means waves hit hard and held-down time is real, even in moderate surf. Rip currents form on bigger days. The cliffs at either end are close, limiting the surfable area. Rocks exposed at low tide on the edges. Not a spot to underestimate.
Car park at the top of the valley with a walk (5 minutes) down a steep road to the beach. The Blue Bar sits directly on the sand. Limited parking in summer. Basic facilities at beach level.
Busy on good days. The proximity to Redruth and Camborne means a solid local population of surfers. The short beach concentrates everyone into a small area. Weekends can see 20-30 people fighting for peaks. Dawn sessions or midweek offer more space. The local crew are skilled and know the banks intimately.
Porthtowan punches above its weight for a small beach. The hollow sections near the Blue Bar can produce genuine barrels on the right swell. Do not sit too close to the shorebreak as sets can catch you out. The pub on the beach (Blue Bar) is an institution and the terrace has a direct view of the surf. If Porthtowan is closing out, Chapel Porth next door might be more manageable.
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Based on historical weekly averages
Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
How busy each week is based on school holiday overlap from feeder markets.
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 28 days of logged conditions.
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Create Profile →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.
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Porthtowan. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical mid-June.
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).
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.
The best week for surf at Porthtowan is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Small waves but still worth a paddle for keen surfers. Short-period chop. The waves lack any real push. Strong onshore blowing everything out. Give it a miss. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives.
Heads up: rip risk elevated, and cold-shock risk.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Moderate water clarity: ~8m visibility
Updated 10:33
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Porthtowan