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 Rest 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 onshore blowing everything out. Give it a miss. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Rest Bay is a popular, accessible beach break situated in Porthcawl along the southern coast of Wales. The bathymetric profile comprises a mix of gently sloping sand and scattered rock reefs, which become increasingly exposed as the massive tidal range drops. As south-westerly groundswells filter up the Bristol Channel, they lose some of their deep-water intensity, resulting in manageable, spilling waves rather than heavily pitching barrels. A north-easterly wind provides the optimal offshore conditions, grooming the wave faces and maintaining their structural integrity. The wave typically breaks as a slow-peeling A-frame, offering soft, forgiving lefts and rights that are highly conducive to fundamental board control, basic trim, and pop-up practice. Due to the moderate wave velocity and the relatively safe, dispersed energy of the breaking water, Rest Bay functions as a premier training ground. It is universally classified as an ideal venue for beginners and intermediate surfers seeking consistent, user-friendly mechanics.
Heads up: jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 72% 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 15:00
Reduced water clarity: ~3m visibility
Elevated phytoplankton detected, possible algal bloom
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Rest 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 Rest Bay is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Local knowledge and community tips for Rest Bay
Rest Bay is a popular, accessible beach break in Porthcawl on the south Wales coast. It faces west and picks up Atlantic swell funnelling into the Bristol Channel. The beach is a wide stretch of sand backed by a promenade and the Royal Porthcawl golf course. It produces fun, manageable waves that work well for beginners and intermediates. When bigger swells arrive, more experienced surfers find workable walls and occasional hollow sections.
Needs westerly Atlantic swell pushing up the Bristol Channel. An easterly offshore wind provides clean conditions. Works on all tides with a preference for mid-tide shape. Consistent from October through March. The 2-5ft range is most suitable; above that the sections become disorganised. Summer can produce fun smaller waves.
Peaks form across the bay with the central section usually most defined. The southern end near the rocks can produce a more structured wave on bigger swells. The inside section is gentle and ideal for learning. Watch where the lifeguards have set up their flags for a guide to the safest areas.
Rocks at the southern end are exposed at low tide. Rip currents form on bigger days. The beach is generally safe with a gradual sandy bottom. Lifeguards patrol in summer. The main danger is cold water and the occasional strong current on bigger swells. Swimming and surfing zones can overlap in summer.
Free car park along the seafront road. Very short walk to the beach. Full facilities including toilets, cafes, and a surf shop. Porthcawl town is a five-minute drive. Extremely accessible.
Busy. Rest Bay is the primary surf spot for the south Wales coast and attracts surfers from across the valleys and Cardiff. Good days can see 30+ people in the water. Surf schools operate year-round. Weekends are heavily crowded. Dawn sessions and midweek offer more space. The local crew are generally friendly.
Rest Bay is more consistent than people expect for its Bristol Channel location. It picks up more swell than Caswell or Langland due to its direct westerly exposure. If Rest Bay is working, Llangennith (45 minutes west) will probably be bigger and better. The Esplanade fish and chip shop is a Porthcawl institution. Check the reef break at Coney Beach (next bay south) on bigger swells for a different type of wave.
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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 Rest Bay tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 36/100
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