Devon surf forecast

Surfing in Devon

Devon has two very different surf coasts. North Devon faces west to north-west towards the Atlantic and is where most of the county's surf is: Croyde, Saunton Sands, Putsborough and Woolacombe sit within a few kilometres of each other, pick up Atlantic swell through much of the year and clean up in easterly winds. South Devon faces south into the English Channel and needs a south-westerly swell to reach it, so it is flat more often, especially in summer, but it can come alive in winter and is offshore in north-easterly winds, which is when the north coast is often blown out.

In South Devon, Bantham is a rivermouth break at the mouth of the River Avon, with a peak on the main beach and a right that runs towards the river. It is usually best around lower stages of the tide and gets busy and rippy when it is working. Bigbury-on-Sea, along the bay, is a gentler beach often used for learning.

In the north, Croyde is the most powerful beach, hollow and rippy at low tide, while Woolacombe, Putsborough and Saunton Sands offer softer waves for learners and improvers, with Putsborough sheltered from south-westerly winds by its cliff. Crowds are heaviest in summer and on the best swells, and rip currents are the main hazard on every beach. Comparing both coasts on the same day is the point of a Devon view: when one side is flat or blown out, the other is sometimes worth the drive. The North Devon page covers the northern beaches in more detail.