North Devon surf forecast

Surfing in North Devon

North Devon's surf is concentrated on a short stretch of coast where Saunton Sands, Croyde, Putsborough and Woolacombe all sit within a few minutes' drive of each other. The beaches face west to north-west and take Atlantic swell from the west, so they work through much of the year, with the most powerful surf from autumn to spring. Winds with east in them are offshore across the area.

Because the four beaches are so close together, the choice usually comes down to tide, size and wind. Croyde is the most powerful: at low tide it can be hollow and heavy with strong rips, and it suits experienced surfers then, while higher tides give a softer, longer wave. Woolacombe is a long, open beach that picks up a little less swell and is less hollow than Croyde, which makes it a sensible choice for improvers on moderate days and gives learners plenty of room. Putsborough, at the southern end of Woolacombe Sand, is tucked under a high cliff that shelters it from south-westerly winds, so it is the usual fallback when the rest of the coast is blown out; it tends to work best around high tide and can turn hollow on very big swells. Saunton Sands is a broad, gently sloping beach whose slow, peeling waves suit learners and longboarders, and it gets some shelter from northerly winds.

Crowds are the other consideration: Croyde in particular is busy in summer and on any good swell. Rip currents are the main hazard across all four beaches, especially around low tide at Croyde.