Sligo and Donegal surf forecast

Surfing in Sligo and Donegal

Sligo and Donegal sit on the north-west coast of Ireland, facing west and north-west into the open Atlantic, and between Bundoran and Easkey they hold some of the best-known reef breaks in Ireland. Swells from the west and north-west work across the area, and because the coastline bends around Donegal Bay, the usual question is which spot has the right wind on the day.

Bundoran is the hub. Its best known wave, The Peak, is a reef with a longer, more powerful left and a shorter, hollower right that can hold a bigger swell; it is best from low to mid tide on a west or north-west swell with an easterly or south-easterly wind, and is for intermediate and advanced surfers only, and longer sandy beaches nearby are better for learning. Mullaghmore Head is a big-wave reef that only really breaks on very large swells and is strictly for experts. Easkey has a left and a right over reef; the left is the more approachable, while the right is heavier and for experienced surfers. Strandhill, near Sligo town, is a shifting beach break in front of the promenade whose quality depends on the sandbars; it works best on a west to north-west swell with a south-easterly wind, usually from mid to high tide on the push.

Autumn and winter bring the most powerful swells, while late spring and summer are smaller and kinder. Water is cool all year, so a thick wetsuit with boots, gloves and a hood is needed in the colder months. Shallow reefs, strong currents and cold water are the main things to respect, and the reef breaks can be busy with locals when they are at their best.