Stormrider Guide to surfing Newquay

England, EUROPE

North Fistral, Tim Nunn

Summary

+ Variety of beach aspects	- Cold water
+ Concentration of good surf spots	- Cool and wet climate
+ Good nightlife	- Crowds
	- pollution

The polar opposite to the dark and moody north of the county, West Cornwall may as well be called Summer County. With its mild climate and consistent waves it’s the most popular surfer and tourist destination in the whole country, which means one thing for the summer months – crowds. Outside of the summer months clean W/SW swells are readily tackled by keen local crews and clued in travellers. The area is generally a small wave destination, once the swell is double overhead there are very few spots, with the exception of the Cribber, that can handle it.

When to Go

Cornwall receives SW-WNW swells, but smaller NW groundswells are blocked out by Ireland, which explains summer flat spells. Autumn and winter are best, and the west coast is the most consistent with regular 2-12ft mainly W swells and SE to SW winds. The south coast is often onshore and the SW swell/NW wind combo for Porthleven works about 20-30 times a year. Prevailing winds are S-NW with more W in the summer time. The Newquay tide factor can reach 7.7m, totally dictating break choice.

Surf Spots

Watergate Bay stretches for 1.5mi (2.5km), entertaining fun peaks in all swells and through the tides. Popular with all standards including kitesurfers on W winds. Gets heavier and hollower at size, when the rips ramp up. Probably the best facilities of any beach in Britain: surf shop, school, bistro, bar, hotel and camping. Try the southern headland at Whipsiderry to escape the summer crowds. Newquay Town Beaches are a mixed bag from the confused, gutless straighthanders of Porth, through the low tide lumps of annual night-surf site Lusty Glaze to the ridiculously busy, punchy, high tide left at Tolcarne Wedge or the SW storm option of Towan to Great Western. Famous, fickle, big-wave spot Cribber rarely works as it needs to be perfectly clean and double overhead before it will break clear of the rocks. Rights are safer but the lefts can be good. Savage rips, nasty rocks and long hold-downs. Big-wave surfers only, but mere mortals can contest for waves at the UK’s home of surf competitions, ✪Fistral Beach. The UK’s most famous beach is home to a trio of quality breaks, a large local contingent and many of the country’s top pros. Beneath the iconic Headland Hotel, Little Fistral is a high-performance, fast, hollow zipping left and right until the tide brings too many rocks into play. North Fistral draws in the most swell, hopefully with plenty of W, creating occasionally epic rights that get hollow at lower tides. Steep, with feathering lips and lots of opportunity to throw some big turns and airs, this is the contest site of choice for all high level competitions in the UK. South Fistral turns out lined-up lefts over sand and occasional rock bottom, with the headland providing good shelter from SW winds. Prefers higher tides, unlike North Fistral. The whole show is very consistent, hence the constant, year-round crowds. Surf centre and all facilities on the beach, plus Newquay is stacked with surf shops. Pathetic amount of pay parking for the most famous beach in the country.. Crantock shapes a fast, hollow, right sandbar off rocks to the north and a rare left in the south corner on massive swells. The rivermouth sandbar is popular with longboarders, but quality is ever-changing and high tide does the beach no favours. Low crowd factor for Newquay, which continues at neighbouring Holywell Bay. From Penhale to Perranporth stretches a series of changeable peaks that can wall-up for long ripable rides beneath the towering sand dunes. To the north is Penhale Corner – a long, walling right peeling off Ligger Point at lower tides. The central Perran Sands beachbreaks are best at higher tides, but very open to swell and adverse winds. The main town beachbreaks are better at low tide with the highlight being a long left breaking underneath Droskyn Point if the river has shaped the sandbar. Rips are a problem, but it soaks up the big summer crowd from the huge campground. St Agnes attracts powerful, beachbreak peaks over a rocky beach. One of the few spots working in big SW swells and winds. Localised and crowded. Porthtowan produces proper powerful peaks with some good tube sections all the way up to the stream at Chapel Porth. Blows out easily unless you are in the southern corner and most of this stretch disappears at high. Consistent, often crowded, rippy and handles some swell, so not really for beginners. Portreath is best described as an average, all tides beachbreak, with good shelter from SW winds. There’s nothing average about Portreath Wall, a dangerous, heavy granite reef righthander at the tip of the harbour wall. When it’s on, it’s thick, warping, hollow and mobbed with locals, many on bodyboards who also charge The V, a near dry shorey wedge on the inside. Godrevy/Gwithian is an extensive network of user-friendly sandbars offering better surfers more size and speed at the north end or beginners and improvers room to move. Works all tides and handles a fair bit of size. In big swells there might be a fast, hollow sandbar at Hayle Rivermouth or even more sheltered Carbis Bay. St Ives town beach Porthmeor faces NW, so only works in bigger swells. Good peak at the Boiler and a right off the island. Gwenvor is the most swell exposed beach in Cornwall, so no surf here means no surf anywhere. Solid beachbreak peaks and a fickle right point over sand/rock at the north end of the bay. Next door, Sennen is just as consistent, sucking in all swell directions for punchy peaks with barrels when offshore on a medium swell and tide. Rounding Lands End onto Cornwall’s south coast passes protected bays like Porthcurno and Perranuthanoe that are irregular, big swell spots. Praa Sands is more consistent, attracting regular crowds to some well-shaped peaks that can get hollow in offshore N winds. Rips at low tide, shorepound at high and always busy when on. In large winter swells and cold N winds, picturesque Porthleven produces fast, hollow, perfect peaks over a ragged tongue of reef to the west of the harbour. Better known for short perfect righthand barrels, it also outputs some good lefts on certain swell directions. Cornwall’s best reefbreak is always busy when on with a large local crew, pros and media. Dangerous at low tide and rippy at high – experts only. There’s also another hollow left/right reef in front of the pier popular with lids.

Statistics

dominant swell

SW -NW

swell size (ft)

5-6

6-7

consistency (%)

dominant wind

S -NW

SW -NW

S -NW

average force

F4-F5

consistency (%)

water temp (C)

wetsuit

5/4

4/3

3/2

4/3

Travel Information

Weather
England’s weather is notoriously famous for its mild rainy spells and unpredictability. Despite the northerly latitude it rarely snows in the winter and freezing temperatures only occur at night. During the autumn, air and water temperatures are still reasonable, swells consistent and the winds are often offshore. Cornwall is windy, requiring a 5/4mm wetsuit with boots, gloves and maybe a hat, as the water drops to 8°C (46°F). A 3-2 steamer is ideal in summer as the water touches 20ºC (68ºF).

Lodging and Food
B&B’s are everywhere, from $45/n upwards. Fistral Beach Hotel is quality at a price. The Backpackers in Newquay or Fistral are good deals and surfer-friendly. A pub meal costs $20 and daytime “greasy spoon cafes” are cheaper.

Nature and Culture
Newquay becomes very lively with many festivals in summer. Cornwall and Devon are summer holiday hotspots in Britain.