Britain

Surf Brittania - a beginner’s guide to surfing in Britain

Escape the office

Surfing has witnessed a phenomenal surge in popularity in the last few years, with more and more jaded city professionals donning wetsuits and heading out into the Atlantic waves to get away from the pressures of the daily grind and notch up a few bragging rights in the process.

On a dreary office Monday morning, when asked what you did at the weekend, a reply of “I went to IKEA then rented a DVD and got a pizza,” doesn’t sound half as funky as, “I loaded up the van and cruised down to Cornwall to catch some waves”.

Locals may not always appreciate the hordes of visitors inundating their favourite surf spots, but given a bit of respect and knowledge, anyone can head down to the coast and enjoy this adrenaline-fuelled and surprisingly relaxing sport – there are few things better for clearing the mind than a morning with just you, a board and the ocean for company.

Find a surf spot

The British Isles have much more to offer surfers than just the obvious spots in the south west like Newquay and Croyde, however, these locations are popular for a reason – they combine relative ease of access with a good range of accommodation, great scenery and plenty to do when the surf isn’t up.

These spots are not necessarily the best for beginners, though, and below you’ll find a few pointers to some of the best spots to make your first tentative steps into the water. The Guardian has listed it own top ten surf spots , but for a more in-depth guide, the Footprint guide Surfing Britain is an ideal starting point, and has plenty of useful information about the sport in general.

• Cornwall - Watergate Bay, Perranporth, Sennen Cove
• North Devon - Saunton Sands, Woolacombe
• South Wales/Gower - Caswell Bay, St Bride’s Bay, Llangennith Beach
• Pembrokeshire - Freshwater East, Newgale
• East Coast -Scarborough North Bay, Tynemouth
• South Coast - Bournemouth
• Scotland - Dunnet Bay, Tomsdale
• Channel Isles - Vazon Bay, Guernsey, Watersplay and St Brelade’s, Jersey

Choose your time

Summer means warmer waters, big crowds, and less surf.  Deep winter is cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey, but you knew that already. The waters don’t usually get really nippy until December, however, with the coldest time usually in February.

In fact autumn is usually the best time of year to surf, with some fantastic conditions and manageable temperatures plus better deals on accommodation. Spring can also bring good waves and is less crowded. Check the BBC website for simple surf reports or go to A1 Surf for more in depth information.

The BBC also has more details on surfing conditions and links to regional surf pages.

If you fancy seeing what’s actually happening at surf spots across the UK, download the natty surfcam widget from this site, which lets you view webcams trained of several of the country’s top surf beaches.

Book some accommodation

Accommodation standards around the British seaside can be mixed, and choosing a cottage for the weekend is something of a lottery, although there are some fantastic options and some real bargains out there if you do your homework. Get in there early, especially for large self catering properties and during school holidays, as accommodation can book up a long time in advance.

If there’s a big group you could get a well-equipped self-catering pad from as little as £15 per person per night, and there are usually hostels to head for if you don’t have a group or are on a real budget. Some are especially geared up for surfers, like Newquay’s Seaway Surf Lodge.

The YHA has hostels all around the coast, many near surf spots. You don’t need membership to stay although it is cheaper that way.

Some of the YHA hostels also offer special learn to surf packages, tying in with local surf schools.

Other good places to start your accommodation search around some of the top UK surf destinations are at Discover Devon, Visit Cornwall or Visit Wales, but the best bet can be, as ever, a personal recommendation. So find someone who goes surfing, and ask them.

Learn the right way 

Get some lessons. If you haven’t done it before, just rocking up to the beach and trying to get going is a pretty poor idea. In fact you may never want to surf again. You wouldn’t go skiing without taking some lessons first, so do yourself a favour and get an instructor at a British Surfing Association-accredited surf school to show you how.

Get kitted out

• Boards - if you’re a beginner you need a beginner’s board. They might be huge and not look half as cool as the pocket rockets the experts sling under their arms, but that extra volume and padded surface is there for a reason – it makes it a darn sight easier to get going on. Once you’ve progressed a bit you may want to consider buying your own board. If you’re facing resistance from your partner remind them that they not only take up space in the garage, they also look cool on top of your car.
• Wetsuits - surfing in Britain you need to wear a wetsuit, whatever time of year it is. In the summer you can often make do with a shorty (short sleeves and short legs), but in the autumn and winter, a full winter steamer is essential. Rent one from the local surf shop or buy your own - steamers can cost as little as £80, with online stores like Boardriders offering good deals.

Dos and don’ts

Do…

• learn the rules. Find out who has right of way on a wave and you’ll avoid arguments
• wear a suitable wetsuit. Your dad’s scuba diving wetsuit from 1973 won’t do the job – rent a suitable suit or buy your own (see above)
• take some lessons. They help, honest. Bad habits die hard
• wear a leash. Unless you want to swim for 500 metres every time you fall off
• quit while you’re ahead. One you start to get tired and irritable, it’s time to head in, not grit your teeth and resolve to get up one last time
• learn the lingo. Pepper your conversation at the office with terms like ‘gnarly’ ‘drop in’ ‘snaking a wave’ and ‘duck dive’. It may make you sound like an arse but once you’re hooked, you won’t be able to help yourself

Don’t…

• put on your wetsuit the wrong way round. The zip goes at the back, stoopid
• upset the locals. They were here first, and they live here
• drink too much the night before. Unless you want to see your breakfast again or get tired in double quick time
• overstretch your limits. If only the experts are out there’s a good reason - it’s too radical for mere mortals
• become a statistic. Surf safe and don’t trouble the RNLI, who have put together some simple beach safety tips

© 2008 I Came I Saw I Wandered.