Surfing - Wales
Surfing has been practised in Wales since the early
1960s.
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There is some great surf to be found along Wales' fantastic beaches
Surfing began to really take off in the late 1960s when Keith Paul came to the Gower. Introducing the sport of surfing to the area, he could mainly be seen surfing the waves of Langand and became a well known figure for his silver board shorts alongside his famous surfing ability.
Wales hosts many good and clean surfing beaches. It’s simply a matter of grabbing your board and choosing when and where. The best surfing beaches found in Wales are along the Gower and Pembrokeshire coastlines.
Surfing at Newgale - Pembrokeshire
Newgale is one of the most popular surfing beaches. Well equipped for surfers it provides excellent quality hire equipment, changing rooms and showers on site and a shop stocking a wide range of surf and beach gear.
Newgale boasts the ideal location for all water sports, a nice long beach, safe for all levels of surfing, even those new to the sport. At high tide the surf is usually swallowed up as the water is pushed onto a steep bank of pebbles. Newgale picks up a similar swell window to Freshwater West but is slightly tamer. At low tide the surf is often good with many peaks to be had.
Surfer on Newgale Beach West Wales - New Years Day 2001
Broadhaven is one of the big wave spots which usually work better in winter but can also provide good waves during the spring and autumn.
Waves can often come at you from two directions making it rather choppy at times. Broadhaven is not for beginners as the take of is extremely strong making any type of manoeuvre particularly tricky.
Surfing at Llantwit Major
Llantwit Major offers waves of a more consistent standard. Usually best on large swells, they can hold up to around six foot and still be rideable. An all round good surfing beach.
Tenby is a picturesque seaside resort with many visitors during the summer months. Although mostly flat water, Tenby beach has held some big swells during the depths of winter.
It is not worth travelling a long way to surf this beach as the waves are only really rideable about twice a year.
Tenby Beach - Pembrokeshire
Surfing at Ogmore Beach
Ogmore beach is certainly not for beginners due to the strong rips caused by the river, the area is very tidal! Unfortunately the river mouth also suffers from pollution so the beach is nowhere near as clean as the beaches of South Pembrokeshire. However, low tide can offer up good sandbanks although it needs a swell above 3ft to work and really needs a good clean swell at high tides.
Whitesands beach can become crowded on good surf days but is still one of South West Wales' better surfing beaches. Whitesands has been home to some big swells over the years, waves reaching 10ft have previously been recorded.
The take off is usually on the right hand side of the beach but can vary with weather conditions and the tide. You do have to pay for parking here in the summer months but there are cafes and restaurants to buy snacks and drinks and shops selling beach and surfwear in the town.
Whitesands Beach - Pembrokeshire