Surf spots and live cams in Cornwall

• Bude – Crooklets Bude · Beginner · Beach break
  Crooklets is the more northerly of Bude's two town beaches: a sandy bay with rock shelves and pools on each side.
• Bude – Summerleaze Bude · Beginner · Beach break
  Summerleaze is Bude's main beach, right below the town, with the river and the canal breakwater on its south side and a free tidal sea pool on the rocks.
• Widemouth Bay Beginner · Beach break
  Widemouth is a long, open sandy bay south of Bude, with rock reefs at both ends.
• Crackington Haven Intermediate · Beach break
  Crackington Haven is a small sand and pebble cove under some of the highest cliffs in Cornwall.
• Trebarwith Strand Tintagel · Intermediate · Beach break
  Trebarwith Strand is a sandy beach in a steep valley near Tintagel, with dramatic cliffs and an island off the point.
• Polzeath Beginner · Beach break
  Polzeath is a wide, flat sandy beach on the east side of the Camel estuary, and one of the best-known learner beaches in Cornwall.
• Harlyn Bay Padstow · Intermediate · Beach break
  Harlyn faces north, tucked behind Trevose Head west of Padstow.
• Constantine Bay St Merryn · Intermediate · Beach break
  Constantine is a wide sandy bay south of Trevose Head, with rocks and pools at both ends.
• Treyarnon Bay St Merryn · Intermediate · Beach break
  Treyarnon is a small sandy bay just south of Constantine, with rocks and pools around it and a youth hostel above.
• Mawgan Porth Beginner · Beach break
  Mawgan Porth is a wide sandy bay with a small stream, between Watergate Bay and the Bedruthan cliffs.
• Watergate Bay Newquay · Beginner · Beach break
  Watergate Bay is a straight, two-mile beach north of Newquay, backed by cliffs.
• Newquay – Great Western Newquay · Beginner · Beach break
  Great Western is one of Newquay's town beaches, under the cliffs below the Great Western Hotel, facing north into Newquay Bay.
• Newquay – Towan Newquay · Beginner · Beach break
  Towan is the town-centre beach of Newquay, between the harbour and Great Western, facing north.
• Newquay – Fistral Newquay · Intermediate · Beach break
  Fistral is Britain's best-known surf beach, a wide sandy bay on the west side of Newquay between Towan Head and Pentire.
• Crantock Beginner · Beach break
  Crantock is a big sandy beach at the mouth of the River Gannel, across from Fistral, backed by tall dunes.
• Holywell Bay Holywell · Beginner · Beach break
  Holywell Bay is a large sandy beach with high dunes south of Crantock, with two rocky islets offshore.
• Perranporth – Penhale Perranporth · Beginner · Beach break
  Penhale is the northern end of Perran Sands, the three-kilometre beach that runs north from Perranporth.
• Perranporth Beginner · Beach break
  Perranporth is a seaside town with a huge, flat beach that runs two miles north.
• St Agnes – Trevaunance Cove St Agnes · Intermediate · Beach break
  Trevaunance Cove is the beach of St Agnes, a small sandy cove facing north between cliffs, with rocks along its east side.
• Chapel Porth St Agnes · Intermediate · Beach break
  Chapel Porth is a small cove at the foot of a valley below the old Wheal Coates mine.
• Porthtowan Beginner · Beach break
  Porthtowan is a popular sandy beach in a small village between St Agnes and Portreath.
• Portreath Intermediate · Beach break
  Portreath is a small harbour village with a sandy beach west of the harbour wall.
• Godrevy Gwithian · Beginner · Beach break
  Godrevy is the northern end of the long beach around St Ives Bay, run by the National Trust, with the Godrevy lighthouse just offshore.
• Gwithian Beginner · Beach break
  On the east side of St Ives Bay, Gwithian Towans is a huge stretch of sand with dunes behind it and Godrevy lighthouse in view.
• St Ives – Porthmeor St Ives · Beginner · Beach break
  Porthmeor is the north-facing surf beach of St Ives, right at the edge of the old town.
• Gwenver Sennen · Intermediate · Beach break
  Gwenver (also spelled Gwynver) is the wild northern end of Whitesand Bay, next to Sennen, under steep cliffs.
• Sennen Cove Sennen · Beginner · Beach break
  Sennen Cove is the westernmost surf beach in England, a wide bay of white sand near Land's End.
• Praa Sands Beginner · Beach break
  Praa Sands is a long sandy beach on the south coast of Cornwall, between Penzance and Porthleven.
• Porthleven Advanced · Reef break
  Porthleven is England's most famous reef break, a powerful right that breaks over a rock ledge just west of the harbour entrance.
• Whitsand Bay Torpoint · Intermediate · Beach break
  Whitsand Bay is a five-kilometre sweep of sand under high cliffs in south-east Cornwall, the closest surf beach to Plymouth.

Cornwall in the guides

• Surfing in January
  January is the heart of the Atlantic storm season. Thick wetsuits in the north, warm water in the Canaries, and powerful swells that wake up Nazaré, Mundaka, Thurso East and the island reefs.
• Surfing in March
  Fistral and the north coast beaches start their spring season, with far fewer people than in summer. The water is at its coldest, around 10 °C.
• Surfing in April
  Spring is one of the best seasons on the north coast: Fistral, Watergate and the Newquay beaches pick up Atlantic swell with fewer people than in summer.
• Surfing in May
  Polzeath, Watergate and the beaches around Newquay are at their friendliest before the summer holidays fill them.
• Surfing in June
  Sennen and Gwenver near Land's End pick up the most swell in summer. Elsewhere, Polzeath and the Newquay beaches are made for longboards and lessons.
• Surfing in July
  Sennen picks up the smallest swell in summer, and Polzeath is one of Britain's classic family and learner beaches. Both get very busy.
• Surfing in August
  Gwenver and Sennen at Land's End pick up more swell than almost anywhere in Cornwall, which makes them the summer go-to when the north coast is flat.
• Surfing in September
  The summer crowds leave, the water is about 17 °C and Fistral's autumn season begins, with fast, hollow peaks on a west swell.
• Surfing in October
  October is many surfers' favourite month in Europe: real groundswell, water that still holds its summer warmth, and beaches that empty out after the holidays. The reefs of Portugal, Ireland and Scotland start their season too.
• Surfing in November
  November turns the dial towards winter across Europe: swells grow, the reefs and points light up from the Basque Country to Ericeira, Cornwall and Thurso, and the beaches belong to locals again. Pack a thicker suit, or head for the islands.
• Best spots to learn to surf
  Polzeath is one of Cornwall's best-known learner beaches, and the Newquay beaches and Sennen have schools all summer.
• Summer family surf trip
  Polzeath is one of Britain's classic family and learner beaches, and Sennen's harbour end is sheltered and suits beginners.
• Cornwall, Devon and Wales surf trip
  The south-coast reef at Porthleven, Sennen near Land's End, Newquay's beaches and the open bays around Bude.