Best Places To Surf in Devon

🕓 17 min read

✏️ Updated on 13th March 2025

Intro

Welcome surfing friends, in today’s post we’ll be looking at the ‘Best Places to Surf in Devon’.

Well be looking at each locations type of wave, level of surfing required, whether lessons and rentals are available as well as the parking and food options.

Here are the surf spots we’ll be looking at…

1. Lynmouth
2. Woolacombe
3. Putsborough
4. Croyde
5. Saunton
6. Westward Ho!

It’s a pretty comprehensive list, so grab yourself a cuppa and let’s get started!

1. Lynmouth

Starting with the most Northern and probably least known surf spot in Devon – Lynmouth. Not everyone’s first choice, but this place can offer experienced surfers a great days play in the right conditions.

Lynmouth

Type of Wave

Lynmouth is a point break which can offer up crazy long left handers along a bouldering shoreline.

Typical wave lengths last between 150-300m, this wave can provide some ridiculous ride time. Works best in offshore winds from the South and the ideal swell direction is from the West North West. If those directions seem a bit confusing, take a quick look at my ‘How to Read a Surf Report’ post that explains swell direction and wind direction in an easy to understand way.

With its sheltered position along the Northern coast, the right conditions are however quite hard to come by (so it’s flat most of the year).

Current forecast

Here’s the Lynmouth Beach surf forecast for the next 48 hours, thanks to surf-forecast.com.

Level of Surfing Required

Advanced.

This is not somewhere you want to be surfing if you’re a beginner surfer. With the danger of ground boulders and some fairly pointy rocks making up the shoreline, this point break isn’t for the faint hearted.

When conditions are right, expect a busy lineup with an experienced level of surfing attached.

Surfing Lessons

No.

Surfboard & Wetsuit Rentals

No.

Parking

There are two solid parking options for surfers in Lynmouth, the first and one I’d recommend is The Esplanade. This is basically a long stretch of road with parking on one side, it’s also right next to the water. Although it costs slightly more than the second option it’s closer and there’s more spaces available.

If The Esplanade is full however, try out either Lower or Upper Lyndale – they’re next to each other and both close to the village centre. The prices are basically the same as The Explanade but a bit further from the waves.

The Esplanade, EX35 6EQ

123 spaces
Mon-Sun: 10:00 – 18:00 (Free outside these hours)
No height restriction
4 hours – £6.00
4 days – £15
Weekly (longest time available at this car park) – £25

Lower & Upper Lyndale – Watersmeet Road, EX35 6EP

86 spaces
Mon-Sun: 10:00 – 18:00 (Free outside these hours)
No height restriction
4 Hours – £5.20
4 days – £15
Weekly (longest time available at this car park) – £25

Food

For that post-surf grub, be sure to check out the award winning Esplanade Fish Bar. With its high quality seafood and the ability to eat in or take-out, this would be my go to (if I was good enough to surf here).

If the queue for the above is too long, take a walk down to Lynmouth’s Traditional Fish and Chips. These guys offer more of the same as Esplanade Fish Bar just without the fancy award.

2. Woolacombe Beach

The second stop on our journey is Woolacombe Beach.

Recently placed #20 in 2020s best beaches in the world list, Woolacombe is one of the best places to surf in North Devon. It’s a huge 3-mile long stretch of sandy goodness that consistently pumps out great waves.

Woolacombe

Type of Wave

Woolacombe beach is a 3-mile stretch of sand that offers up your standard beach break. That typically means great learner waves throughout the Summer, which are perfect for beginners. For the bigger swells, Autumn and Winter are great times to visit if you’re an intermediate or advanced surfer.

Typical wave lengths are between 50-150m on good days and it produces its best on a rising tide. Ideal conditions would be East South East winds paired with a West North West swell. If you want to learn a bit more about what makes good spring conditions, check out my ‘How to Read a Surf Report’.

Current forecast

Here’s the Woolacombe Beach surf forecast for the next 48 hours, thanks to surf-forecast.com.

Level of surfing required

Beginner.

Woolacombe is a great place to start your surfing journey.

The length of the beach means there’s loads of space, so plenty of waves to go around (even on busy weekends). Also, with the number of surf lesson providers here – it’s easy to see why so many people learn to surf at Woolacombe.

If you’re a more seasoned surfer, Woolacombe can still produce in the colder months. The location means it gets a lot of big swells from the Atlantic, but the lack of wind protection can reduce it to a choppy mess. Is a certified wave if conditions hold out though.

Surfing Lessons

Yes.

If it’s beginner surfing lessons you want, Woolacombe Surf Centre is what you need. Their team of experienced surf coaches make starting out easy, but be sure to check availability ahead of time.

If you’re struggling for availability, Nick Thorn Surf Coaching would be your next best bet.

Woolacombe Surf Centre;

£35 – Group lesson / half day / 2-hours
£68 – Group lesson / full day / 2-hours x2
£50 – Private 1:1 lesson / half day / 2-hours

Nick Thorn Surf Coaching;

£30 – Group lesson / half day / 2 hours
£58 – Group lesson / full day / 2 hours x2
£60 – Private lesson 1:1 / half day / 2 hours
£150 – Private lesson 2:1 / half day / 2 hours

Surfboard & Wetsuit Rentals

Yes.

If you just fancy renting a surfboard and wetsuit for the day then Woolacombe Surf Centre can sort you out. If there’s no availability, Hunter is a great backup and just a two minute walk from the beach.

Woolacombe Surf Centre;

£8 – Surfboard or Wetsuit rental / 3 hours
£12 – Surfboard or Wetsuit rental / 6 hours

Hunter;

£12 – Surfboard rental / 3 hours
£16 – Surfboard rental / 6 hours
£10 – Wetsuit rental / 3 hours
£14 – Wetsuit rental / 6 hours

Parking

Woolacombe has a load of parking options, so even on the busiest Summer days there is still room at the inn.

There is free parking available on the South West coastal path (the bit that goes around the main headland), but it’s rare and only in the Winter months (Oct and Mar). The closest carpark and my recommendation is The Esplanade car park.

If The Esplanade is full, there’s also Sandy Burrows carpark a few hundred metres down the road. It’s a huge grassy area for vehicles of all sizes, so better for those with big campers as The Esplanade has a vehicle length limit. It’s also a bit cheaper than The Esplanade.

The Esplanade, EX34 7DJ

430 spaces
No height restrictions
All day – £12
After 4pm – £5

Sandy Burrows Car Park, EX34 7BG

500+ spaces
No height restrictions
All day – £8
After 4pm – £4

Food

There’s only one place you want to end up after a long day’s surfing in Woolacombe and that’s The Red Barn. Established in 1965 this place has served more than a few generations of surfers, and it’s another personal favourite of mine.

With a menu that satisfies even the most cultured eaters, this place will quickly become part of your trips to Woolacombe. Plus – there’s a collection of old school surfboards stuck to the ceiling… what’s not to like!

3. Putsborough

If you were to start at Woolacombe beach and walk the 3-mile stretch to the other end, you’d find yourself at Putsborough.

Another Devon gem that is just as popular with general beach goers as it is with keen bean surfers. With plenty of space to spread out it’s another popular location for beginner surfers in the Summer months.

Putsborough

Type of Wave

As Putsborough is partly connected to Woolacombe, the wave is pretty similar for the most part. It offers a standard beach break but is much more sheltered from winds due to the main headland to the left.

Normal wave lengths are between 50-150m on good days and it produces its best on a rising tide. Ideal conditions would be East South East winds paired with a West North West swell.

This is my personal stomping ground and in my opinion, the best place to surf in North Devon.

Current forecast

Here’s the Putsborough Beach surf forecast for the next 48 hours, thanks to surf-forecast.com.

Level of surfing required

Beginner.

Putsborough is a great location for those who want to learn how to surf in the summer months. The waves in the Summer are pretty mellow and do go on for a while, giving beginners plenty of time to stand up.

For intermediates and above, Putsborough is a great surf spot to know if the wind conditions elsewhere aren’t great. The main headland to the left offers a huge amount of protection. This means conditions are usually better here compared to elsewhere on the North Devon coastline when sh*t is hitting the fan.

Surfing Lessons

Yes.

There are two surfing lesson providers at Putsborough, Barefoot Surf School and Nick Thorn Surf Coaching. Both offer group or family lessons and private lessons with varying prices.

Prices cover tuition, surfboard and wetsuit hire and lessons usually take between 90-120 minutes. As always, be sure to book ahead of time to avoid any disappointment.

Barefoot Surf School;

£140 – Family lesson (2 adults & 2 children) / half day / 1.5 hours
£80 – Private lesson 1:1 / half day / 1.5 hours
£120 – Private lesson 2:1 / half day / 1.5 hours

Nick Thorn Surf Coaching;

£30 – Group lesson / half day / 2 hours
£58 – Group lesson / full day / 2 hours x2
£60 – Private lesson 1:1 / half day / 2 hours
£150 – Private lesson 2:1 / half day / 2 hours

Surfboard & Wetsuit Rentals

Yes.

You can rent surfboards and wetsuits from Barefoot Surf School but only if you’ve booked previous lessons with them before. If that’s not you, there’s usually a Nick Thorn pop-up tent / van in the car park area with all the rental gear ready to go.

Barefoot Surf School;

£5 – Surfboard or Wetsuit rental / half day
£10 – Surfboard or Wetsuit rental / full day

Nick Thorn Surf Coaching;

£10 – Surfboard rental / half day
£8 – Wetsuit rental / half day
£14 – Surfboard rental / full day
£12 – Wetsuit rental / full day

Parking

Putsborough is a private access beach so the team have good control over the number of cars in the car park. If the main car park fills up, there’s an overflow area up the hill – so there’s plenty of room. You pay a one off price at the entrance for the entire day and can pay with card or cash.

If you wish to stay overnight in a camper or motorhome, there’s a hard standing area at the top of the car park. Cost of an overnight stay varies from season to season but ranges between £25-45 per night.

All day – £13.50 (Apr – Oct)
Weekly – £63 (Apr – Oct)
Annual – £230 (Apr – Oct)

Food

The Putsborough Beach Café sits on the hill next to the beach, has a great menu and views of the surf. It’s open everyday between April and October and every weekend through the winter months.

There’s a freshly prepared daily menu offering everything from a quick sausage bap to full blown fish and chips. My favourite post surf meal here is hands down the scampi and chips with a side of curry sauce, tis unreal.

4. Croyde

Around the headland from Putsborough is our next surf location – Croyde.

Probably one of the most well known surfing locations in the whole of the UK let alone the North Devon coastline. Croyde is smaller than Woolacombe and Putsborough, but has been a surfing mainstay in the South West for a long time.

Croyde

Type of Wave

Although the beach is only around the corner from Putsborough, the waves here can be different gravy.

Croyde is another beach break offering right and left handers and is at its best with a rising tide. At low tides this location pumps out steep, fast moving barrels so high quality surfers are expected. At mid and high tides the waves mellow out, so can be surfed by less experienced surfers.

Usual ride length is between 50-150m, but this shortens on the weekends as is tends to get very crowded. Ideal wind conditions are from the East with a swell direction of West South West.

If you’re an experienced surfer, this can be one of the best places to surf in the UK.

Current forecast

Here’s the Croyde Beach surf forecast for the next 48 hours, thanks to surf-forecast.com.

Level of surfing required

Intermediate to Advanced.

For me, Croyde isn’t the place to go if you’re learning how to surf for the first time. In my opinion, there are plenty of other beaches (within a 5-mile radius) that offer more suitable waves in a less crowded environment.

If you’re an intermediate or advanced surfer though this is the most popular place to surf in North Devon. With the added spice of consistent hollow barrels, it’s easy to see why this place competes with spots in Cornwall for the UK’s best waves.

Surfing Lessons

Yes.

If you’re still keen to surf at Croyde (despite my advice above), there are three main providers to choose from; Croyde Surf Academy, Surfing Croyde Bay and Surf South West.

All three providers include the usual surfing tuition, rental surfboard and rental wetsuit in the price. As with all surf lessons be sure to book in advance to avoid any disappointment.

Croyde Surf Academy;

£40 – Group lessons / half day / 2.5 hours
£80 – Group lessons / full day / 2.5 hours x2
£99 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours
£149 – Private 2:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Surfing Croyde Bay;

£35 – Group lessons / half day / 2.5 hours
£120 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Surf South West;

£35 – Group lessons / half day / 2 hours
£120 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours
£170 – Private 2:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Surfboard & Wetsuit Rentals

Yes.

Both Croyde Surf Academy and Surfing Croyde Bay offer surfing equipment hire for the day at reasonable prices. Croyde Surf Hire is another shop that offers rental equipment and is a useful back-up.

Croyde Surf Academy;

£7 – Surfboard or wetsuit rental / 4 hours
£10 – Surfboard or wetsuit rental / full day

Surfing Croyde Bay;

£10 – Surfboard rental / 4 hours
£15 – Surfboard rental / full day
£8 – Wetsuit rental / 4 hours
£12 – Wetsuit rental / full day

Croyde Surf Hire;

£20 – Surfboard rental / full day
£12 – Wetsuit rental / full day

Parking

Croyde has some great parking options with three main carparks.

The carpark I’d recommend is Croyde Bay carpark. It’s got the best access to the beach, a decent number of spaces and it’s not too expensive.

There’s also Baggy Point, which is a National Trust carpark. This means if you’re a National Trust member you can enjoy free parking, if not that’s ok too you’ll just have to pay the day rate. Finally we’ve got Down End carpark, which is a great backup but is on the other side of the beach.

Croyde Bay carpark, EX33 1NN

170 spaces
Mon-Sun: 06:00 – 22:00
No height restrictions
4 hours – £6
16 hours (longest time available at this carpark) – £12

Down End carpark, EX33 1QE

350 spaces
Mon-Sun: 07:00 – 00:00 (Free outside these hours)
No height restrictions
4 hours – £8.50
All day – £16 (In after 07:00, out by 00:00)

Baggy Point carpark, EX33 1PA

150 spaces (plus overflow)
Mon-Sun: 08:00 – 21:30
No height restrictions

Food

As you’d expect with such a popular beach, there are some great places to eat in Croyde.

If you’re in the village centre and you’re after good pub grub, The Thatch is the place for you. It’s a local favourite and has been well established in the Croyde area for many years.

If you’re a bit further up from the village centre and fancy a quick bite, Biffens Kitchen has some great options. Based out of the Ocean Pitch Campsite, Biffen cooks up healthy street food from his food van – and you don’t even need to be staying at the campsite to check it out.

5. Saunton Sands

The penultimate stop on our journey down the Northern Devon coastline is Saunton Sands.

Similar to Woolacombe, Saunton is a huge stretch of sand that goes on for as far as the eye can see. It’s located just around the corner from Croyde and stretches for 3-miles until the River Taw estuary to the South. It’s not quite as well know as Croyde or Woolacombe but a great place for surfing none the less.

Saunton

Type of Wave

Like most of the beaches on this list Saunton offers up a beach break, but this particular break is perfect for long boarders.

Ride length on good days can stretch past 200m and it works best when the tide is rising. The majority of waves are long right handers so perfect for any regular footed long boarders. There are still some lefties up for grabs for goofy footers but the rides aren’t quite as long.

Of course, you don’t need to be a long boarder to enjoy the waves at Saunton. Conditions are fairly good all year round with a mixture of waves suitable for every surfing level. With a 3-mile stretch available, it’s easy to find some space and test out your skills.

Current forecast

Here’s the Saunton Sands surf forecast for the next 48 hours, thanks to surf-forecast.com.

Level of surfing required

Beginner.

Saunton is a great beach for surfers of any level and so the level of surfing required is beginner.

Throughout the Summer months Saunton offers a good mix of gentle waves perfect for learning on. With such a long stretch of sand there’s also plenty of room if you want it. Similarly, in the Winter months there’s just as much on offer for experienced surfers.

Favourable conditions at Saunton are winds from an Easterly direction and a swell direction from the West. The things to be careful of at Saunton are the rip current next to the Northern headland and the rocks that make up the headland itself.

Surfing Lessons

Yes.

Saunton has it’s very own blue hut for everything surf lesson related – the Surf Saunton Surf School. It’s located between the car park and the sea and is the to place to go if you’re looking for a surfing lesson.

If there’s no availability at the above, Walking on Waves also do surf lessons at Saunton.

As always the prices below include your surfing tuition, a rental surfboard and rental wetsuit. Book in advance to avoid any disappointment, especially on busy weekends.

Surf Saunton Surf School;

£40 – Group lessons / half day / 2 hours
£80 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 1.5 hours

Walking on Waves;

£40 – Group lessons / half day / 2 hours
£80 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Surfboard & Wetsuit Rentals

Yes.

If you just want to hire some surfing gear for the day you can absolutely do that at Saunton. Right next to the Surf Saunton Surf School is the Saunton Surf Hire team. These guys can kit you out with surfboards and wetsuits alike but as I’ve mentioned before – be sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

They have a range of equipment available for hire but here are some guide prices;

£15 – Surfboard rental / full day
£10 – Wetsuit rental / full day

Parking

Saunton does have its own car park which is located right next to the beach making it extremely easy to go from the motor to the waves. Worth mentioned they shut the entry gate if the car park is full. This tends to only happen during the busiest Summer weekends, but try and get there in the morning to guarantee a spot.

Saunton Sands carpark, EX33 2LG

650 spaces
Mon-Sun: 08:00 – 17:00 (Oct-Mar) / 08:00 – 19:00 (Mar-Apr) / 08:00 – 21:00 (May-Aug) / 08:00 – 19:00 (Sep-Oct)
No height restrictions
4 hours – £8.50 (+£1 per additional hour)
Yearly – £230

Food

After a long sesh out amongst the waves food is of upmost importance, fortunately Saunton has the Beachside Grill. It’s next to the car park and serves up both great food and that perfect sunset view at the end of a long day. It’s possible to get a table as a walk-in, but there are no guarantees so be sure to book a table before arriving.

If you’re not after a sit-down meal and just fancy some chips, Saunton Break Cafe has you covered. Offering the cheap and cheerful take away meals to keep most happy, it’s also next to the car park and operates out of two cubby holes.

6. Westward Ho!

The final surf spot on our sublime North Devon coastline is Westward Ho!

Westward Ho is situated on the same stretch of sand as Saunton but on the other side of the River Taw estuary. It’s known for being a very relaxed beach for surfers and holiday makers alike. With its game arcades and holiday camps it certainly has that UK staycation feel but offers plenty for one day surfers too.

As this is one of the lesser known beaches on the North Devon coastline, it doesn’t much of a crowd.

Westward Ho!

Type of Wave

Westward Ho! offers up a mellow beach break like so many other great beaches along Devon’s Northern coastline. Longboarders tend to enjoy the less frantic action near the estuary and shortboarders enjoy waves closer to the town end.

There are both left and right handers on offer with ride lengths going past 200m in good conditions. Works best when there are offshore winds from the East and a swell direction of West North West.

Current forecast

Here’s the Westward Ho surf forecast for the next 48 hours, thanks to surf-forecast.com.

Level of surfing required

Beginner.

Westward Ho! is another great beach for first time beginners and intermediates looking to improve. The gradual beach incline means waves gently roll in giving surfers plenty of time to get to their feet.

As for the advanced surfers, Westward Ho! doesn’t offer much in the Summer months unless you’re after that mellow wave. It does spice up quite a bit more in the Winter though with westerly swells from the Atlantic.

Surfing Lessons

Yes.

There are a few places you can get surf lessons from in Westward Ho! but the best three are; North Devon Surf School, Surf SUP Academy and Westward Waves Surf School. All three pretty much offer the same lessons and it’s nice to have a few options incase you struggle for availability.

As with most lessons all three providers also include your surfing tuition, your rental surfboard and your rental wetsuit in the price.

North Devon Surf School

£32 – Group lessons / half day / 2 hours
£95 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Surf SUP Academy

£30 – Group lessons / half day / 2 hours
£70 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Westward Waves Surf School

£30 – Group lessons / half day / 2 hours
£70 – Private 1:1 lessons / half day / 2 hours

Surfboard & Wetsuit Rentals

Yes.

Despite the abundance of surf lessons there’s not as much on offer in Westward Ho! when it comes to rentals. North Devon Surf School and the local Surf and Kite Shop are the only two options and both are fairly close on price.

Both providers also rent out equipment for longer than two hours if you fancy, just check the links for more info.

North Devon Surf School

£12 – Surfboard rental / 2 hours
£8 – Wetsuit rental / 2 hours

Surf and Kite Shop

£10 – Surfboard rental / 2 hours
£8 – Wetsuit rental / 2 hours

Parking

There’s a few places to park at Westward ho, but the carpark one I’d recommend is Northam Burrows Country Park.

This ones more of a long road and it runs parallel to the beach. If you keep driving along it, there’s a car park area at the end or you can park along the road if you’d prefer. If you’re planning on getting a surf lesson, North Devon Surf School are also based at the entrance – handy.

Northam Burrows Country Park, EX39 1XS

35o spaces
Mon-Sunday: 07:00 – 18:00
No height restriction
All day – £7

Food

Being a seaside town, Westward Ho! has a great range of food venues to choose from. There are three places I can recommend however; The Pasty Shack, Atlantic Bay and the Pig and Olive.

If you’re after a quick getaway and are thinking of ordering in your dripping wet wetsuit, The Pasty Shack is the one you want. With a selection of great tasting pastry, this place will sort you out whilst you waiting for your hands to unfreeze.

If you’re after something a bit more substantial, Atlantic Bay might be a better option. These guys do a classic cod and chips takeaway that is very popular with the locals.

Finally, the Pig and Olive. This place specialises in stone oven baked pizza and it is the bomb! It’s located opposite the North Devon Surf School so you can drop off your equipment and get the pizzas in.

Summary

And that is that! My full guide to the ‘Best Places To Surf in Devon’.

I hope it’s helped those of you looking for a new surf spot in the South West. I’m planning to do more guides like this one to highlight our fantastic surfing locations in the UK.

As always, be sure to follow on the usual socials below to keep up to date with the latest surfing content!