Bournemouth surf is known for the peelers that break on both sides of Bournemouth pier, but there are also some good spots up and down the Dorset coast. Let’s take a look…
An introduction to Bournemouth surf
Bournemouth has seen its fortunes rise and fall in the surfing world. There was a time when Cornish rippers and Welsh crews would have scoffed at the thought of traveling all this way to catch nothing more than South Coast slop. Then a few of the local folks managed to showcase the town’s real prowess throughout some mean winter swells back in the late eighties and nineties. Bournemouth had begun to earn its stripes on the UK scene.
What followed was a horror show for all, but mostly for the local guys who’d really started something rolling down here. It all began with big industrial dredging down to Hengistbury Head going on without check. It ruined the sandbanks that had gathered on the groynes there and transformed almost five miles of decent surf territory into nothing over the course of a few years. Afterwards, the local council tried to sink sandbags in the bay to create artificial surfing reefs. It didn’t work but it cost them over three million quid.
And so the action reverts back to one break: The Bournemouth Pier. It’s the spot that most people think of when they think of Bournemouth surf and it’s been gloriously untouched by dredging and whatnot. It’s always busy whenever there’s a moderately good SW swell creeping up through the English Channel and is certainly one of the rite-of-passage breaks for any surfer touring the UK.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in England
Bournemouth surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Bournemouth surf?
Where is Bournemouth?
Bournemouth is on the south coast of England. It sits between the famous resort area of Poole and the mouth of the Solent, which is the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland. The location should tell you a lot about the surf – AKA it’s fickle. You need swells to push up the English Channel and bend around the headland to work properly. There’s no direct exposure to the Atlantic like you get in North Cornwall or South Wales.
Bournemouth surf spots
We’ve already outlined how years of poor coastal management (at least for surfers) has led to a drop in the number of spots around Bournemouth. But don’t go thinking that the party is over. It’s most certainly not. There’s still lots to get through here, even if you won’t get the same consistency as Cornwall at al. Let’s take a look…
Swanage Beach
The big arc of sand at Swanage is divided up by wooden groynes, each of which can squeeze the swells into wedgy peaks. They’re decent fun on windless days, with the rare potential to hollow out and give English barrels outside of Cornwall. Mostly mush in the summer.
Knoll Beach
The sole nudist beach in England, they say. Try to keep your eyes off the dad bods and on the waves, which can sometimes curve around the headlands of Durlston Country Park and come in here. It’s never big but might be a good pick when it’s 15-foot in midwinter, since W winds are almost offshore and the spot does well if there’s E in the swell.
Bournemouth Pier
This is likely the spot you’re reading this guide for. Fronting the town itself on Bournemouth Beach, the pier has been there since the Victorian era. Surfers have been coming since at least the 60s to ride the waves. There are spots on both sides, just like a classic California break. If only they had the consistency of the Golden State, though. These guys need the strongest of SW groundswells to pulse up through the English channel, which means it works best in winter, especially if there’s a cold N wind in the offing.
The east side of the pier is the piece de resistance but also the least consistent. That gets firing on big SW sets and offers a nice, long left shoulder that you can cruise through the pier struts if you have the balls. The right there is a fast drop and closes out quick, but good fun. The western side of the pier is usually a foot bigger but often messier, too – it doesn’t get the same shelter from oncoming W winds. Always a crowd. Vocal locals when it’s good.
Boscombe
On the western side of the pier is Boscombe Beach, which stretches for a few clicks from the center all the way to the smaller Boscombe Pier. That’s where you’ll want to focus on. It’s the site of the now-infamous Boscome Reef, an artificial reef made from a mass of sandbags and just about anything the council could get their hands on to chuck in the sea. Long story short, the reef sinking failed badly. Far from turning Boscome into the south coast’s surf capital, it gives the odd wedge for tray riders and mega rips to go with them. There are still some good days to be had on the west side of the pier, though.
Where to stay when surfing in Bournemouth?
Our advice? Pick a hotel that’s within walking distance or a short drive of Bournemouth Pier – that’s the spot you’ll want to surf the most here. Our recs are…
- Hoppapill House – A very stylo pad on the cliffs west of the pier. It sleeps up to six people, so is great for families or surfing groups. Walking access to the beach and a garden that’s cracking if the sun decides to come out.
- Seaview West Coast – As the name implies, you’ll be able to see the English Channel and spot check the swell from the living room window. The house is modern and stylish and sleeps up to five people.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Bournemouth surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Bournemouth surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Bournemouth?
Because the Boscome and Bournemouth surf needs extra punch in the SW swells for the action to move up the English Channel, it’s the winter that reigns supreme in these parts. November to March tends to be best, particularly on those crisp, still, icy winter days when there’s N wind and big groundswell action. Summers tend to be totally flat or just messy, as windswells squall west and east.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
