Surfing in North Wales promises to be a real adventure, taking you to wild, wave-sprayed beaches under the shadows of the Snowdonia mountains. It’s best suited to people with their own car and a sense of adventure.
An introduction to surfing North Wales
Surfing in North Wales hasn’t quite got the buzz that the south gets. While crews of local rippers from Langland Bay to Pembrokeshire have made it to national comps and whatnot, the folks up north seem content to stay out of the limelight.
That sort of fits with the mentality of the place. This is a wild, Celtic country, with rawer beaches and less predictable swell conditions than the more-exposed coasts of the Gower and West Wales. Coming here to surf promises to be a fantastic adventure. You’ll need a car, your own quiver, and good timing. But it can be awesome.
There are two key regions to mark on the map. The first is the isle of Anglesey. Famed as the ancient home of the Druids, it’s got spectacular beaches – long, sandy, backed by dunes – on its southern coast, before crumpling into the rugged cliffs of Holyhead out west. Then there’s Gwynedd, which ranges from the heights of Yr Wyddfa (Wales’s highest mountain) down to the striking coast of the Llyn Peninsula, which acts a bit like a mini Pembrokeshire with its SW facing shores.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Wales
Surfing North Wales at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to surfing North Wales?
The practicalities of surfing in North Wales
North Wales isn’t the easiest part of the UK to get to, or to travel around. It has a bit of the wildness that Cornwall does, only without the regular direct train links to and from London.
The point here is that public transport is almost certainly out. You do need your own set of wheels for these parts. With that, the journey there actually becomes kinda’ simple. It’s just 2.5 hours from Liverpool or four hours from Cardiff (yep, there are no motorways going through the heart of Wales).
Thankfully, both drives are epic – the first showcasing the Victorian resort town of Colwyn Bay, the second taking you through the amazing Ceredigion mountains (bring the hiking boots!).
Once you get to North Wales, you’ll be glad you have a car. The region is pretty vast and best seen on the country roads. You won’t want to spend all your time surfing, because there are some amazing peaks to hike. When you are surfing, having the ability to cruise the whole length of the Llyn Peninsula and cross the Menai Bridge to Anglesey will be a gift for swell hunting.
North Wales surf spots
North Wales is powered by the same Atlantic swells that power South Wales, only they need to work harder to get through the breadth of the Celtic Sea. That means a dip in reliability, and that the south- and west-facing bays tend to trump the bunch. Here’s a look at all the main surf spots in North Wales, beginning on the mystical island of Anglesey and moving out to the southernmost parts of Gwynedd…
Surf spots on Anglesey
Rhosneigr
Rhosneigr is the classic Anglesey break. It’s been the stomping ground of total beginners for years, mainly because there are a few very popular campgrounds and caravan sites in the vicinity that brought in a steady stream of learners. The angle of the beach – it’s direct west facing – is perfect for tempering SW swells into manageable lines. The best days here are midwinter storm pulses that will lose power as they curve around to hit the town beach, creating long, marching lines that are asking to be trimmed top and bottom by longboarders. This is probably the best place for beginner surfers in North Wales.
Porth Trecastell (Cable Bay)
Cable Bay is more of a Cornish-style cove spot with high headlands on both side that act like a jet pump, sucking in swell and squashing it together to give strong lippy take offs onto speedy walls. That sort of thing only happens when the strong winter SW swells come through, and when that happens you’ll never be alone here – speed kayakers, SUP boarders, and every surfer plus their gran is in town. The reason? It’s a fun wave, great for intermediates and up.
Surf spots around the Llyn Peninsula
Porth Oer
Gorgeous Porth Oer is usually flat as a Welsh cake in the summer months because it needs strong SW swells to push all the way around the top end of the Uwchmynydd headland and move into the bay. That happens maybe once or twice a year, leaving the rest of the season to rely on unruly wind swell waves. Can be a great bay with wedgy take offs into semi-hollow walls. The best sets hit the south end of the beach. National Trust members can park for free.
Aberdaron
Aberdaron is a bit different to the other sandy beaches here in that it’s got a series of Rivermouth breaks that properly hollow out on large winter sets that creep up over six or seven foot. The eastern end of the bay is a tad more protected but loves to dump heavy when it’s on, which is why most stick around the car park area. Usually for advanced surfers only.
Porth Neigwl
A long sweep of pebble-covered sand at the very tip of the Llyn Peninsula, Porth Neigwl is perfectly angled to hoover up all the refracting SW swells that push their way up through the Celtic Sea. It’s certainly the most consistent spot for surfing in North Wales – if there’s a wave around it will be here.
Peaks spread down something like four miles of shoreline. Generally speaking, the ones further west will be smaller and more mellow thanks to greater protection from W crossshore winds from the headland. The ones to the east meet some submerged stone beds and reefs, turning them faster, hollower, and more fun – they’re usually manned by local crews on bigger winter days.
Porth Ceiriad
Just along from Porth Neigwl to the east is boulder-studded Porth Ceiriad. It’s a more protected bay and faces due south, so has slightly less consistency. There’s a backwash wave that acts a little like the Welsh Wedge when it’s on, throwing out crazy shapes as the rips mix with oncoming sets. That’s limited to the eastern side of the bay, which the west is usually little more than crumbly little leg burners, great for learning on.
Surf spots in Gwynedd
Barmouth Beach
The popular resort town of Barmouth has one of the last beaches in North Wales that’s not in the swell shadow of Pembrokeshire. Waves still need to work hard to get in here but with a nice, strong S element to the swell they will manage it. When that happens, expect long peelers to rise up on the sandbanks by the rivermouth and bowl into the heart of the bay. Further north, out front of the town, the beach breaks up the water into peak after peak. Usually wedgy and fun, it’s forgiving stuff that’s fine for beginner surfers.
Where to stay when surfing in North Wales?
We’ve picked out the hotels below for the express purpose of getting you close to what we’d consider to be the best surf spots in North Wales. Two are aimed at intermediate surfers mainly, while the last is probably better suited to family holidaymakers and beginners looking for access to easier waves (hence why it’s in Rhosneigr).
- Conion Ganol, Pwllheli – A fine group stay that oozes proper Welsh character from every one of its slate tiles and rough-stone bricks. Sleeps six in all, is tucked between the consistent surf beaches at the end of the Llyn Peninsula, and is downright cozy. Just check that roaring log fire!
- Awelon – A bit more of a Scandi-style home away from home, this cottage, also with its own fire and also close to the Llyn’s best breaks, is suited to groups of surfers who want to travel and stay together.
- Sandy Mount House – Sandy Mount House, or just SMH, is one of the coolest hotels in North Wales as a whole. Just back from Rhosneigr beach, it’s perfectly located for beginners and offers luxuries to return to in the form of Victorian-styled suites and grand period bathrooms. Very nice indeed.
Step-by-step guide to planning your surfing North Wales trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the surfing North Wales…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 four: Enjoy!
When to surf in North Wales?
The best time to surf in North Wales is the autumn and winter months between September and March. That’s when the strongest SW Atlantic swell sets work their way through past Pembrokeshire and up to the islands and peninsulas of the region. The best days are usually in the 5-7 foot range with lighter north winds, which are offshore.
Summer can suffer from flat spells that last weeks. Sometimes, though, it can go off, usually when strong windswell systems move off low pressure weather groupings in the north Atlantic and get beaches on the western sides of the Llyn and Anglesey working.
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!
