South West Wales has some of the finest surfing opportunities in the UK, and the surfers to prove it. Former European surfing champions Carwyn Williams and Chris 'Guts' Griffiths are local boys, and there's a host of hot young pros such as Nathan Phillips waiting in the wings. But you don't have to be as good as them to enjoy the waves of South West Wales.
Gower and Pembrokeshire have a fantastic range of surf breaks to suit everyone
from beginner to expert. Beginners and intermediates are especially well
catered for, with plenty of user-friendly beaches such as Llangennith, Newgale
and Whitesands, which have consistent, small waves ideal for learning on or
developing your technique.
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South West Wales offers more experienced surfers the chance to test their skills. If you feel up to the challenge head for the Gower reefs or Freshwater West, which can have solid, powerful waves. And if you're prepared to explore, you can find at least one wave that 'Guts' Griffiths has compared to Pipeline in Hawaii and Carwyn Williams regards as being one of the best breaks in Europe, let alone the UK.
The great thing about surfing in South West Wales is that, whether you're a complete beginner or a salty old sea dog, there's no such thing as a 'bad' surf session. It's always worth paddling out, and South West Wales is amongst the best locations in the UK to paddle out from.
Surfing in the UK how & where
There are Wales Tourist Board accredited surfing schools at many of South West Wales surf beaches, where fully qualified instructors will kit you out with wetsuits and state-of-the-art beginner's boards and have you up and surfing on your first day.
Surfing is a sport that anyone of any age can get into and enjoy, and unlike the old days there are almost as many women as men learning now. In fact some surf schools hold 'women only' courses. As long as you can swim with confidence, you'll enjoy surfing in Wales.
For more experienced surfers, get hold of a map of South West Wales, a surfing guide and a weather chart and you'll find a vast array of potential breaks to explore all the way along the Gower and Pembrokeshire coasts.
There's a whole range of surfing courses. Check out the prices below for some ideas:
. Half day from £20.
. Full day from £40-plus.
. Women Only courses from £89 (not including accommodation).
. Weekend course from £195 with accommodation.
. Three-day course from around £230 with accommodation.
. Five-day course without accommodation from around £219.
Top Tips
Surfing in the UK can be a bit cold so plan your surfing trip during late summer and early autumn, - the waves tend to be more consistent then too.
The huge tidal ranges in South West Wales can affect the surf enormously, so make sure when you're surfing in Wales to check on when a particular beach 'works' at its best. It may be flat at some stages of the tide.
More info
For more details on where to surf in Wales take a look at the
British Surfing Association
website. And if you're heading for Gower, log on to
Gower Watersports Association
for the
local lowdown.