Newquay Surfing Beaches Fistral Lessons Schools Newquay

Best Surfing Beaches Cornwall/Newquay

The best surfing beach in Newquay is internationally renowned Fistral Beach. It's big and divided into three sections, North Fistral, South Fistral and Little Fistral. South Fistral beach is for the experienced surfers and beginners are advised to avoid this section! The waves are excellent and tend to break to the left and it's best here from mid to high tide. Submerged rocks to the right of South Fistral are often used by experienced surfers to jump in from. Definitely not for beginners, Fistral South has a South/South East offshore wind and tends to get rather crowded in the peak season. Get to it via steps down from the car park and toilets at the top of the cliffs. Little Fistral Beach is actually a small bay, only exposed during low tide and surfers should watch out for tides creeping in as you can get cut off, and the way out is via a bit of rock climbing! Little Fistral again is not recommended for beginners. To reach it follow signs for Towan Head and park above the bay or in the North Fistral Car Park.

North Fistral Beach has more consistent waves than south Fistral as you'll see swells here at during all tides, although the best are usually at low tide. Crowed again in peak season, this section attracts both beginners and the more experienced Newquay surfers. It's mainly right swings here, and can be a little hazardous for lefts as submerged rocks await. Parking is available on the road above North Fistral or alternatively use the car park on the beach (which as you can imagine gets crowded peak season!). North Fistral is well equipped with facilities active in peak season including a large cafe, hire surfing gear facilities and Surfing lessons and toilets and baby changing facilities.

Gentler Crantock Beach west of Fistral is much more sheltered yet still offers a reasonable break. At low tide you get a good right hand whoop, or when the swell is of a good side watch out for the left handers! There's a nice pub off the A3075 called the Bowgie Inn pub (not a surprise - popular with surfers) with parking from which you can take the pleasant stroll down to Crantock Beach. Alternatively this beach has it's own car park. Crantock is well equipped with a bar, restaurant, toilets, and surf hire outlet plus it's life guarded during peak season. In the other easterly direction head out to stunning Watergate Beach, popular with beginner surfers and with Newquay locals escaping the crowds. Watergate beach is at it's best at high tide, but picks up the waves during all tidal stages. Surfers should watch out for incoming tides though on this beach as you can get cut off.

The main Newquay bay nearest the town and harbour consists of four lively beaches, all offering reasonable swells and great for beginner or intermediate surfers. These four beaches include Towan, Great Western, Tolcarne and Lusty Glaze Beaches. The more exposed Great Western will see the best of the swells often, but Lusty Glaze is particularly popular with beginners as it's the most exposed and sees regularly good swells. Bathers and families hit these central Newquay beaches as well so as you can imagine in the peak summer season they can get crowded and lively, especially as sometimes these beaches are the only ones where surfing is on if the wind is up! For full details on Newquay's surfing beaches check the Surf Newquay link, plus various surf cam links (to the right).

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Newquay Surfing Lessons & Surfing Schools

Even before you get to the UK's surfing capital Newquay, why not check out the superb A1 Surf School web link to the right. This site offers a superb introduction to surfing lesson online and is well worth a read. Also on the site are web cams on most of the North Cornwall and Devon surfing beaches, plus weather advice and more. A highly recommended surf site alongside the BSA and Surf Newquay site. If you've a good knowledge of the Newquay beaches, and pre-book the right surfing school for you prior to you're visit then you'll have more time on the beaches and enjoying learning to surf!

Newquay's choice of surf schools will amaze. The choice is welcome because each of the surfing schools tends to have a differed focus, for example Hibiscus is women only with qualified women instructors. Others will focus more on Stag and Hen and group surfing holidays with all inclusive lodge styled accommodation and in-house bar and entertainment. Some offer more exclusive one to one surfing lessons, and some cater well for kids and school groups. Many offer their own accommodation inclusive in the surfing holiday package. The British Surfing Association does accredit some of the surfing schools, and you may prefer to go with these but it's worth shopping around and having a look at the selection. All operate at the highest levels of surf safety and all instructors are usually qualified to British Surfing Association standards and are qualified lifeguards and first aiders so have a look around and fine the one that suits you!

Newquay surf school choice means a variety of packages at competitive rates are on offer, with quite a few special offers especially out of peak season. One morning's worth, including one lesson will set you back from ú20 to ú30 and the one offs usually run in the morning starting about 10.30am and finishing at 1pm. Full days including usually 2 lesson are usually ú30 to ú40, and weekender deals which are popular with the Stag and Hen Parties are 2 days and usually range from ú60 to ú70. Many of the Newquay Surf Schools are approved by the British Surfing Association, also based in Newquay with it's own surf school.

Surfing holiday packages often include accommodation and food, so take a look around and view the accommodation. Many of the Newquay surfing schools have their own websites (see links to the right). Three day packages are around the ú80 mark, with 5 or 6 days ranging from ú110 to ú130. Look out for special surfing break deals - they pop up in abundance and you can often negotiate if you're going as a good sized group or stag or hen party.

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British Surfing Association Newquay

Not surprisingly the definitive British Surfing Association (BSA) is based here in Newquay with it's main centre on Firstral Beach and it's very own surfing school based on Tolcarne Beach. It's the first port of call for surfers to Newquay, and it's well worth having a good look around their weblink to the right for full details of Newquay surfing safety and the surfer's code of conduct. Regular surfers should really consider becoming a member of the BSA, firstly to support it's excellent work at promoting surfing and surf safety and secondly because with membership comes free liability insurance!

The BSA have been going quite a while, since 1966 and they're well established in Newquay, organising competitions, running a school and they are involved in the coaching of lifeguards and overall surf safety at Newquay. Their all-inclusive approach is warm and friendly, with an eye on beginners and a real motivation to open surfing up to everyone. There's a new Beginner's info section currently being developed on their website.

For experienced surfers the BSA site has all the competition entry forms for download, plus news on what's going on in UK surfing. Their events calendar is definitive! The British Surfing Team has just had a boost with Freespirit sponsorship. This news and more is all up-to-date and available on the BSA website to the right. Any problems, queries or advice on surfing schools and surfing lessons during your Newquay visit - then head for the BSA office on Fistral Beach. Surfing in the UK is definitely on the up and up!

The British Surfing Association is the National Governing Body for the sport of surfing in Great Britain and the Channel Islands. The British Surfing Association. The International Surfing Centre. Fistral Beach Newquay Cornwall. TR7 1HY. Tel: 01637 876474

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Newquay Surfing Holidays/Packages

Surfing all inclusive weekend or short breaks are perfect for Stag and Hen parties and the Newquay surfing schools cater well for the stag and hens. All inclusive surfing package holidays or just dipping in for one are two lessons are both on offer for beginners, intermediates and the experienced surfer. Newquay is particularly good at catering for beginner surfers, with a warm welcome and guaranteed fun. It's the best UK resort for children too and kids and school party packages are available. Children under 8 generally must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

If one of the many Newquay surfing lodges isn't for you, then there are plenty of other options in accommodation rich Newquay. Choose from a huge selection of friendly B&Bs, deluxe leisure & spa hotels. Check out the mammoth palatial Headland Hotel with views over Fistral Beach. The centre of Newquay is crammed with budget friendly B&Bs or for something a little quieter move the west or east of Newquay into areas such as Porth.

Newquay caters for all ages, and excels in catering for young groups of the 18-30 range, offering a selection of all inclusive entertainment/surfing lodges which provide the perfect surfing package holidays with everything from wetsuits, surfing lessons, in-house bar, hearty food aplenty and friendly advice and guides all thrown in. If you hadn't considered Newquay for your stag or hen do it's well worth a look. Special offers for stag and hen dos in the surfing schools are numerous. Look out for Hibiscus Surf School special offer for hen parties hens!!

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