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Surf's up in the UK this month – in fact it'll be up for considerably longer than that, but between now and mid-November is prime time for hitting the waves since relatively mild air and water temperatures combine with regular swells and less crowded beaches to give the best conditions of the year. Here are ten of the best options for some autumn surf action.
BEGINNERS
1. Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Watergate Bay has two miles of beach at low tide, so if it's crowded in Newquay this is a good option – although it does get busy towards high tide. The Xtreme Academy teaches surfing here, along with various other so-called "extreme" sports, and beach cafes include Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall.
Surf board: The very contemporary Watergate Bay Hotel is as surfer-friendly as it gets - you can even walk from room to beach in your wetsuit.
2. Saltburn, Cleveland, north-east England
Saltburn is one of the original centres of the north-east surf scene and the locals are friendly despite the busy waves. Good beginner waves can be found either side of the pier. The guys at Saltburn Surf Shop above the beach can provide everything from lessons and hire to advice and new boards, and after thrashing around in the cold North Sea there's the option of great coffee and smoothies at Camfield's Coffee Bar, or beer and pub meals at The Ship, both right above the beach.
Surf board: The Spa Hotel overlooks the beach and is also within easy reach of the pleasant town centre.
3. Pease Bay, Borders, Scotland
One of the centres of the burgeoning Scottish surf scene and thus one of the most popular breaks in Scotland, with a good beach break and a more challenging reef for better wave riders. As local surf school owner Sam Christopherson says, "Surfing in the south-east of Scotland has seen a huge explosion in numbers … everyone is just enjoying the ocean!"
Surf board: The St Vedas Hotel at nearby Coldingham offers surfer-friendly accommodation, surf shop, surf hire and lessons.
4. Llangennith, Gower, Wales
Possibly the most popular surf spot in Wales, with beach breaks all the way along its three-mile length. It's always crowded when there's a good swell running, but if you're prepared to walk along the beach you should be able to find less busy peaks. Once the waves get bigger the paddle out through line after line of white water can be exhausting though, and you'll also need to watch out for rips.
Surf board: Hillend Caravan Park (+44 (0)1792 386204, open until Oct 31) has a good range of facilities and is right above the beach. The Welsh Surfing Federation Surf School also has a list of recommended local accommodation.
INTERMEDIATES
5. Sennen Cove, Cornwall
One of the most consistent breaks in Britain on account of its exposed location, Sennen can hold good-sized waves and may have surf when everywhere else is flat. Local longboarder and former European champion Sam Bleakley says, "After periods of either flat surf or east winds, the sand banks can get good - pulse in a four-foot swell with a 10-second-plus wave period and the breaks come alive."
Facilities include a great beach café, surf school, changing rooms, pubs and hotels all within easy reach of the beach – see sennenbeach.com.
Surf board: Good value dorm accommodation is available at Whitesands Lodge on top of the steep hill above the beach.
6. Bantham/Bigbury, Devon
Picks up more swell than any other south Devon beach and has a variety of peaks depending on the stage of the tide, and as Martin Connolly of the local Discovery Surf School says, "South Devon has a more mellow scene than the north coast and Cornwall … and localism isn't really a problem".
You can get some long rides here, especially on a longboard, but watch out for the rip on the east side of the beach. The Venus Café, above the beach at Bigbury, does great après surf organic fodder, and you just have to take the famous "sea tractor" over to Burgh Island for a pint in the 13th-century Pilchard Inn.
Surf board: Hillcrest B&B (+44 (0)1548 810706) in Bigbury has excellent coastal views and great breakfasts, and offers packages with Discovery Surf School.
7. Bournemouth, England
Bournemouth surf ain't big but it's surfers are clever, securing for themselves an artificial reef break in a place that rarely ever gets decent waves. When it "opens" in the near future it should improve the quality of the otherwise generally dismal surf here, but it's bound to be crowded – hence it coming under the intermediate category as novices will struggle to catch waves. If the crowds are just too much you may find similar quality surf at Branksome, Canford Cliffs, or Sandbanks.
Surf board: Hotels and B&Bs are in massive supply (go to bournemouth.co.uk) and there's also Bournemouth Backpackers if you're on a budget.
8. Porth Neigwl/Hell's Mouth, Gwynedd, Wales
The best-known surf spot in north Wales, Hell's Mouth is an impressive four-mile long bay with peaks along its length on a good swell. The better waves tend to be beneath the cliffs at the south-east end of the bay, and it will be crowded on good swells. As local surf legend 'Spout' of nearby West Coast Surf Shop says, "The north Wales coast road now fills up with board-topped cars streaming west at the first hint of swell." That said you can avoid the worst of the crowds if you're prepared to walk along the beach for a wave.
Surf board: Tanrallt is just one mile from Hell's mouth and has a luxury bunkhouse for £15pp/pn and a camping and caravan park. Also recommended is Nant-y-Big Campsite (+44 (0)1758 712686) above nearby Porth Ceriad beach (only open until end of October).
EXPERTS
9. Thurso East, Scotland
One of the best waves in Europe – simple as that. Thurso East is a right-hand reef break over a flat, kelp-covered rock shelf, best on a big north-west swell when it may hold surfable waves of triple overhead and more. The break's reputation means that it'll always be busy on a good swell, so treat the locals with respect and take your turn.
Surf board: One popular surfer choice is Sandra's Backpackers, which offers free breakfasts.
10. Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire
Fresh is a huge beach with peaks all along its length so you can usually find a wave to yourself. The main beach produces some powerful and often quite large peaks, plus there are a couple of other good breaks in the small bays to the south. There's also one of the heaviest, scariest reef breaks in Wales in the general area …
Note that there's an army firing range above the beach to the south of Freshwater West and if caught surfing here without permission you may face prosecution and/or detonation.
Surf board: If you don't mind driving to the break a fine surf-wise lodging is TyF Ecohotel in St David's which also has good breaks within close proximity – and the owner was surfing at Fresh when God was a lad …
· Alf Alderson is the author of Surf UK, the third edition of which is out next spring
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