Surfing in croyde

Croyde, North Devon, Surfing

Nestled along the rugged coastline of North Devon, the picturesque village of Croyde stands as a beacon for surf enthusiasts. With its pristine sandy beaches, stunning vistas, and, most importantly, consistently epic waves, Croyde has earned its reputation as a surfing haven. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a novice eager to catch your first wave, Croyde offers an unparalleled surfing experience that keeps enthusiasts coming back year after year

About croyde

Over time, Croyde has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the premier surfing destinations in the UK. This recognition, coupled with neighbouring beaches like Woolacombe and Putsborough, has elevated North Devon to the esteemed status of a World Surf Reserve. This designation entails the presence of a community-led organisation dedicated to preserving local surf breaks and their surrounding ecosystems, ensuring the longevity of the surfing experience and guaranteeing waves for all enthusiasts indefinitely. Beyond the surf, Croyde boasts a vibrant surf culture, with cozy cafes, surf shops, and a welcoming community of fellow surfers.

How the surf changes

The surf conditions at Croyde undergo significant fluctuations throughout the hours, days, months, and seasons. This dynamic nature can pose challenges in finding optimal surfing conditions due to the ever-changing battle of tide, swell, wind, and sand banks. Depending on your skill level, different stages of the tide offer varying surfing experiences. High tide presents gentler waves more suitable for beginners or those wanting a more relaxed wave, contrasting with the steeper and more powerful waves during low tide. Regardless of tide stage, the beach may feature numerous rip currents due to constant sand movement, altering the beach’s appearance and wave patterns. From Easter to October half-term, the RNLI provides a lifeguard service from 10 am to 6 pm, ensuring safety for beachgoers. For further beach safety tips, refer to this link. https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety.

The best surf at Croyde happens when a 6ft swell comes from a NW-SW directions with a light easterly wind combining with a low tide of 1m-2.5m producing steep hollow barreling waves. These types of waves should only be surfed by experienced surfers. The best place to look at the surf forecast is on Surfline, here is the link – https://www.surfline.com/surf-report/croyde/5842041f4e65fad6a7708ca4

cROYDE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Winter and summer are like two different worlds in Croyde. Winter brings big waves and chilly waters from December to March, down to about 8°C. It’s prime time for surfing, but you’ll need a thick 5/4mm wetsuit, boots, hood, and gloves to stay warm. In contrast, summer is much calmer, with water temperatures hitting highs of 18°C and warmer air. Waves are smaller, usually around flat to 3 feet. Check out our surf guide for each month of the year in Croyde below!

lEARNING TO SURF

Around Croyde there are two world class surf schools offering lessons from people wanting to catch their first waves to seasoned professionals wanting to progress their skills. The two surf schools are:

Surfing Croyde Bay
Website – https://surfingcroydebay.co.uk/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/surfingcroyde/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/surfingcroydebay

Surf South West
Website – https://www.surfsouthwest.com/surf-lessons-croyde/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_mvBhDwARIsAA-Q0Q4K01oYza2L-ywbDPb-k8I3VWg5JKoycn4_hIRNLatMpCd8zQHEoj8aAnqREALw_wcB
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/surfsouthwest/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100046871115272

If you are also wanting to hire surf equipment, Surfing Croyde Bay offers great quality equipment so would recommend using them!

Where to stay

We at Holidays in Croyde would love to welcome you to stay with us. Whether you are heading to Croyde with a group of friends or you’re a family looking for the perfect holiday accommodation, we have a selection of self-catering cottage to suit everyone! We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful part of the world! Click here to view our properties Our Properties

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