Here we give you our top five caravan site choices for some of the UK’s best surf breaks
When thinking of the sport of surfing, the images that come to mind are generally sunny white-sand beaches lined with palm trees, perfect peeling waves and beach bums in bikinis and board shorts right? While this image is true of many of the world’s top surf destinations, if you travel along the UK coast you will come across towns as dedicated to wave riding as any tropical spot, just sans palm trees and with far less reliable good weather.
Donning wetsuits, boots, hats and gloves, British surfers could be described as some of the more eccentric of the international surf scene. As an island people, it was always inevitable that once this quirky activity was brought to our shores, there would be no stopping a select few Brits from taking to the waves, and we have some fairly killer spots too.
Whether you’re a novice or veteran surfer, there is perhaps no better way to visit the nation’s best surf breaks than via caravan. We are not blessed with the consistently good surf available in, say, Hawaii or Tahiti, meaning a big part of surfing in Britain includes travelling in search of decent conditions and, if you’re a land-locked surfer, travelling is clearly essential. We can’t think of better way than by taking your accommodation along with you.
For your viewing and caravan-surf-trip planning pleasure, we have compiled a list of caravan sites close to five the UK’s best and most popular breaks.
Newquay, Cornwall, England
First up we have Newquay – the Mecca of British surfing. Offering conditions for beginners all the way up to expert level, Newquay has a beach for everyone. Newquay also plays host to the annual Boardmasters, music and surf festival every summer as well as the BUCS Surf Championship, Europe’s biggest student surf event.
The lovely Watergate Bay Touring Park calls Newquay home and offers everything the surfer could want. Located just half a mile from Watergate Bay, this site really does have everything you’ll need for a surf getaway, including free showers and laundrette facilities, a cafe and a shop for all your daily essentials. In the event of poor surf conditions, you can keep yourself entertained with the tennis courts on site, amusement arcade and the mini skate boarding park – sort of like surfing on wheels we guess?!
With you caravan-come-surfers being the environmentally friendly breed that you are, we felt it was important to give you a couple of eco-friendly options. Watergate Bay Touring Park maintains a ‘Green Policy,’ abiding by the three R’s; Reduce, Recycle and Reuse – fairly self explanatory.
To find out more, visit their site by clicking here.
Other popular beaches in and around Newquay include:
Sennen, Cornwall, England
Next up is Sennen Cove, perhaps one of England’s most picturesque beaches. Less than three miles from Land’s End, Sennen Cove is another popular surf destination in the UK. This beach is perfect for beginners and with a little help from local pro-surfers, who coach at Smart Surf School, you’ll be hanging ten in no time.
Trevedra Farm is the perfect choice when staying in Sennen. This site really does offer you the perfect opportunity to relax after a long day of surfing. Always welcome after getting out of your wetsuit, Trevedra offers plenty of hot showers for you to freshen up. Like Watergate Bay Touring Park, it appears Trevedra has the environment on the mind as well and uses push-button showers, meaning as little water as possible is wasted. The site’s Ocean Blue Cafe offers breakfast and dinner plus Sunday Roasts. What more could you want? The site also has several recycling points so you can make sure your stay is as eco-friendly as possible.
For more information, click here.
Woolacombe, Devon, England
Woolacombe is yet another popular destination for Britain’s surfers. The site which we have carefully selected for you in Woolly is Woolacombe Sands Holiday Park, just a six-minute drive away from Woolacombe beach and a short walk down via the park’s footpath. This wide bay is suitable for any and all abilities, offering long fun rides, and really is a tourist destination. Be careful though, the tide turns fairly quickly and you won’t want to get stuck on the large rocks that litter the beach. After you get out of the water, why not grab a bite at local pub,Red Barn, a favourite of local and visiting surfers since the 1960s, before heading back to the site.
Woolacombe Sands really pushes the boat – or board – out when it comes to amenities. Again, with toilet and shower blocks with free hot water – we really can’t stress how welcome this is after time in British waters – and fully equipped shop and laundrette, this park offers all the essentials and more. If you haven’t had enough of the water, you can take advantage of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, but if you feel like keeping your feet on land for a bit there’s always the option of a round of crazy golf or bowling?
This spot also has the benefit of being a short 20-minute drive from neighbouring surf break, Croyde Bay – take note though; this break is for the more advanced out there.
These ‘Super Seasonal Pitches,’ (pictured) allow you to lay claim to a spot for the whole season, returning as often as you like. Be sure to plan ahead though as these are very popular and get snapped up pretty quickly.
To check out what offers are in store, click here.
Thurso, Scotland
While it does have its quiet days, the area’s main break, Thurso East, is not for the faint-hearted. Offering world-class barrels – on good days – this premier reef-break on the north coast of Scotland could give any tropical paradise a run for its money in terms of wave quality. For the less experienced surfers out there, lessons are available at nearby beaches with more forgiving conditions. This spot is firmly on the international surfing map, having hosted both the UK Pro Tour and the O’Neill Coldwater Classic in its day.
For this spot, we have the lovely Thurso Bay Caravan and Camping Park, a family operated park overlooking Thurso Bay. This site also includes shower and toilet facilities and free internet access. In addition to these essentials, the site also offers an on-site restaurant, The Blue Door Coffee Shop and Diner, open on Fridays and Saturdays, offering locally sourced cuisine, so you can rest assured your money is going to help the local community.
If the surf is disappointing, there is also a host of heritage centres in the surrounding area for you to entertain yourself with. Visit their site for more information.
Porthcawl, Wales
Finally, we give you Porthcawl on the south coast of Wales. The main breaks here are Rest Bay and Coney Beach. These two spots can get really great surf at times, but it’s not consistent unfortunately. Just as well you’re dragging your accommodation around with you so aren’t obligated to stay then, eh? These spots attract a whole host of different watercraft and can get crowded at times so, as always, it’s important to take care and practice good surf etiquette in the water.
Brodawel Camping and Touring Park, just a short five minute drive from Rest Bay, proposes a quiet policy from 11pm to 7am meaning you’ll get a much-needed rest after being in the water all day. Once again, this site offers free hot showers and toilet facilities as well as hairdryers and electrical sockets. More information about this site and other Welsh treasures can be found here.
There you have it. No need to thank us, it was our pleasure. What are you waiting for? Surf’s up! Time to grab your wetsuit and board and take off in the caravan. Stay stoked surfers.
