[lukeyboy]

Hi. I am planning a surfing/camping weekend with friends sometime over summer, probably in devon and would like to find somewhere good but less well known. The following would be ideal:

- Good beginnerish surfing
- Somewhere to hire surfing gear
- Cheap/non-commercial campsite
- Close to the sea
- Not super busy

We have been to places like Croyde, which has been great but would like somewhere less busy. Does anyone have any good recommendations of beaches or campsites which fit the bill? Thanks in advance

[SA Chris]

Over summer most places are unfortunately heaving!

Granticus might PM you with some secret gems, but Bude is a lot less busy that Croyde area and I think there are some OK campsites. The beach is at least fairly large so the crowd thins out a bit. If main beach gets too busy, but if you head up the coast to Sandymouth; I think it's OK for beginners (had one of my first sessions there, so can't be too bad) there will be less crowds.

Unfortunately the quiet spots often don't have board hire, so worth getting hold of a roofrack / softrack so you can load up car and drive up or down coast a bit to escape crowds.

Otherwise you considered South Wales? Llangenith on the Gower is a good spot, cheap campsite on the beach. Not sure about situation with hire, Not sure if PJ's shop is open after his accident. 

[granticus]

- Good beginnerish surfing
- Somewhere to hire surfing gear
- Cheap/non-commercial campsite
- Close to the sea
- Not super busy

Flip! You don't ask for much do you?

I would PM you some secret gems but I don't think any of the secret gems I'm aware of fit your requirements!

OK so there's not that many good beginnerish surfing venues between Morte Point and Cornwall, you've done Croyde (not really a beginnerish venue but you wouldn't think that in the summer)...

Woolacombe is a good bet, plenty of campsites,hire shops, not super busy if you walk down the beach a bit, surf is mellow in the main apart from spring lows... Bugger campsites aren't close to the sea.

Westward Ho! Super melow beachie all through the tides, surf hire, no campsites near the sea DOH!

Widemouth Bay... Oh no... That's in Cornwall

OK here is my beta for North Devon,  1) do as Chris says and get a soft rack or learn the art of fitting boards into cars (surprising what you can fit - I can fit a 7'' 6 comfortably in mine with back seats down!) 2)Hire surf gear from where you like coz your mobile!  3)Camp at North Morte Farm in Morthoe (nr Woolacombe) which is non-comercial and very large so you can find a quiet spot (Rockham Beach is accessed via the campsite and is lurvely but you won't get any waves there!)  4) You are now mobile so try surfing at these spots which are all melow and are big beaches so you can escape the crowds by walking!  Woolacoombe,  Putsborough (the other end of the beach), Saunton Sands and Westward Ho!.  There are some low-tide only beachies north of Bude such as Sandymouth, Northcott, Duckpool that'll be quiet but if the swell is big they pack a punch and the currents can be fierce.  Cross the boarder into Kernow and Widemouth is another big melow beachie.

[fatdoc]

pont de la torche

brittany...

ticks all yr boxes...

apart from devon.

seriously.... look into it.

[SA Chris]

Banff in Morayshire is a good option too, apart from not being in Devon.

[granticus]

I was thinking Rhossili on the Gower in South Wales fits the bill pretty well.

I reckon there's a few spots in Cornwall as well that would be worth checking out that fit the bill better too eg... 
Praa Sands, Gwithian/ Godrevy (Great bouldering here too!), Polzeath, Sennen/ Gwynver...

I am afraid to say that during silly season the majority of the time in North Devon is busy as you like.  This situation is normally addressed by travelling away from the main honeypots to more remote breaks, a quick squizz at a map to see what's between Hartland Point and Bude, there are some great low-tide beach breaks here and other stuff. The only problem with these breaks is that they're remote and not ideal for beginnerish surfers.  The next option is to surf breaks that you know for a fact that the masses will not be getting ie... reefs/ rock bottom points... which again are not reccommended for beginnerish surfers. 

As you are planning to come in the summer, bare in mind that there is a strong possibility of no surf at all, good to have another option. 

[SA Chris]

Rhossili is the other end of Llangenith, as I mentioned above, but agree it would be a good option.

Polzeath is probably the busiest beach I have ever tried to surf. Like playing dodgems with a tide of humanity, just ridiculous.

[granticus]

Polzeath is probably the busiest beach I have ever tried to surf. Like playing dodgems with a tide of humanity, just ridiculous.

  Sounds great!  Don't think I've been during silly season but remember camping being close enough to the beach...

[SA Chris]

Aye, but it's horribly expensive. Wouldn't go again, back in the days before I knew better! Close to Pentire if you want to scary yourself silly though.

[lukeyboy]

Thanks a lot for replies so far. I know the 'criteria' I set out are quite fussy - looking for something which comes as near as possible to these ideals rather than having to meet them.

We had a look at woolacombe, which looks good and quieter than other nearby beaches. Gower also sounds good, hadn't considered this - silly question perhaps but is it much different temperature wise to devon in summer...?

Might still brave croyde, the campsite is horrible and expensive and commercial but it is close to the beach, good pubs, and busy but at least big beach.

Have a friend who has a house in Sennen, which may also be an option. But the people coming with us are mostly manchester/north yorkshire based which makes it about the longest possible uk weekend trip!

Thanks

[SA Chris]

Almost no temp difference between devon and gower. There's a big campsite at Llangenith within walking distance of the beach, and at least one pub right next to campsite. Arguably a slightly shorter drive trom Manchester / N Yorks

For beginners I would choose woolacombe over croyde or saunton. Mellower beach, and you can spread out a bit more. For a weekend I personally wouldn't bother with Sennen, just too bloody far.

[Iesu]

Otherwise you considered South Wales? Llangenith on the Gower is a good spot, cheap campsite on the beach. Not sure about situation with hire, Not sure if PJ's shop is open after his accident.

defo not cheap last time i was there; they charged per person, per tent AND per car!

[SA Chris]

Really? I recall it only being a couple of quid. Scarily not been since about 2001 or 2 though! Newgale at Pembroke fits the bill too, but its a good hour or so further.

[slackline]

defo not cheap last time i was there; they charged per person, per tent AND per car!

Not been taken over by someone of gallic persuasion has it?

[SA Chris]

Not been taken over by someone of garllic persuasion has it?

fixed

[slackline]

 

[Andy W]

If you are considering Cornwall, then Gwenver is a good bet, Trevedra campsite above the beach (albeit a slog back up the hill), surf Gwenvor and Sennen. Pick up all available swell, which is good in the summer. Pub and shops walking distance. Climbing and bouldering walking distance as well. And board hire.

[Iesu]

Really? I recall it only being a couple of quid. Scarily not been since about 2001 or 2 though! Newgale at Pembroke fits the bill too, but its a good hour or so further.

to be fair i've not been down for a good few years (mainly due to the high cost last time). Assuming we're talking about the same place? (hillend campsite behind the dunes right by the beach outsided Llangennith - the one also full of statics?).

Last time i was on gower i stayed at the King's Head in Llangennith as a treat with the missus, alas we had to drive all the way to Langland as the western beaches were blown out.

The time before that we wild camped (very discretely and sensibly) at a lovely little beachbreak whose location I'm not going to broadcast on here!

[SA Chris]

You got me looking at google maps to check, as I am doubting myself now. I'm sure there were a hell of a lot less static caravans. We camped in the field to the north of the road to the beach car park, just behind the car park, guess it must be part of the same place. Anyhoo, nice spot, ticks the boxes, camping may or may not be expensive.

[Iesu]

You got me looking at google maps to check, as I am doubting myself now. I'm sure there were a hell of a lot less static caravans. We camped in the field to the north of the road to the beach car park, just behind the car park, guess it must be part of the same place. Anyhoo, nice spot, ticks the boxes, camping may or may not be expensive.

aye they've developed it a fair bit over the years; added a big coffee shop/restaurant and more facilities for the static crowd, but the bottom fields used for camping (right behind the dunes) are still pretty nice. On the plus side (early in season) there's TONS of driftwood about on the beach for beach fires which are nice.

just double checked and i *actually* can't believe my eyes....... definitely on the steep side if there's a few people coming from different places (in separate vehicles) camping together....
http://www.hillendcamping.com/pricing.php

i guess it's a case of - "you pays your money and you takes your choice"

[SA Chris]

Glad I don't have to put up with pisstake prices like that any more. Wild /free camping and camper vanning in Scotland is the way.