You can find these spots in the Cornwall Spot Guide:
Click here for the spot description
Midnight. The witching hour. Flo is at my door at exactly twelve o'clock at night, the perfect time for a Halloween trip to Cornwall. Okay, at least Flo doesn't usually look quite so scary.
Due to its Celtic origins, Halloween is even more important in Cornwall than it is here. The night from 31 October to 1 November is celebrated accordingly. Almost everyone is dressed up, everything is imaginatively decorated and the sometimes quaint pubs, old houses and churches with their mossy and crooked gravestones form the perfect backdrop for a spooky night, while the children parade around the houses and demand "trick or treat".
We weren't so much looking for scary or sour waves, but rather something sweet - clean waves for windsurfing. Especially in autumn, the chances of finding them in Cornwall are pretty good. It's not without reason that Cornwall is known as a mecca for surfers.
Cornwall is a wave capital
Surfing is a lifestyle in Cornwall, and the boards are not just carried in and on the car for decorative purposes. Whole classes of schoolchildren take part in sports lessons in the waves, which are still at a bearable temperature even in late autumn thanks to the effects of the Gulf Stream. In Newquay, the largest town in the area, the main street is lined with surfing companies like a string of pearls - and every little village has at least one surf shop in addition to the obligatory pub. In terms of windsurfing, on the other hand, Cornwall is rather underdeveloped, at least as far as the infrastructure is concerned.
Not so when it comes to the standard of windsurfers on the water. Dale, for example, one of the long-established locals, jumps clean cheeserolls - at the age of 72. Dale, who we already knew from previous trips to Cornwall along with other local windsurfers, also provided us with insider knowledge about which spot works best when. After all, just a few degrees in the swell and wind direction can make a huge difference between magical sessions and rather difficult conditions. Another unknown factor in the equation is the tide. At some spots, nothing works at high tide due to a lack of beach and the waves crash directly against the rocks or cliffs.
One of the spots in Cornwall almost always works
The good news, however, is that there is almost always something going on somewhere - and for almost every skill level. And if you're looking, you'll find what you're looking for, as there are a whole range of spots in a relatively limited space. We had obviously had a perfect week. Just in time for our arrival, the local radio station Pirate FM announced steadily increasing wave heights in the hourly swell forecast, alongside information on the best Halloween parties. And the wind also decided to join the party.
After a cosy day to get used to Gwithian, the next day in Watergate Bay gave us a foretaste of what was to come just in time for Halloween with official waves. The Mexicos spot already demands commitment when choosing equipment. The long walk down the dune through loose sand and back up to the car park would probably inspire Felix (Quälix) Magath as a new training ground. Changing equipment therefore requires a lot of willpower and stamina, which means that the wind range of the chosen sail is sometimes surprisingly large before you finally feel compelled to change.
Many masts fall victim to the powerful waves
Commitment is also required when you head towards the suddenly towering walls of water on the way out - or when you make a bottom turn on one of these walls. As one of the locals aptly put it: "If you surf here, you will get your fair share of beatings." Translated, this means that everyone gets to experience a wash. And you can tell that the waves are really powerful by the broken masts with which some came back ashore. The numerous seals present probably had a lot of fun with the funny-looking, rubber-clad creatures, who swam hectically and not very stylishly after washing their equipment.
If you surf here, you will get your fair share of beatings."
Speaking of strange creatures - they supposedly also gather at the numerous stone circles and menhirs on full moon nights to celebrate magical rituals like the ancient Druids. Apparently they also made enough sacrifices to the wind gods, because after ten days of good conditions, it wasn't just our hands that showed signs of disintegration.
Things have changed a bit in the UK since our last trip to Cornwall, which seemed to be a permanent fixture. Now that Queen Elizabeth has passed away, it's comforting to see that at least Cornwall has retained its charm and is still one of the best wave windsurfing spots in Europe that we know of. The Queen is dead, long live the King.
The best windsurfing spots in Cornwall for experts and beginners
1st Daymer Bay
Beautiful bay near the mouth of the River Camel with conditions for almost everyone. Depending on the wind and swell direction, there is flat water or waves, both for riding and jumping. Works best with SW and big swell from a north-westerly direction. If the wave gets too big at the other spots, Daymer Bay is a great alternative that can still offer perfect wave conditions. Lots of current when the tide changes! Caution: The current pulls out to the open sea at up to eight knots, especially when the tide is out.
A pearl is located from Daymer Bay towards the estuary - the Doom Bar, a legendary sandbank where conditions for jumping can be ideal from SW to W - but only works at low to mid-tide. When the water level is higher, the waves no longer break. If you find the right conditions, you can have one of the best jumping sessions of your life. On the west side of the River Camel is Hawks Bay - here you can also find epic jumping conditions with a NW swell. Never go to the Doom Bar or Hawks Bay on your own - if the material breaks, you will need help due to the current. And because there is no way around the river from the west side of W Ok back to the car park.
2. watergate bay
If you want to see something other than the spots in St Yves Bay, Watergate Bay is a good alternative in SSW to SW. NNW-NW also works with wind from the right. Watergate catches significantly more waves than St Yves Bay, especially in south-westerly swells, so you can often still surf good waves on the long beach break when there's not much else going on. But it also gets very big very quickly and the waves are really powerful. The beach break changes depending on the tide, but always offers good conditions for surfing. There are hardly any stones or rocks and a beautiful sandy beach at low tide. But lots of surfers and little beach at high tide. Under land, especially at high tide, there is a strong windward swell. In principle, the bay is only easily navigable two hours before and after low tide. Reasonably spacious car parks (subject to charge) and
3. perranporth
Impressive backdrop with high cliffs, but very good for jumping at low to medium tide and SW wind - but only for experts due to the cliffs and currents. The spot can also offer good conditions in breathtaking surroundings in NW winds. Parking is at the southern end of the spot, in a car park in the centre of the village.
4th Gwithian
There are three spots next to each other on Three Mile Beach in St Yves Bay: the north-easternmost spot is called Gwithian. There is a large car park here (for a fee), a surf café with a school and a lifeguard service. Gwithian has a steep coastline and some rocks. At low tide the beach is very large and wide, at high tide a few rocks lying in the water are no longer visible, so it is good to get an idea of their position at low tide. At high tide, the waves sometimes crash against the cliffs and rocks. Caution is then also required due to the current and the wind cover under land. When the tide is high, you should therefore enter the water to the east from Gwithian Carpark. At lower water levels, you can surf directly below the car park. The best wind direction is SSW to SW. Gwithian catches the biggest waves in St Yves Bay - it quickly gets mast-high and bigger, and the waves set a lot of water in motion. Material breakage is not out of the question.
The Sunset Surf Cafe also has a webcam where you can check the conditions online: www.sunset-surf.com/gwithian-webcam
5. mexicos
This spot is a little further south-west and can be reached via the Sandy Acres Car Park, a spot in the middle of the dunes. From here you have to walk down a steep and sandy path to the beach - and back again after the session, which is sometimes more strenuous than the surfing itself. There are no rocks in Mexicos and the spot is one of the few in the area that also works very well, especially at high tide. The waves are often the cleanest and biggest between high and mid-tide, and SW is the best wind direction. Mexicos is also great for surfing for anyone who has enough fun on a normal beach break. With a small swell, it is also suitable for surfing beginners.
6. the bluff
This spot is located on the south-western edge of Three Mile Beach, right at the mouth of the River Hayle. You can park at the Bluff In pub or on the meadow above (both for a fee). The Bluff works best at low water levels, when you will find a wide sandy beach without rocks. The waves are usually a little smaller than at the other sections of the beach, as the spot is still somewhat covered by St. Yves in westerly swell directions. However, the waves are often all the cleaner, especially with low to mid-tide and SW to WSW winds. The spot can provide epic conditions for both surfing and windsurfing.
7th Carbis Bay
One of the few alternatives in NW winds. Typically, only small waves arrive here and you will often find freeride conditions, as Carbis is completely shielded from the usual swell directions by St Yves. At low tide, there is a very wide sandy beach here without any major dangers. At high tide, the beach becomes smaller and the wind gusts a little more near the shore, otherwise there are no particular dangers. Car parking is difficult as there are few spaces available.
8th Marazion
If the wind in St Yves Bay is too westerly or turns from SSW to SE, you can head for the south coast of Cornwall. The waves here are usually much smaller and more forgiving, and often less clean. Nevertheless, you can still encounter two to three metres of swell, which is often good for jumping. Sessions here are always fun against the impressive backdrop of St Michael's Mount. Be careful at high to mid-tide: there is sometimes a heavy shorebreak here, which can make getting in and out challenging if the wave is right. No problem at all at lower tides. Car parks (for a fee), toilets and a café are located directly on the beach.
9th Praa Sands
Best with wind from E and SE, then the wave breaks violently but cleanly over a sandbank. Often a lot of current and very powerful waves. Here you always run the risk of sending one mast or another to the eternal hunting grounds, so the following applies: for experts only. Paid car parks, café and toilets are available. Praa Sands tends to get very crowded, especially at weekends. It is then teeming with surfers - and as we all know, they have right of way.
Area information Cornwall
Journey
Cornwall is one of the few really good wave travel destinations that is easy to reach by car - and usually offers mild temperatures well into the winter months. Since the UK left the EU, you need a valid passport to travel to the island. From this perspective, it feels like a long journey, even if you can get there relatively quickly.
There are three ways to get here: by tunnel, by ferry or by plane. In the latter case, a hire car is mandatory to be mobile.
- Flight connections, for example to Newquay, can be found with Ryan Air via London, with the option of registering windsurfing equipment as sports baggage. Info at ryanair.com .
- Rental cars, especially vans, are available, for example, from thriftys.com or enterprise.co.uk/en/home.html at reasonable conditions.
As taking your own equipment with you is highly recommended - and you can really make good use of everything from wave riders, small equipment for the Big Days to large waveboards and big sails for the Wobble & Ride sessions - travelling by car seems sensible, at least for windsurfers, given the short ferry or tunnel connection from Calais to Dover.
It takes about four to five hours to drive from the Ruhr area to Calais (France), and once you arrive in the UK it takes another six hours from Dover to St Yves Bay in Cornwall at a leisurely pace (observe speed limits).
Information on ferry prices and departure times can be found on the websites of the ferry operators (P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways, Irish Ferries) or in the complete overview of all providers (including the car train through the Eurotunnel) at directferries.com/calais_dover_faehre.html .
The crossing with a VW bus costs around 150 to 190 euros each way for two people, depending on the journey time - and takes around 1.5 to two hours, depending on the provider. During the day, a ferry leaves approximately every hour, so you are flexible in terms of time. You can also book a 4-hour flex fare so that you don't have to stress about getting there or, if the forecast is right, you can squeeze in a quick windsurfing session in Wissant before boarding the ferry.
The Eurotunnel is a little faster ( eurotunnel.com/uk/ ), where the journey time by car train is only 35 minutes, but at around 235 euros each way, the crossing costs almost 50 per cent more than by ferry.
Alternatively, you can also take a ferry from the Netherlands, departing from Hoek van Holland to Harwich. With Stena Line, the journey times vary from approx. 7.5 to 9.5 hours. Some connections even run overnight, so you can sleep in on board and then continue your journey. From Harwich it is another 6.5 hours to Hayle in St Yves Bay.
General
The previously dauntingly high prices in the UK are no longer dramatically more expensive than in Germany. Diesel currently costs around five per cent (10 to 15 cents) more, food is only marginally more expensive and there is some good accommodation in the price region of 30 to 40 euros per person. Of course, there are no upper limits. In pubs and cheap restaurants you can usually get a decent meal for between £10 and £20. Pies are a real tradition: Puff pastry pockets with a variety of fillings, from meat to vegetables with cheese to vegan fillings, there is something for everyone. A pie basically replaces a full meal and costs around £5. In Hayle, Philps is a real institution when it comes to pies and is highly recommended ( philpspasties.co.uk ). Our favourite pub in the area is the Bucket of Blood, where even the door sign is a little highlight that fits in perfectly with Halloween time. In addition to good pub food, there are always cool musical events ( facebook.com/bucketofbloodpub ).
There are several camping parks around St Yves Bay with many beach chalets, some with sea views and so close to the beach that you can at least walk to surf. Alternatively, the towns of Hayle and Lelant are a good starting point if you don't want to drive too far to the spots. We can recommend the following websites and landlords, of course without claiming to be exhaustive:
- Tom's Holidays - Chalet Park above The Bluff. Some accommodation with sea views, surfing on foot.
- airbnb - platform, where you can also find good offers in Lelant, Hayle and Gwithian.
- Cornish Cottage Holidays/Gwithian Towans Beach - covers similar offers as airbnb.
- Forever Cornwall/Gwithian has many offerings in the eastern part of St Yves Bay - and is thus in a prime location as a water sports base for the main spots Godrevey, Gwithian, Mexicos and The Bluff.
The best time to visit is spring or autumn. In summer it is often too crowded because half of England is on holiday in Cornwall, and the likelihood of wind is also much better in spring and autumn. A 4/3 or 5/3 wetsuit usually fits, shoes are not absolutely necessary at most spots as there are fine sandy beaches in many places.
Wind and weather
As always, it's often better to simply look out of the window at the sea than to study long forecasts on the computer. In Cornwall, the forecasts can sometimes be completely wrong, meaning that you arrive at the spot too late. Or, despite a 30-knot forecast, the best you can do is ride the waves (not a bad option either). Nevertheless, we also use the online weather models to plan our day.
Windfinder and Windy work well in Cornwall (apart from a few days), but the locals all swear by the MagicSeaweed forecast (also available as an app). We also found WetterOnline's rain radar (app) helpful - although not necessarily accurate to the minute.
In addition to the wind forecast, the tide must also be taken into account - not all spots work at all tide levels. You can find out more in the spot guide.
Parking fees
Almost all car parks are subject to charges throughout the season until the beginning of November, and a few (The Bluff) all year round. At a few spots, credit cards are taken from the machines, usually you need coins or can pay by mobile phone. The JustPark app works almost everywhere and makes life much easier than having to constantly collect coins.
Shops, board and sail repair
Basically, as already described, the supply situation for windsurfers in Cornwall is rather difficult. However, there is a sailmaker in Hayle in case more than just the mast breaks. RB Sails can be found in the industrial area of the town ( RB Sails ).
You will look in vain for windsurfing shops around the whole of St Yves Bay. But in the larger surf shops you can at least get help with board repairs, for example at Tombstone Surf . Repair materials such as epoxy or Solarez can also be found here.
Alternatives on land
In addition to surfing or SUP, the land of Rosamunde Pilcher films offers countless small, winding villages such as Mousehole, dreamlike landscapes, a coastal footpath that goes all the way around Land's End, secluded bays and spectacular cliffs for the few days when nothing really happens on the water. St Michael's Mount near Marazion, like Mont Saint Michel in Brittany, can only be reached at low tide via a footpath. Numerous old mines bear witness to Cornwall's mining past, some of which can even be visited. The Eden Project served as the backdrop for a James Bond film, Falmouth has an excellent maritime museum ( nmmc.co.uk ). The list could go on and on.
