How to read the Bude surf report like a pro

Bude, on the coast of North Cornwall, attracts surfers all year round. The golden sand beaches and rugged cliffs provide a beautiful backdrop to the surfer’s main attraction, the sea. The huge changes here between high and low tide give surfers an endlessly changing landscape on which to practice their skills.

If you are holidaying in Bude and are interested in testing your own surfing skills, you are guaranteed to hear a lot about the Bude surf report. Here we list ways in which you can make sure you know your stuff before you take to the surf!

Bude’s beaches

The coastline around the town of Bude is made up of stunning beaches where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine. Two which are particularly recommended for surfing are Crooklets Beach and Widemouth Bay (pictured above).

Just north of Bude, Crooklets Beach has lifeguard cover from May 16th to September 20th. It also has fantastic facilities, including a play area, skate park, showers, loos, amusements and a café. At low tide, there are also rocky outcrops perfect for rock-pooling!

A 5 minute drive from Bude is Widemouth Bay, where at low tide two beaches join to form one long beach. The south end of the Bay is known as (the very pirate-sounding!) Black Rock. Both of the beaches have car park, café and toilet facilities, and on the north beach Lifeguard cover is provided over Easter weekend and from May 1st until September 30th. This is a great place to learn to surf or body board, and many of the local surf schools are based here.

And there's a great campsite within walking distance too - the Widemouth Bay Caravan Park.

Many of the local surf schools offer lessons for surfers with any level of experience, and some, such as Big Blue Surf School in Bude, offer hire of equipment for as little as £15.

Finding the right report

Once you’ve decided which of Bude’s beaches you fancy surfing at, it’s best to check the Bude surf report. This gives you a guide on what to expect from the sea that day, saving you the disappointment of turning up and finding a completely calm, un-surfable, sea! You can find the daily surf reports for several of the beaches around Bude online. If you don’t have internet access on your mobile, stay in a caravan site with WiFi or an internet café so you can stay updated with the forecast during your holiday.

Reading the Bude surf report

At first glance, the Surf report looks like a mess of tiny, unreadable symbols, but once you understand what each section means it can help you figure out which days to grab a board and head to your favourite Cornwall beach! Here are the most important bits you need to understand:

Swell rating

Most surf reports provide a rough guide to the sort of power you can expect in the swell of the waves at different times of the day. Some will also indicate the strength of the winds onshore and show how this affects the overall rating. Powerful onshore winds will create poor surfing conditions as they turn the swell into choppier, rougher waves.

Swell period

The swell period is calculated as a time in seconds. As a general rule, the longer the time, the more powerful the waves will be. 7 to 9 seconds is considered by most surfers as best for beginners, and can provide a good day’s surf for more experienced surfers as well. 10 to 12 seconds is considered ideal as it is likely to provide good, quality surf.

Wave height

The wave height is used by surfers in relation to the swell period, to figure out how good the surfing condition will be. A short period with higher waves will be better than a short period with low wave height.

Swell direction

This tool is handy once you know which beach you are going to. Go online to find out details of obstacles you might need to avoid (such as rocks and rips) and any factors which might affect the way the water comes into the beach (protruding headlands, for example). The optimum swell direction will be the one that lies between any obstacles.

Bude and the surrounding area have many campsites that welcome surfers. There are also plenty of other activities for those less keen on the idea of surfing. Kayaking and open canoeing are two water-based options, take a cycle on one of the famous trails, or give rock climbing a go!