Trip guide

Scotland and North East England surf trip

Flagstone reefs, castle beaches and the cold North Sea

Scotland's north shore is open to swells from the west round to the north, and its reefs are layers of flat Caithness flagstone. The best known is Thurso East, a long right in front of the castle ruins at the mouth of the Thurso river, which hosted an O'Neill international contest from 2006 to 2011. Further south, the North Sea coast has a different rhythm: sandy bays at Fraserburgh, Belhaven and Pease Bay, castle beaches in Northumberland, city surf at Tynemouth and a strong surf culture at Saltburn and along the Yorkshire villages.

This route starts at Durness in the far north-west and runs east along the north coast to Thurso and Dunnet Bay. It then turns south down the North Sea coast, through Moray, Fraserburgh, East Lothian and Berwickshire, into England and on to Cayton Bay near Scarborough. Every stop is a spot on the SurfCams map with its forecast.

At a glance

🌡️ Water: About 6–15 °C
At Thurso the sea averages about 7 °C in February and March and 13 °C in August and September. At Scarborough it is about 6 °C in late winter and 15 °C in August. Near shore and by river mouths it can be colder.
🧥 Wetsuit: 5/4 mm or thicker, hood, boots, gloves
In winter, a hooded 5/4 or 6 mm wetsuit with boots and gloves. A 4 or 5 mm suit covers autumn and spring, still with boots.
🌊 Swell: NW for the north, N–NE for the east
The north shore takes any swell from the west round to the north. The east coast needs swell from the north or north-east, which comes when a deep low sits in the northern North Sea or near Norway. Summer is often flat on both coasts.
🌬️ Wind: S–SE in the north, W–SW in the east
Southerly and south-easterly winds are offshore on the north shore. On the east coast, west and south-west winds are offshore, and easterlies blow straight in.
👥 Crowds: Mostly empty, a few busy peaks
Most of the north coast is empty. Thurso East, the Point at Fraserburgh, Tynemouth, Saltburn's pier and Staithes get busy when they work, especially at weekends.
🌅 Daylight: ~6.3 h at Thurso in December
Around the winter solstice the sun rises at about 09:00 in Thurso and sets at about 15:20. Scarborough gets about seven hours of daylight in December.

When to go

The north coast's prime time runs from September to May. Autumn is often the best part of it, with the warmest water of the year, days that are still fairly long and plenty of swell. Summer is generally flat, and by December the days are very short.

The North Sea coast works mostly from October to April. Surf forecasters rate December as Tynemouth's most consistent month. Thurso East needs a solid north-west groundswell and a rare south-easterly, so even in its best months it is often blown out.

How it works

Thurso is the only town of any size on the north coast and the natural base, just over two hours' drive from Inverness. From there you can check the beaches and reefs between Melvich and Dunnet Bay in a morning. The reefs and slabs want size and a southerly; the beaches and river mouths are for smaller days and other winds.

On the east coast, read the weather chart. When a low sits up north and the swell turns north or north-east, the whole coast from Fraserburgh to Yorkshire can work at once. Base yourself near Edinburgh for East Lothian and the Borders, in Newcastle or Tynemouth for Northumberland, and in Saltburn, Whitby or Scarborough for Yorkshire. Watch the tide: Staithes only works around low tide, and Scarborough's North Bay gets dangerous against the sea wall at high tide.

Safety

Cold is the main risk. In winter you can get hypothermia if a session goes wrong, so do not stay out too long and keep warm clothes ready. The reefs are shallow, flat rock, and the north coast spots are remote, with no lifeguards and help a long way off. Do not surf alone there.

Strong tidal streams run between Caithness and Orkney, and some spots have harsh rips. On the east coast, town beaches can be polluted after heavy rain: untreated sewage can still be released legally at Saltburn in storms. The Safer Seas & Rivers Service app from Surfers Against Sewage gives real-time sewage alerts.

The route

Scotland

The flagstone reefs and river-mouth bays of the north coast around Thurso, then the Moray coast, Fraserburgh and the beaches of East Lothian and Berwickshire.

North East England

Northumberland's castle beaches, Tynemouth's city surf, Saltburn's pier and the reefs and bays of the North Yorkshire coast.

16 spots

  1. Sango Bay – Durness

    Stop 1

    Durness · Scotland · Intermediate · Beach break

    Start in the far north-west below Durness: a sandy bay between rock stacks, with peaks for most levels on a north swell and a campsite right above the beach. Leave the fast right at the east end to experienced surfers.

  2. Torrisdale Bay

    Stop 2

    Bettyhill · Scotland · Intermediate · River mouth

    A big, wild beach at Bettyhill where two rivers shape powerful sandbars, mostly rights. The river currents get strong on a falling tide and help is far away, so do not surf it alone.

  3. Melvich

    Stop 3

    Scotland · Intermediate · River mouth

    A wide, north-facing bay at the Halladale river mouth, with longer lefts and rights by the river and bigger peaks in the middle. Expect to move around as the tide changes.

  4. Brims Ness

    Stop 4

    Thurso · Scotland · Expert · Slab

    Experts only. Shallow slabs over flat rock around a point west of Thurso: the Bowl breaks at high tide, the Point at low tide. It picks up more swell than anywhere nearby, so it is where locals go on small days.

  5. Thurso East

    Stop 5

    Thurso · Scotland · Advanced · Reef break

    Scotland's best-known wave, a long, powerful right over flat rock in front of Thurso Castle. Advanced surfers only. It wants a solid north-west groundswell and a south-easterly, the river runs brown and cold, and the locals keep their own order.

  6. Dunnet Bay

    Stop 6

    Castletown · Scotland · Beginner · Beach break

    The easiest wave in Caithness: three kilometres of sand under Dunnet Head with lefts and rights at any tide. It is a good choice for intermediates and learners when the reefs are too heavy.

  7. Sandend

    Stop 7

    Scotland · Intermediate · Beach break

    On the Moray coast, a small bay by a fishing harbour with its best wave, a left, by the rocks. It works at low tide on a northerly swell and empties out from October to December, when the waves are best.

  8. Fraserburgh

    Stop 8

    Scotland · Intermediate · Beach break

    No spot on the north-east coast gets as much swell, so it often works when nowhere else does. The Point has a tight take-off and a strong local crew; visitors do better on the beach peaks.

  9. Belhaven Bay

    Stop 9

    Dunbar · Scotland · Beginner · Beach break

    The closest good beach to Edinburgh, inside the John Muir Country Park, with gentle peaks that suit learners on a north-east swell. Stay away from the river mouth at the west end.

  10. Pease Bay

    Stop 10

    Cockburnspath · Scotland · Beginner · Beach break

    A small bay under red sandstone cliffs just off the A1, with waves more often than anywhere else in south-east Scotland. The south end gets clean first; weekends are busy but friendly.

  11. Bamburgh

    Stop 11

    North East England · Beginner · Beach break

    Cross into England below Bamburgh Castle: a long, quiet beach facing the Farne Islands that picks up almost every North Sea swell. Walk the sand to find the best bank.

  12. Tynemouth – Longsands

    Stop 12

    Tynemouth · North East England · Beginner · Beach break

    Newcastle's surf beach, a short Metro ride from the city, with soft waves and many surf schools. Mellow and fine for learners, but very crowded at weekends.

  13. Saltburn

    Stop 13

    Saltburn-by-the-Sea · North East England · Beginner · Beach break

    The centre of surfing in the north-east, where the first local surfers made their own boards with foam from the chemical works at Redcar. The main peak is by the Victorian pier, best from mid to high tide; it is crowded, and the locals are friendly but expect respect.

  14. Staithes

    Stop 14

    North East England · Expert · Reef break

    Experts only. A fast, hollow left over flat rock off the harbour wall of a steep fishing village, working only around low tide on a north swell. The take-off is tight and the local crew strong.

  15. Whitby – West Cliff

    Stop 15

    Whitby · North East England · Beginner · Beach break

    The most consistent spot around Whitby, below the West Cliff, picking up north to east swells. It is busy with learners near the piers; walk west towards Sandsend for more room.

  16. Cayton Bay

    Stop 16

    Cayton · North East England · Intermediate · Beach break

    Finish south of Scarborough in one of Yorkshire's most dependable bays, with sandbar peaks at the old wartime bunkers, a reef and a left point. It gets busy, but the bay spreads people out.

Tips from the line-up

  1. Pack a hooded 5/4 mm or thicker, boots, gloves and a warm changing robe. Winter water is around 6–9 °C.
  2. Plan around the light: in December, Thurso has only about six hours of daylight.
  3. Match the coast to the chart: a north-west swell for the north shore, a low over the northern North Sea or Norway for the east coast.
  4. Thurso East, Brims Ness and Staithes are shallow reefs with strong local crews. Watch first, sit wide and wait your turn.
  5. After heavy rain, check the Safer Seas & Rivers Service for sewage alerts before surfing a town beach.
  6. The north coast is remote: drive the single-track roads slowly and never surf alone.

Sources