Trip guide

Uncrowded winter waves

Quiet corners for cold-water sessions without the pack

Winter is when Europe's Atlantic coast gets its most powerful and consistent swells, and also when the famous waves are at their most competitive. When Mundaka, Rodiles, La Gravière, Coxos or Bundoran's Peak break, every good surfer in the region knows about it.

The good news is that there is plenty of empty surf for those willing to drive a little further or put on a thicker suit. The north coast of Scotland and the Hebrides, the long beaches of Mayo, Clare and Donegal, the Alentejo coast south of Lisbon and the north shores of the Azores often have only a handful of surfers in the water, and so do Lofoten and Denmark's North Sea coast. Closer to home, the quieter beaches of Normandy, the Médoc and the Spanish north coast are worth a look too. Most of the spots below are rated low for crowds in the SurfCams catalogue.

At a glance

🌡️ Water: 3 °C Denmark – 18 °C Azores
From December to March the sea averages about 3–6 °C at Skagen in Denmark, 5–6.5 °C in Lofoten, 7–9.5 °C in Orkney, 6.5–8.5 °C on the north-east coast of England, 9.5–11 °C at Galway and 8–11 °C on the Channel and in Brittany. It is 12.5–14 °C on the Basque coast and in Galicia, 15–17 °C around Lisbon and 16–18 °C in the Azores.
🧥 Wetsuit: 5/4 mm + hood · 6/5 Scandinavia
A 5/4 mm with boots everywhere north of the Landes, plus gloves and a hood in Brittany, Normandy, Britain and Ireland. Denmark and Norway call for a 6/5 mm with gloves and hood. A 4/3 or 5/4 mm with boots in Spain and Portugal, and a 4/3 mm in the Azores.
🌊 Swell: Big, frequent W–NW swells
Winter is storm season across the North Atlantic, with big swells and frequent onshore wind. The best days come in the windows between fronts. The North Sea and the Skagerrak need their own storms, so the waves in Denmark and southern Norway come with strong winds.
🌅 Daylight: ~6.5–10.5 h · polar night Lofoten
In mid-December the sun rises around 09:00 in Brest and sets around 17:25, while Thurso has only about 6.5 hours of light, from 09:00 to 15:20. In Lofoten the sun does not rise for about a month around the solstice. By mid-February the day is nearly two hours longer in Brest, and Lofoten is back to nearly eight hours.

How to find empty waves

Go where the crowd is not: away from Hossegor, Anglet and the Basque big names, Ericeira and Peniche, and Bundoran, and towards the long beaches further north or west. Many quieter spots are simply a few kilometres from a famous one: Laga is a short drive from Mundaka, Valdoviño sits next to Pantín, and the Alentejo beaches are an hour or two south of Lisbon.

Use the wind. Winter storms often blow onshore on the most exposed beaches, while spots tucked behind headlands or facing a different direction can be clean. Scotland's north coast faces north, Lewis and Islay face west, and the Azores have north and south shores, so there is often a clean option. Check the forecast and cams on the map before choosing.

Surf safe when it is quiet

Empty also means fewer people to help. Surf with a friend, tell someone where you are going, and avoid unfamiliar reefs and rivermouths on big days. Most beaches have no lifeguards in winter, several of these spots have strong rips, and the remote ones in Scotland, Ireland and the Azores can be a long way from help. Daylight is short in the north, so plan to be out of the water well before dark.

The route

Scotland

The north coast around Melvich and Torrisdale, and the islands of Lewis and Islay, have powerful beaches and reefs that are usually empty.

Ireland West

Mayo and Clare have long, open beaches like Killadoon and Doughmore that catch every swell and are almost always empty.

Ireland North West

Away from Bundoran, the beaches of Fanad and the far north of Donegal often have nobody in the water, even at weekends.

Alentejo

The long sandy coast south of Lisbon, from Aberta Nova to Almograve, has beach breaks that are usually empty in winter, with water around 15 °C.

Azores

The north coasts of São Miguel, Santa Maria and Faial have points and reefs with very few surfers, in water around 16–18 °C.

Norway

Lofoten beaches like Uttakleiv see few surfers, though plenty of photographers, and the winter days are very short.

Denmark

South of the Klitmøller crowd, the groyne-lined coast around Agger and Lyngby is quiet, with peaks that change with every storm.

Galicia Norte

The Ferrol coast has many exposed beaches and very few surfers in winter.

Asturias

Long beaches in the west, like Peñarronda, rarely see a crowd outside summer.

Normandie

Siouville and the Cotentin catch westerly swells, with shelter from southerly winds.

22 spots

  1. Valdoviño – A Frouxeira

    Valdoviño · Galicia Norte · Beginner · Beach break · live cam

    Three kilometres of sand in front of a lagoon, next to famous Pantín, with a western end that handles very big swells at low tide.

  2. Melvich

    Scotland · Intermediate · River mouth

    A wide, north-facing bay on Scotland's north coast where the Halladale river shapes the sandbars, with long lefts and rights near the mouth. A north-west swell and a southerly wind; very few surfers.

  3. Killadoon

    Louisburgh · Ireland West · Intermediate · Beach break

    A long Mayo beach looking across to Inishturk that catches west and north-west swells, with more power than you expect. Rocks and rips; almost always empty.

  4. Praia da Aberta Nova

    Grândola · Alentejo · Intermediate · Beach break

    A remote beach break on the long sandy stretch north of Melides, with peaks both ways. Guides call it a regional classic when a clean swell lines up; usually empty, with a few surfers at weekends.

  5. Dalmore Bay

    Carloway · Scotland · Intermediate · Beach break

    A sandy bay between rocky headlands on the west coast of Lewis, with powerful peaks on the sand and reefs at the sides. One of the island's best-known surf beaches, but rarely crowded.

  6. Santa Iria

    Ribeira Grande · Azores · Intermediate · Point break

    A consistent left over a rock reef in a cliff-lined bay on São Miguel's north coast, where sections link up into long rides on good days. The cliffs block much of the wind, and the walk down keeps it quiet.

  7. Fanad – Ballyhiernan Bay

    Fanad · Ireland North West · Intermediate · Beach break

    A long, north-facing beach of three dune-backed bays near the tip of the Fanad peninsula, with fun peaks over sand. Almost always empty, even at weekends.

  8. Siouville-Hague

    Normandie · Beginner · Beach break

    Normandy's reference surf beach, fully open to westerly swell, with a point to the south that shelters it from southerly wind. Peaks spread over more than two kilometres.

  9. Uttakleiv

    Vestvågøy (Lofoten) · Norway · Intermediate · Beach break

    A Lofoten beach on the north side of Vestvågøy, open to the ocean, with powerful waves that break close over a sandy middle. A strong north to north-west swell is needed; few surfers, more photographers.

  10. Doughmore

    Doonbeg · Ireland West · Advanced · Beach break

    A long, open Clare beach below the dunes north of Doonbeg that faces straight into the Atlantic, so it often has waves when the rest of the coast is flat. Advanced; rarely crowded.

  11. Praia de Almograve

    Almograve · Alentejo · Intermediate · Beach break · live cam

    A cliff-backed Alentejo beach where sand and reef give several peaks both ways, a little more protected than Malhão. A good step up for intermediates, and usually empty outside summer.

  12. Torrisdale Bay

    Bettyhill · Scotland · Intermediate · River mouth

    A big, wild beach next to Bettyhill where two rivers shape powerful sandbars, the better waves mostly rights. It feels very remote, and it is empty most days.

  13. Ibarrangelu – Laga

    Ibarrangelu · Bizkaia · Beginner · Beach break · 3 live cams

    A wide, wild beach under the Ogoño cliff at the edge of the Urdaibai reserve, one of the most consistent in Bizkaia, and a short drive from crowded Mundaka.

  14. Anjos

    Vila do Porto · Azores · Advanced · Reef break

    A hollow, powerful right over black lava rock on Santa Maria, the southernmost island of the Azores, in water so clear you can see the bottom. Advanced; usually empty, with friendly locals.

  15. Machir Bay

    Kilchoman · Scotland · Intermediate · Beach break

    Islay's main surf beach, 2 km of sand and dunes facing the open Atlantic, with peaks along the sand. Dangerous rips run off it, and it is usually empty.

  16. Crozon – La Palue

    Crozon · Finistère Sud · Advanced · Beach break

    A wild 2 km beach on the Crozon peninsula that picks up swell from north-west to south-west. Strong currents; for advanced surfers.

  17. Brandon Bay

    Castlegregory · Ireland South · Beginner · Beach break

    A long sweep of sand on the north side of the Dingle peninsula that catches a lot of swell, with some part of the bay suiting most winds. The banks are soft; usually empty, with windsurfers on windy days.

  18. Peñarronda

    Castropol · Asturias · Beginner · Beach break · 2 live cams

    A long, golden beach near the Eo estuary in far-western Asturias, declared a Natural Monument, with good-quality peaks on small swells.

  19. Agger

    Denmark · Intermediate · Beach break

    A long groyne-lined coast in north-west Jutland where each groyne can shape a different peak, so you drive along and check them. Quiet, as most surfers stay further north around Klitmøller.

  20. Praia do Norte

    Horta · Azores · Advanced · Point break

    A powerful left point over flat rocks on the north-west coast of Faial in the Azores, said to handle 3 m and more on west to north swells. Advanced; very rarely crowded.

  21. Bamburgh

    North East England · Beginner · Beach break

    A long sandy beach below Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast, with sandbars giving lefts and rights. It picks up almost every swell, yet it is usually very quiet.

  22. Soulac – Plage Centrale

    Soulac-sur-Mer · Gironde · Intermediate · Beach break · live cam

    At the mouth of the Gironde, Soulac's seafront beach needs a solid swell to get going, which winter supplies. Mostly lefts, the odd hollow one on the falling tide, and rarely more than a few surfers.

Tips from the line-up

  1. Drive a little further: the quiet spots are often only a few kilometres from the famous ones.
  2. Bring the full kit: 5/4 mm, boots, gloves and hood in the north, a 6/5 mm in Scandinavia, plus a warm changing coat.
  3. Surf with a friend. Quiet beaches have no lifeguards in winter.
  4. Be a good visitor: local surfers at quiet spots appreciate respect and discretion.
  5. Check the live cams and forecast before each drive; winter conditions change quickly.

Sources