Crackington Haven

Cornwall · United Kingdom

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Crackington Haven (wave height, swell, wind, tide and a 0–10 rating for every hour of the next 16 days) are only shown on SurfCams. They change every hour, so this text doesn’t contain them. To check today’s surf, open https://surf-cams.com/spot/crackington-haven.

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Crackington Haven is a small sand and pebble cove under some of the highest cliffs in Cornwall. It is a powerful beach break, and the best waves are usually long rights on the left side of the bay. It needs a decent swell but is rarely busy.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand and rock
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard; something with more volume on smaller days.

When it works

✓ A 1.5–2 m north-west swell with a south-easterly wind, at any tide except the very top.

When it doesn't

✕ Small swells barely reach it, and westerly winds blow it out.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • rips

Best months

March, April, May, September, October, November

Local tips

The waves can slow down at the very top of the tide. Don't drop in: the few locals here are friendly, and they like to keep it that way.

Getting there

Two car parks next to the cove, and a slipway onto the beach.

Travel notes

How often it works
It is fairly consistent but needs more swell than the open beaches around Bude, and the cliffs give some shelter from northerly winds.
Crowd and vibe
Usually quiet, even at weekends. The line-up is small and mostly local.
Camping and vans
Haven Lake Farm is a pop-up site about two miles from the beach, and Coxford Meadow is a small family site with coast-path access. Nearest campsite about 3 km away.
Facilities
Toilets near the beach, a pub, a café and a small surf shop; lifeguards in summer.
Water quality
Rated excellent in the 2025 English bathing-water classification (Crackington Haven).

Ideal conditions

Swell
WNW–NW best, WSW–NNW works
Size
1.2–2.2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.9 m, holds to 3 m
Period
9 s minimum, best from 12 s
Wind
Offshore E–S; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid best
Faces
WNW (295°)

Live cam

No cam at this spot yet: the forecast and the guide are on the map.

Nearby spots

All spots in Cornwall · All spots

Sources