Croyde

Devon and the south coast · United Kingdom

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Croyde Bay is a small, sandy bay between Baggy Point and Downend, and the best-known surf spot in North Devon. At low tide it can produce powerful, hollow beach-break waves, among the best in England. The bay is short, so the line-up gets very crowded.

Level
Intermediate
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Packed
Season
autumn, winter, spring, summer
Boards
A shortboard at low tide; a step-up when it is solid.

When it works

✓ A 1–2 m west to west-south-west swell with an easterly wind, from low to mid tide on the rise.

When it doesn't

✕ High tide, when it turns into shorebreak, and any westerly wind.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • crowds
  • shorebreak
  • rocks

Best months

March, April, May, September, October, November

Local tips

Low tide is the hollow, heavy session for good surfers; learners do better at mid tide and in the lifeguard zone. From May to September, dogs are not allowed on the beach.

Getting there

Car parks at Downend (south) and at the north end of the bay, with a short sloping path at the north and steps at the south.

Travel notes

How often it works
Very consistent: it faces west and picks up nearly every Atlantic swell, but it only works for part of the tide.
Crowd and vibe
One of the busiest line-ups in Britain, packed at weekends and in summer. Expect competition for every wave at low tide.
Camping and vans
Ruda Holiday Park is right behind the beach, and smaller sites such as Surfer's Paradise and Cherry Tree Farm are in and around the village. Nearest campsite about 0.5 km away.
Facilities
Toilets at both ends, cafés and beach shops, surf hire and schools in the village, and lifeguards in summer.
Water quality
Rated excellent in the 2025 English bathing-water classification (Croyde Bay).

Ideal conditions

Swell
WSW–WNW best, SW–NNW works
Size
1–2.2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.5 m, holds to 3 m
Period
8 s minimum, best from 11 s
Wind
Offshore ENE–SE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
low, mid best, avoid high, on the rising tide
Faces
WNW (285°)

Live cam

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

In the guides

Nearby spots

All spots in Devon and the south coast · All spots

Sources