Hartley Reef

Seaton Sluice · North East England · United Kingdom

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Hartley Reef (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/hartley-reef.

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Hartley Reef is a flat rock reef north of Whitley Bay, between Seaton Sluice and St Mary's Island. On a good north-east swell it gives hollow, powerful lefts and rights. Everything has to come together for it to work.

Level
Advanced
Break
Reef break, reef
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
autumn, winter, spring
Boards
A shortboard.

When it works

✓ A 1–2.5 m north to north-east swell on a rising mid to high tide, with a westerly wind.

When it doesn't

✕ Low tide leaves the reef too shallow, and easterly winds blow in.

Watch out for

  • rocks
  • rips
  • pollution

Best months

October, November, December, January, February, March, April

Local tips

To get in, you either cross slippery rocks or paddle a long way from the small beach. For experienced surfers only.

Getting there

Take the A193 north out of Whitley Bay and turn off at the Astley Arms pub, where there is a car park. Then walk south along the path and down the steps.

Travel notes

How often it works
It needs the right swell and tide, so it works only a few times each winter.
Crowd and vibe
Often empty; a small local crew when it is on.
Camping and vans
Old Hartley Caravan Club Site is about 1 km away. Nearest campsite about 1 km away.
Facilities
Car park nearby; pubs and shops in Seaton Sluice and Whitley Bay.
Water quality
Not designated. Whitley Bay, to the south, is rated excellent in the 2025 English classification.

Ideal conditions

Swell
N–ENE best, NNW–E works
Size
1.2–2.5 m offshore swell; starts at 0.8 m, holds to 4 m
Period
8 s minimum, best from 11 s
Wind
Offshore SW–WNW; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, avoid low, on the rising tide
Faces
NE (50°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in North East England · All spots

Sources