Newquay – The Cribbar

Newquay · Cornwall · United Kingdom

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Newquay – The Cribbar (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/newquay-cribbar.

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The Cribbar is Cornwall's big-wave reef, off the tip of Towan Head at the north end of Fistral. It only breaks properly a few days a year, when a huge, clean swell arrives, and then waves can be many metres high. It is only for experienced big-wave surfers; everyone else should watch from the headland.

Level
Experts only
Break
Reef break, reef
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Quiet
Season
autumn, winter
Boards
A big-wave gun.

When it works

✓ A very big, long-period west swell (4 m or more offshore) with a light south-easterly wind, best around low tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Anything short of a huge swell, and any onshore wind, which ruins it quickly.

Watch out for

  • reef
  • rocks
  • currents
  • rips

Best months

October, November, December, January, February

Local tips

The usual paddle-out is the rip at Little Fistral, and that rip can be very strong. Only go out if you could paddle round to the Newquay town beaches, because that may be the only safe way back in.

Getting there

Walk out to Towan Head from Fistral or Newquay town. There is a small car park above Little Fistral, where the paddle-out starts.

History

Its name comes from the Cornish word for reefs, and it is also called the Widow Maker. It was first surfed in 1966 by Ric Friar with Australians Pete Russell and Johnny McElroy and American Jack Lydgate.

Travel notes

How often it works
Very fickle: it needs a giant, clean swell, so it breaks only a handful of days a year, mostly in autumn and winter.
Crowd and vibe
Empty almost all the time. On the rare days it breaks, only a small group of big-wave surfers paddles out.
Camping and vans
Macdonald's Farm Touring and Camping is about a ten-minute drive from Fistral; many holiday parks surround Newquay.
Facilities
Nothing on the reef or headland itself. Toilets are above Little Fistral, and Fistral has cafés, surf shops and toilets.
Water quality
Not a bathing water; nearby Fistral North was rated excellent in the 2025 English bathing-water classification.

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, SW–NNW works
Size
4–6 m offshore swell; starts at 3 m, holds to 8 m
Period
12 s minimum, best from 15 s
Wind
Offshore E–SSE; handles onshore up to 8 km/h
Tide
low best
Faces
NW (305°)

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