Westward Ho!

Devon and the south coast · United Kingdom

Today’s forecast: the current surf forecast for Westward Ho! (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/westward-ho.

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The sandy beach at Westward Ho! runs two miles north from the small seaside town, with a pebble ridge behind it and the Northam Burrows country park beyond. Everyone can surf here: shortboarders tend to stay near the town, while longboarders go to the Burrows end. It is rarely as busy as the beaches north of the estuary.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Some company
Season
autumn, winter, spring, summer
Boards
Any board; longboards do well at the Burrows end.

When it works

✓ A 1–2 m west to north-west swell with an easterly wind, at any tide.

When it doesn't

✕ Westerly winds, and big swells, which close out.

Watch out for

  • rips
  • rocks

Best months

April, May, June, September, October, November

Local tips

At lower tides, rocks and pebbles cover the town end. The water by the slipway is deep, as signs point out. For more space, walk towards the Burrows.

Getting there

There are a few small car parks on the sea front and a big one in town. Behind the pebble ridge in Northam Burrows there is lots of room to park.

Travel notes

How often it works
Fairly consistent: it faces west across Bideford Bay and works at all tides.
Crowd and vibe
Usually relaxed and local, with a few lessons in summer.
Camping and vans
Adventure Camping and Hallsdown Farm are a short drive from the beach. Nearest campsite about 4 km away.
Facilities
The town has toilets, cafés and beach shops, and lifeguards work the beach in summer.
Water quality
Rated excellent in the 2025 English bathing-water classification (Westward Ho!).

Ideal conditions

Swell
W–NW best, WSW–NNW works
Size
1–2 m offshore swell; starts at 0.6 m, holds to 2.8 m
Period
8 s minimum, best from 11 s
Wind
Offshore ENE–SE; handles onshore up to 12 km/h
Tide
mid best
Faces
WNW (290°)

Live cam

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

Nearby spots

All spots in Devon and the south coast · All spots

Sources