Surfing for Beginners
Surfing is a popular activity. It is estimated that around 500,000 people in the UK surf regularly. Are you one of them?
If you’ve never surfed before and want to start, here’s our guide to surfing for beginners in the UK.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Where to surf in the UK
The UK has a coastline of over 12,000km, so there are lots of options for surfing. However, the best spots are generally found in Devon and Cornwall, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, and South Wales with a few surfing schools located in Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as the Anglian coast.
There are also artificial surfing lakes around the UK, such as Surf Snowdonia and The Wave in Bristol.
Check out Surfing England’s website for more information about surf schools in England. https://www.surfingengland.org/english-surf-schools/
Are surfing lessons expensive?
Surfing lessons are similar to driving lessons, except you don’t need so many of them and you don’t need to pass a test at the end! You can be up and surfing with only one lesson, though the norm is for two or three lessons to get confident.
Prices are around £25 – £30 per session (1 or 2 hours) and you can get discounts per person if you are taught in a small group rather than 1-to-1, or if you book a block of lessons. There isn’t a lot of price difference around the UK, but you might be able to get better value in other parts of the world. Maybe you can combine learning to surf with a holiday abroad, or in the UK?
For the lowdown on some of best surfing schools in the UK, take a look at Lonely Planet’s recommendations at https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/the-best-places-to-learn-to-surf-in-the-uk
To learn what to expect from surfing lessons, check out this handy article on learning to surf at Porthcawl Surf School by Little Stuff
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
Surfing holidays UK
If you want to combine learning to surf with a holiday, then you can do that, either abroad or right here in the UK.
Surf Snowdonia, as an example, has glamping lodges where you can stay while learning to surf on their 300-metre surf lagoon. Read: Glamping at Surf Snowdonia by Otis and Us. If glamping isn’t for you – the Hilton Garden Inn will be opening on site from April 2021!
Going abroad is a great option for learning to surf. You can get some good prices on both the holiday and the lessons by exploring holidaying in places like South Africa, or Mozambique. Alternatively, you can learn to surf in Hawaii, the most iconic of surfing locations, but that might cost you a little more!
The HandiRack, our universal inflatable roof bars, are a great way of transporting your surfboard.
Will surfing be in the Olympics?
Surfing has been added to the sports at the Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020, though these will now start in July 2021. It will be on a real ocean rather than a wave pool, and the inaugural event will be Shidashita Beach in Japan. Riders will be judged on the quality and difficulty of the moves they perform while riding the waves.
You can find out more about surfing at the 2020 Olympics at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfing_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics
Can surfing be dangerous?
Surfing is generally considered a safe activity but with all watersports, there are risks such as drowning, and being hit by other participants or equipment.
You can reduce your risk by….
- Wearing appropriate surfing PPE such as a wetsuit, a helmet, and a floatation device.
- Making sure your equipment is in good repair, and choosing a board which has flexible fins and a blunt nose, or fitting a nose guard to your board.
- Wearing sun screen and drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated
- Warming up and cooling down to prevent muscle strain
- Having someone with you or nearby at all times – you should not surf alone.
- Following the rules and etiquette of surfing
But don’t let any of this put you off – here are 7 Good Reasons you Should Surf
Have we inspired you to start to learn to surf?
