shore whilst either standing or lying on a board. The ultimate goal is to ride along the unbroken face of the wave and tuck into the tube created, as the wave’s lip breaks, known as a barrel.
From our activity centre Located just 500 metres from the UK’s most famous surfing destination, Fistral Beach, we run an extensive selection of surfing lessons in some of the UK’s best quality waves. Whether you’re a complete beginner or professional surfer, Newquay Activity Centre has you covered with instruction suitable for all ages and surfing abilities!
be categorised as:
Spilling – These waves break slowly and gradually, with the lip of the wave gradually toppling down its face. These are long, mellow waves making them perfect to learn to surf on. Newquay is a great place to find them.
Plunging – Waves that plunge rather than spill are more powerful, exciting and steep, potentially resulting in a barrel if the winds and swells correspond!
Surging – Surging waves are useless for learning to surf on, so be reassured that we rarely get them breaking on our coastline here in Newquay!
ancient Polynesia, surfing was recorded for the first time in 1778 by Captain Cook, who’d sailed to the Hawaiian Islands and seen natives riding wooden boards in the surf.
But it was over 100 years later until surfing reached Britain’s shores, when two brothers surfed off the coast of Bridlington whilst on holiday in 1890 and another century before it was a cultural phenomenon.
When a famous Hawaiian surfer called Duke Kahanamoku won gold as an Olympic swimmer in 1912, surfing found itself published in newspapers and magazines all over the world. A few plucky Brits dabbled in the sport on homemade boards, inspired by the pictures they’d seen, but it was the arrival of four Australian Lifeguards in 1962 that hooked the attention of Newquay’s youngsters and Newquay surfing began! Their flair, cruising surf style, fashion and Beach Boys soundtrack gripped the town which saw a new breed of surfers ride up through the ranks into international competition and become shapers of progressive performance surfboards. Surf Lifesaving clubs were born and beach lifeguards soon patrolled popular beaches. Newquay had become the UK’s cultural hub of surfing and it remains so to this day. You can learn more about the history of surfing in Newquay in this blog post.
that works wonders for your fitness and mental health. Having been recognised as a top centre for cultural activities, and awarded Centre of Excellence status by the ISA, our professional instructors will lead you through the basics of surfing techniques and provide extensive instruction from the sand to the water. As Trip Advisor’s Number One provider of outdoor adventure activities in Newquay, we’re also just 500m from the Sunday Times’ No.1 beach for activities, Fistral Beach. As a new Olympic sport for Tokyo 2020, there’s never been a better time to give surfing a go!
same equipment as you and will also take a First Aid Kit in case of minor injuries on the beach. In the unlikely even of a serious incidents occurring during a surfing lesson, the RNLI beach lifeguards will be on hand to respond and assist your surfing instructor.
certainly gets the heart pumping, but you don’t have to be an athlete.
occasionally intervenes and makes it impossible to run a safe session. In the unlikely event that this should happen, we would endeavour to change the date of your session or offer an alternative solution. If this were still impossible then a voucher would be issued for the value of the activity.
slather of factor 30-50 water-resistant sun cream before taking part in one of our activities. You can also use a bit of zinc for extra protection.From beginner surf lessons on Fistral & Great Western beaches to adrenaline-fuelled coasteering routes, our award-winning centre is the go-to destination for adventure seekers in Cornwall. We welcome solo travellers, families, stag & hen groups, schools, and military teams for high-energy, high-fun sessions – all tailored to your experience level and comfort.
