Woolacombe is a two-mile long sandy beach located in North Devon, known for its relaxed vibe and suitability for surfers of various abilities. The beach is popular with both longboarders and beginners, making it a great spot to enjoy some time in the water without the pressure of more challenging conditions. The northern end, where the town is located, tends to have the most activity, and the open space means you can often find your own spot to surf, even when it’s busy.

The surf here revolves around mellow beach breaks, handling swell sizes from 3ft to 8ft (about 1 to 2.5 meters). The optimal swell direction is from the Southwest, with the beach also catching swells from the Northwest. It works well through low, mid, and high tides, providing a variety of peaks for surfers to enjoy. You can find both lefts and rights, with the northern end typically offering the best high tide conditions right off the rocks. The banks are pretty consistent thanks to the stream that runs through the area, which helps shape the wave formations. The sandy bottom is perfect for a range of board types, including shortboards, fish, funboards, longboards, SUPs, and bodyboards.

Access to Woolacombe is straightforward, with a large pay-parking area overlooking the beach. This means you can easily gear up and hit the waves without much hassle. Overall, while it can get busy, it’s manageable, and the crowd factor is balanced since there’s plenty of room to spread out. Woolacombe works best from September to November, making it a good autumn surf spot, so you might want to plan your visit during those months for optimal conditions.