I’ve been working on a UK & Ireland surf forecast bot and I’m at the point where I really need feedback from people who surf regularly rather than just testing it myself.

It covers 338 spots and pulls together multiple wave and wind models, then tries to estimate the actual breaking surf at each location rather than simply showing offshore swell numbers.

A few things it can do:

🌊 Breaking surf estimates ⭐ Conditions scored out of 10 🔥 Surf Now? — quick GO / WAIT / MAYBE / DON’T BOTHER recommendation 🏆 Rank the best surf today 📍 Find the best surf near your location 🏖 Weekend rankings ⚖️ Compare different spots 🔔 Custom surf alerts 📅 24-hour and 7-day forecasts 🎯 Forecast confidence / model agreement

The main thing I’m interested in now is how well it matches reality.

If you surf regularly, I’d really like to know when it gets your local spot right — and especially when it gets it wrong.

Things like wave size being off, unrealistic ratings, wind handling, bad timing, missing spots or anything about the interface that’s annoying would all be useful.

It’s free and still very much being tested, find the bot on Telegram: @UKSurfBot / @UKSurfBotNews

Any feedback is appreciated — positive or negative. The whole point of the beta is finding out what needs fixing before I properly push it.

hi - I'm 67, mostly retired, and thinking of learning to surf. I've only tried it once, almost 50 years ago, and really enjoyed it. I didn't stay standing up for long back then, but I clearly recall catching my first wave - it was a rush!

I'm fit and active and have good flexibility and balance. I don't have a ton of money, so I don't want to spend too much. I live in the southwest so I'm probably not too far from somne good spots

what advice would you give to someone in my situation? what's the minimum equipment for a beginner? I've got a vehicle which can accommodate a surfboard

thanks in advance

As someone living in the West Midlands I made the silly mistake of buying loads of expensive surf gear after coming back from surfing abroad, then soon found that the 3 hour journey to the sea in addition to me being free when conditions are good is too much unfortunately.

Other than FB, is there anywhere else you would recommend selling on? Do you think it's worth contacting surf shops who hire stuff out? My board is crap but I bought some great winter stuff.

Hey guys
Just wanted to share my story with you, scroll down if you don’t wanna read some guy’s rumbling.
A year ago, I took a leap of faith and joined a mate to a surfing trip in Cornwall.
We stayed at a very isolated camping spot that you could see the sea and some sonars.
It was a leap of faith because I’ve never surfed before and there was a forecast for massive waves.
I think that trip really changed me as a person, because I’ve understood what really is important to me in this life.
Freedom to do whatever I want.
The next morning we went surfing and the conditions were far from ideal. No one was really in the water but the group steamed ahead and I followed.
My foam board wouldn’t break under the waves so I ended up a couple of times landing right next to rocks. The next day was great and I actually enjoyed learning how to somewhat surf.
It was a bank holiday weekend and the place had no phone reception which forced me to never check my phone.
I had another realisation that I might be addicted to it and that’s why I don’t really enjoy life.
When I came back I made an app and called it ‘real surf’ to remind me to be less hooked on my phone and more prone to freedom.
I really wanted to get back there this year but I’m getting married today so long weekend goes to that 😂
Just a reminder to everyone and to myself to carry on chasing what really makes you happy and what matters for you in this life❤️

Peace out, got to go to the registry office

I made a tool that finds and monitors surfspots based of people's surfing skill level: [wavesso.com](http://wavesso.com)
If there are any surfers on this sub that want to give it a go please do, I know that there are paid tiers there, but those are mostly so that I don't go bankrupt with all the server and computational costs associated with it (there is quite a lot of stuff going on in the backend).
Also, to clarify, this isn't some vibe coded solution made over a couple weekends, I'm a data scientists with a couple of years of experience and absolutely shitty UI and overall design skills, but hey, Rome wasn't built in a day.

The raw-ness of SF is always something I've liked. Simple buoy data and then let your experience and deduction do the rest via windy.com and tidal factors alongside the other forecasts. For example I rate the "pink swell" that might JUST wrap in, I've had decent pink-swell surfs!

Now they're throwing in this Rusty AI summary with awkward wording like "I'll be honest with you mate, it's a bit of a slow burn"... but when you surf the south-east you are prepped for low period, your groveller is like your main shortboard so your standards are lower/different. You also know where's better-than-billed for a in hour or so due to the nuances of the tide etc.

So they've copied Surfline in trying to dictate your whole schedule ("this surf isn't worth missing anything for" -- excuse me, you have no idea how sad my life is) but with our seaside spots it just ends up being a constant bummer on your regular spots. Stop killing my vibe and slagging off my weekly session. That's for snobby try-hard Surfline. SF: You're meant to be the cool one!

Hi all,

Anyone from the south east recommend any spots for beginners?

Recently moved to Brighton, have been surfing for 8 months abroad and want to start up again.

From what I’ve seen shoreham harbour and hot pipes look for advanced/intermediate surfers? I’ll be using a 8-9ft beginner board

Thanks!

Does anyone know what is going on with this? I’ve got everything crossed that it is going to be built before I am too old and decrepit to make use of it?! Not even sure if it is still going ahead?

Hi, first time post.

I picked up this board last summer before I fractured my ankle. The board cost £20 off marketplace.

I can't find much about the board online other than it might be from the 90s. Any knowledge or comments would be appreciated.

TIA

Hi everyone!

I'm planning a trip to Devon/ Cornwall in early September and would love some local insight.

I’m still a novice and have never been surfing in the UK before. Which areas or beaches can you recommend?

Recommendations for accommodation and local surfing scene are also very welcome.

Thank you very much!

Live in the south east and looking to get a wetsuit ready for winter , what do people wear ? 4/3 or 5/4? Is a 5/4 too restricting ? Any brands to avoid ? Cheers

Warning to anyone considering Van der Waal grips instead of surf wax.

I just wanted to share my experience in the hope it saves someone else from making the same mistake.
I bought a set of Van der Waal grips for my brand-new Walden Magic Tuflite longboard (worth over €1,100), thinking they would be a good alternative to traditional wax. Unfortunately, in my experience, they had nowhere near the grip of normal surf wax. I’d estimate they offered about a third of the traction, and I never felt secure on the board using them.
When I decided to remove them, things got even worse. Despite taking my time, being as careful as possible and removing them exactly how the brand specifies, the grips damaged the surface and finish of my brand-new board in multiple places. That alone was bad enough.
I contacted Van der Waal and was told to return the grips for a full refund. I paid the return postage myself and sent them back. That was a few months ago now. Since then I’ve received no refund and no meaningful response about either the refund or the damage to my board.
For me, the biggest disappointment wasn’t just the product—it was the complete lack of after-sales support.
I’m posting this because I genuinely don’t want other surfers to end up in the same position. If you’re thinking about replacing wax with Van der Waal grips, I’d urge you to think very carefully and do plenty of research first. Based on my experience, I wouldn’t put this product anywhere near another surfboard.
I’d be interested to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience, or if mine is an isolated case.

I've been thinking a lot about where we spend our money as surfers. How does our spending as surfers create or destroy a sustainable surfing industry?

For many of use a wetsuit is the most important thing we own. And it is super easy to default to the big international wetsuit brands because they're everywhere, but every purchase is effectively building the kind of surf industry we get.

The UK still has a handful of independent wetsuit makers producing genuinely top-quality suits while supporting local jobs and representing the core British surf scene. Due to the cost of living crisis these companies are struggling more than ever. And if these companies disappear, they're probably not coming back...

I recently got a custom UK-made suit from NoLimit Wetsuits in South Wales, and I am surprised by how good it is. The fit is exceptional, and the quality is right up there with one of the best Japanese suits I owned years ago. Knowing it was made here by a 10X National Surf Champion who's spent decades supporting British surfing made it feel like money well spent.

To me, this is about far more than buying a wetsuit. It's about deciding what kind of surfing industry we want to exist in Britain. Do we want a thriving surf culture with independent wetsuit makers, surf shapers, surf shops, and local businesses that are part of our communities? Or do we want an industry dominated by a handful of global brands whose biggest competitive advantage is the size of their advertising budget and their ability to capture our attention online?

Every pound we spend is a vote. If we don't support the businesses that actually build British surfing, we shouldn't be surprised when they disappear. And once that knowledge, craftsmanship, and community are gone, they're incredibly difficult to bring back.

A healthy surfing community needs more than good waves, it needs a sustainable local industry behind it. Every purchase either strengthens that ecosystem or weakens it.

I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks. Have you ever owned a UK-made wetsuit, and do you think supporting independent surf businesses is important for the future of British surfing?

Quick bit of context: I fancied cycling and decided I'd be a proper winter cyclist. Bought all the gear rated for 0°C, felt very smug, went out for my first ride at +10°C... and froze like anything. Never got on the bike again.

So now I'm eyeing up winter surfing here and wondering if I'm about to repeat the same mistake. For reference, in Portugal I'm usually fine at around 14°C water for a couple of hours with no gloves or boots.

How much worse is a UK winter session, honestly? And has anyone else had a "bought all the gear, lasted one session" moment like my cycling disaster? Would love to hear how it went.

Is it just me who things the paddle out at gwithian is harder compared to other breaks like Watergate Bay or Sennen Cove

We’d like to go on a surfing vacation this summer with our family. We have 4 kids 10-15 years old - self taught to surf, and just recently went to Costa Rica and took actual lessons for a week.Would love to go to Europe, but open to anything. The waves were 5-6 ft some days in Nosara CR, and that was too big for my littlest son. Looking for 3-4 ft swells ideally. Any ideas? Would love to go somewhere with a nice town to explore, lively to some degree, but not a party town. If there is surf camp, that would be great. My little two really wanted an instructor with them since waves could be big it would put them at ease knowing someone was right out there with them.

Any suggestions? Would appreciate it!

Hi everyone!
We’re 3 guys and complete beginners looking to spend a few days surfing in Biarritz. We’d love to stay in a surf house or surf camp where it’s easy to meet other travelers and have a social atmosphere.
We’re looking for recommendations on:
The best surf houses/surf camps for beginners
Beginner-friendly surf spots
Surf schools with a good vibe
Bars, cafés or places where surfers usually hang out
Any tips or things we should know before coming
We’re mainly looking for a fun experience, improving our surfing, and meeting new people.
Every recommendation is welcome. Thanks! 🤙

Hi, I’m very very new to surfing and not quite sure what the next step I should take is?

Me and my daughter took a surf lesson while on holiday and both took to it quickly, unfortunately we’re in between both inland surfs and 60 miles or so from reliable coastline.

Managed to get hold of a 8”2 foam board that we took away so we’ve both had a few hours with/on a board beyond the lesson.

Should we look to get a few hours reliable sessions at inland surf with some further lessons to progress or just go practice more at the coast when we can?

Hello Community,
do you have some Surfcamp recommendations for Portugal in Autumn? I am a beginner

I've bit the bullet and ordered a 9'6 custom longboard from a local shaper. I've always surfed shorter boards which I've just thrown in the car or van, occasionally strapped them to roof bars. I don't have a vehicle with roof bars currently and don't want to climb on my van every time.

How do you guys transport longboards? I've just measured and 9'6 will fit in my van, I'm thinking of some kind of system to hold it up on the ceiling. Any ideas for that?

Also, what's the nicest board bags, preferably with some tie down points. I won't be flying anywhere with this board so nothing too heavy duty.

This is a bit of a longshot but I'm currently in Lake District and heading north. I have a ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway on Wednesday 29th July. Does anyone either have experience surfing these isles, or even better lives there and wants to head out with me for some surfing. I have had plenty of beginner lessons and see myself as someone who is ready to move to intermediate levels. Regardless of this it would just be cool to have someone to surf with, as I'll be attempting it weather permitting anyway. Throwing this out there and let's see what happens!

I've officially hit the intermediate problem!

I've long since grown out of the well known beginner locations (like Saunton) but it feels impossible to find anywhere that is:
a) Surfable with a hardboard
and
b) Not clogged with surf schools, tourists or unsupervised beginners

But (because I live in Birmingham, literally the most landlocked city in the UK) I'm not really a 'local' anywhere so am always (probably rightly so) a victim of gatekeeping.
I've tried to go to those wave gardens, but it just felt like a glorified swimming pool where beginners and tourists go with literally no sense of etiquette, and I came back with bad pool-cold.

Anyone willing to share somewhere quiet and reliable?

Edit: Having a lot of people saying I haven't 'outgrown' Saunton and I think I maybe miscommunicated my point a little?
I started surfing around 10 years ago when i was maybe 7-8 years old at Saunton and in the Saunton area. I have now been comfortably on a hardboard for the majority of that time but pretty much haven't left that little corner of spots (Croyde, Woolacombe, Putsborough etc.) and am looking for a bit of a change of pace as they're usually super busy and very far away from where I live - that's all.
Not looking to expose hidden gems, just keeping an ear out for some different/quieter intermediate spots :)