Waves

Cornwall’s biggest seaside resort is the birthplace of the British surf scene and the centre of the UK’s multi-million-pound surf industry. It’s a great place to be based, with access to dozens of quality beach breaks. 7 beaches in one town, all working on different tides, wind and swell directions. If you know it well you can always find a fun rideable wave.

‘Coast of Dreams’ reads the welcome signs as you drive into Britain’s best known surf city, and for many people that’s what it is. As soon as you arrive the place reeks of surfing and bodyboarding: the road signs are covered in surf stickers, you’ll see someone skateboarding down the road within five minutes, and the town is full of pseudo-surfer dudes with long hair, tatts and a tan. But look off the well worn track and there are some incredibly beautiful beaches and coves and it is these that we love to visit.

The town, and Cornwall in general, is home to some of the most awesome scenery in Britain, with dramatic cliffs dropping into the blue waters of the Atlantic. The view across Newquay Bay on a clear evening, with the sun setting behind Towan Head, is comparable to anything you’ll see on your travels abroad.

Towan Beach

Towan is unique in its appeal for bodyboarders as it has something for all abilities. Sitting in the shadow of Towan Head, the beach is protected from big swells and benefits from shelter to strong winds, which can spoil the shape of the Atlantic swells. If you’re learning to bodyboard this is a huge bonus as the waves are more manageable, making the process of catching them easier.

For bodyboarders of more experience there’s the left hand breaking wave known as ‘Kiddies Corner’. Catch it at low tide at the southern end of the beach where it breaks off the rocks close to Newquay harbour’s north quay. As the tide pushes in towards mid tide there is a wave called ‘Bothwicks’ after the rocks of the same name in front of the island. This is popular with locals and offers a great option during medium sized three-to-four foot swells. Also look out for the unique ‘Habour Left’ wave which can be found on the other side of the beach at mid tide when the incoming swells ride up the side of the south quay harbour wall. At high tide the waves refract off the island and even bounce off the promenade wall. These refracting and wedging waves are a highlight of any bodyboarding session at Towan.

Fistral

The jewel in the crown of Newquay surf breaks and home to the UK’s biggest surfing competition – the Boardmasters. If there is any swell out there, Fistral will be serving up a wave. With the many different options it offers something for riders of all abilities. From the dredging tubes of low tide at north Fistral. To the fun high tide wedges of south Fistral. A little local knowledge goes a long way to making sure you get the best waves.

Tolcarne

Home to the the UK’s best bodyboarding wave. Tolcarne Wedge is the name given to the wave that is created in the south corner of the beach when the incoming waves refract of the headland and create ‘corner’ waves or wedges as experienced bodyboarders call them. The collision of the incoming wave and the refraction offers twice the power and speed of a normal wave. When you get a good one you will long remember it and always want to go back for more.

Other spots include; Great Western, Crantock, Perranporth, Watergate and numerous others that we don’t like to name. But offer uncrowded perfection on their day. You just need to know where and when to look!

Accommodation

Newquay offers a wide range of accommodation. Within walking distance from our centre at Towan beach are the Travel Lodge, Hotel Victoria, Lazy Waves and Kiribilli guest house. There are some great Air BnB options including Sea View house overlooking Towan and Sunset Views at Pentire. For those that would like to camp or park their motorhome or van we can recommend Trethiggey Holiday Park Camping.  There are many, many options on Booking.com Our postcode is TR7 1DU if you would like to find some where nearby.

Climate

Cornwall’s air and sea climate is the warmest in the UK. Thanks to both the jet stream in the atmosphere and the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean, Cornwall is blessed with a comparatively mild climate and temperate seas, all year round.

With a long, intricate and varied coastline developing its own micro-climates from one beach to the next, you’re the most likely in the UK to be soaking up the rays as much as the waves, whatever the season.

Food

We ask you to prepare a packed lunch for both days so that we can enjoy our surfari along the coast. We’d recommend fruit, nuts and other fibre filled snacks to keep you energised for your water sessions. We offer free tea and coffee from our base at Towan beach and all eat our lunch while watching the video review sessions. We visit our favourite beach bar or local restaurant on Saturday evening and enjoy fantastic local food. Budget £12 for the meal.

Coaching

Our coaching team offers daily tuition, tailored to your ability with instructors who are in-house qualified and fully insured. Experienced lifeguards, some have 30 years of surfing experience and 20 years of worldwide travel experience, including multiple-times British National Champion and Team Coach Rob Barber.

All weekends are planned for Rob to lead the instruction and it is only on rare occasions that he won’t be there all weekend.

Foundation level instruction

You’ll never be thrown straight into the deep end. We’ve got your back whatever your ability, and that’s a promise. Likewise, intermediate and advanced-level coaching is also tailored towards the individual.

Don’t stress if you’re a beginner – on this camp there’s something for everyone, and we all have to start somewhere. In fact, you’ll be amazed how quickly you master paddling out to catch good-quality waves, and we’re committed to patiently helping you progress.

Improver Instruction

To aid with this, we send out a pre-event form to measure your ability before you arrive. If you’ve not attended a coaching weekend or holiday before, don’t worry – we can have a surf assessment, get to grips with your riding and help plot you a path of improvements. 

Advanced Instruction

Our coaching cover all levels of riding, with separate ability groups and instructors to suit your standard, whether you’re a novice or a pro. Some of the riders that have attended our weekends have wanted to learn the most gymnastic aerial moves. The use of video and photo analysis plus the invaluable in-water tips after each ride can see you improve your style and nail those specfic moves that you’ve always wanted to land. We help everyone achieve their goals.

We want to maximise your time in the water on this weekend, which is why we offer three in-water sessions over the two days.

The Saturday sessions are each two hours long, and can be catered to cover any aspects of bodyboarding you wish to focus on. The Sunday session will be longer, giving you a chance to put into practice the developments you’ve made, and build on things you’ve learned.

Two or more of your in-water sessions will be photographed and filmed, and these will be covered in the post-surf video analysis. This will include demonstrations and move-by-move break downs to help you progress faster. We will also use our instructional clips to break down moves for you.

As well as coaching, we’re also keen to develop your learning and understanding of the sport in general. This is why we offer a separate Q&A session, answering all things bodyboarding: equipment, travel, safety, surf prediction, understanding pressure charts and bodyboarding fitness. Learning is tailored to each ability group, and no question is too big or small.

Photography and video analysis will be available throughout all sessions to help improve your riding.

Travel

Price

Newquay Coaching Weekend £139

Photo and video packages

Photographs will be taken thought the camp to help you to improve your riding. You can buy the shots at the end of the weekend for £20 and £10 for the video.

Equipment hire:

We have pro standard equipment available to hire for the weekend, just let us know at time of booking what you need and your sizes.

Pro standard Bodyboard Hire £8 per day
Swim fin hire £8 per day
Wetsuit hire £8 per day 

Food

We visit our favourite restaurant on Saturday evening and enjoy fantastic local produce. Budget £12 for the meal. This is optional.

Area

Cornwall – also known as ‘Kernow’ in its mother tongue – is a wild, rugged county, located in the far south-western tip of England.

Apart from its world-class beaches, excellent variety of waves and high swell consistency, it boasts a unique culture, incredibly clean air, and bright light – it’s no wonder poets, authors and artists have been coming here for centuries!

Head back in land from Newquay’s beautiful beaches, bays and coves and you’ll find wilderness moorland, granite-topped hills, ancient stone structures and ubiquitous tin-mine pump houses, unmistakable silhouettes of its famous mining history.

Today, Cornwall’s main industry is tourism, and there is a million and one things to do only a short distance from our base. Newquay is booming with independent shops with a great cafe culture, you are never far away from a flat white.

Why not turn your weekend into a week, and experience the thrill of coasteering, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding at our sister company, the Newquay Activity Centre? As a bodyboard weekender you’ll be entitled to discounted rates on any of the activities, which are guaranteed to keep you smiling.

Kit List

Pro-standard bodyboard hire – £8 per day
Swim fin hire – £8 per day
Wetsuit hire – £8 per day

We offer an excellent selection of kit hire for the weekend, which can be ordered in advance and that we’ll bring along, so all you need to think about is the surf, sea and sun! If you have your own kit, please bring it along.

Feel free to call us on 01637 879571 and we can chat with you about what you’d need to hire so it’s ready and waiting for you when you arrive. We ask you to arrive on the Friday at our centre, before 4pm to pick up your hire kit.

Bodyboard

Being Britain and not the tropics, we’d recommend a board with a bit of flex! Therefore aim to bring a board with either a stringered PE or a low-density PP core.

To help with this, we can supply hired boards which are perfect for use in British temperatures and wave types.

If you need to hire one for the weekend, or are interested in trying one different to your own, get in touch and we can get you sorted with the right-sized board so you can get the most out of the weekend.

Wetsuit

Although Cornish waters are the mildest in the country, we’d still recommend bringing along a decent wetsuit.

A winter 5/3mm is perfect for the cooler times of year, or a sealed-seam 3/2mm is ideal for sunny Kernow’s summer and autumn seasons.

Fins

It’s essential to use a pair of comfortable, powerful, bodyboarding swim fins to get the most from the awesome waves on the trip. 

Leash

It’s a simple insurance policy on any trip, so don’t forget a leash – it’ll save you a whole load of unnecessary swimming. 

Bodyboard travel bag

A decent board bag will keep your kit safely protected throughout your journey, especially when you consider the brutality of some baggage handlers. They range from £20 to more than £100 – the more you pay, the better protection you get. The best on the market is the Creatures wheelie bag, it’s heat-reflective, padded and you can wheel it around, saving your arms and shoulders for paddling.

Board sock

Board socks perform a dual purpose, protecting your board from the sun, and drying you off as it’s a handy towel. The humble board sock is a great all-rounder. 

Heel shields

If you don’t wear wetsuit socks and want to prevent rub around your heels, it’s worth considering a set of heel shields. They make fins comfortable, stop chafe and have different thickness levels to suit the snugness of your fin. 

Fin tethers

Don’t let a lost fin ruin the rest of your trip. Bag a set of tethers and know you’ll pop up from every duckdive and wipeout with both fins still attached.

Sun protection

There are a range of sun creams geared specifically for bodyboarding. We can attest they actually stay on in the water, and we’ve tested them in some searing conditions.

While we can’t guarantee bright blue skies, there’s nothing worse than having to sit out on an epic session because your suncream washed off yesterday and today you’re painfully crispy.

Clothing

Please bring warm clothing suitable for all weathers. Layers are the best option to make sure you are covered for all weather conditions.

Reuseable Water Bottle

Please bring a reuseable water bottle as we won’t always have time to get to the shops before our sessions.

What’s Included

• Three separate in-water sessions, Saturday sessions are two hours long covering all aspects of bodyboarding you wish to focus upon. The Sunday session will be longer.
• Two of your in-water sessions will be filmed and these will be analysed. This will include demonstrations and move-by-move break downs to help you conquer every aspect of the sport.
• Q and A sessions about bodyboarding equipment, travel, safety, surf prediction and bodyboarding fitness.
• Photographs will be taken to help you to improve your riding. You can buy the shots at the end of the weekend for £20 and £10 for the video.
• Discount card for Bodyboard-Depot, Rip Curl concept store and local bar and restaurants.
• Goodies from sponsors and the chance to be presented with a new board at certain events.
• Free Tea and coffee from our centre onsite
• Airport or Railway station pick up and drop off

Dates

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about our Newquay Coaching Weekends.