Surfing the Yorkshire Coast

Despite living and loving life in Bonny Scotland since 2006, and proudly leading Paddle Surf Scotland into its 10th year anniversary in 2023, Yorkshire is who I am. It is the place I am proud to be from, the places, culture and people have shaped the man who I am today. It is also the place that forged my love of the water, and surfing in particular.

Despite growing up just outside Leeds, a distinctly unsurfy place, trips to Yorkshire’s incredible coastline introduced me to, and made me fall head over heels with the activity that would be a staple part of my entire life.

There are plentiful beaches and plentiful variety of surfing conditions to be had, and many of them are ideal for Stand Up Paddlesurfing. The list below is of some of favorite spots to surf at. All are fairly popular spots, so no secrets are being handed over here, but, even with this in mid, be respectful and adhere to the rules of the surfing line up. You will find most Yorkshire surfers are friendly and polite as the rest of their county folk.

Whitby - With the Abbey looming over you, along with its famed Whale bone arch, Whitby is a spectacular surf location. Even on a flat day, a Whitby trip is a must with a lovely harbour and enticing lanes and alleys full of independent shops and cafes. On the right tide, the River Esk is a fantastic flat water SUP trip too. When the surf is pumping, Whitby can turn it on, with waves all the way toward Sandsend at the North of the huge beach. Pointing fairly North, Whitby can be home to some powerful, punchy waves, none of which have Dracula’s famous bite mind you.

Scarborough North Bay - A huge beach, on the quieter, Northern side of the Town and sat underneath its ruined Castle perched on the cliff top, North Bay is home to great surf. With easy parking, it is a popular spot, with justification. The waves can be found along the entire length but most effectively in the southern end with a nice point break there as well. It is a tide dependent spot, with the beach disappearing at High Tide.

Scarborough South Bay - The heart of ‘Scarbados’, Yorkshire’s biggest seaside resort, the slot machines, candy floss, kiss me quick hats and tubs of cockles all add to the essential experience of surfing South Bay. It needs a fair whack of swell to wrap in past the castle and harbour, so always much smaller than North Bay. Waves tend to be at their best near Scarborough Spa.

Cayton Bay - After descending down the steep paths from the cliffs above, you reach Cayton Bay, the epicenter of Yorkshire’s surfing scene. If there is any swell around, Cayton will hoover it up and there will be plenty of surfers to feast on its offerings.Best on the pushing tide, it has several different peaks on it that can pack a punch on its day. Each peak can have its own distinct personality and attract different styles of surfers, from Shortboarders on the more performance peaks, Longboarders and SUP Surfers out the back, and beginners in the whitewater in the middle of the beach. Tide affects this spot as a large reef dissipates a lof of the swell at very Low tide. There is a surf school, shop, hire and changing facilities.

Filey - My absolute favourite Yorkshire surf spot, Filey is the genteel little brother to Scarborough. It is a simply stunning beach that stretches for miles. To the North the huge protecting arm of Filey Brigg stops a lot of the swell from reaching Filey. This means you need a fair bit of swell for it to turn on. It can provide, however, incredibly clean long lefts and rights, totally perfect SUP Surfing waves with little to no crowds compared to Scarborough and Whitby. 

Humnanby Gap - A few miles to the south of Filey sits the small drop in the huge cliffs which gives easy access to Filey Bay, Humnanby Gap. It's always quieter for surfing than elsewhere and gets much more swell than Filey, double to triple the height in town. Think of Humnanby as Cayton Bay minus the crowds. It can have plenty of power and a fair old rip, so, if you are not a confident surfer on a big day, look elsewhere.

We are proud to be working with www.paddlesurfyorkshire.com

Paddle Surf Yorkshire is a sister company of ours and offers tours, hires and lessons on Yorkshire's stunning canals and rivers. Using some spectacular sections of the Leeds-Liverpool and Aire-Wharfe Canals, along with the River Wharfe, experience some fantastic, historic journeys while learning to Stand Up Paddleboard.

www.paddlesurfyorkshire.com