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Porthtowan

Cornwall · Beach · Faces NW · Updated 5h ago
1-2ft
Next 24 hours
Swell 0.376m 4.76s NNW
Wind 11mph 11mph N · Cross-on
Weather 16°C Clear sky · 1020mb
Tide 07:49 6.7m Low 14:06 (1.0m) · Light 04:39–21:20
Water 19°C 2mm wetsuit
Sand Mid tide 2-8ft Intermediate to advanced — punchy, hollow waves not ideal for beginners Best swell W - NW

Porthtowan is a consistent north-coast beach break that picks up more swell than many nearby spots. The beach faces north-west and produces punchy, hollow waves at its best, especially on a pushing mid tide. Less crowded than Newquay, with a strong local scene. The cliffs either side focus the swell. Can handle overhead waves but closes out when too big.

AI Surf Overview

Conditions look mixed today with moderate onshore wind and a dropping swell period through the afternoon. Best bet is the early morning push before the wind picks up. Tomorrow looks cleaner with a slight shift in direction.

Today's Tide
07:49 6.7m 20:07 6.9m 01:54 0.8m 14:06 1.0m
Hourly Breakdown
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
1-2ft
0.405m 4.99s
0.169m 8.5s
Cross-on
16mph 11mph
16°C
13:00
2-3ft
0.479m 5.35s
0.2m 7.91s
Cross-on
16mph 19mph
20°C
19:00
2-3ft
0.451m 5.18s
0.24m 6.78s
Cross-on
19mph 21mph
19°C
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
2-3ft
0.663m 4.38s
0.149m 7.21s
Cross-off
17mph 5mph
13°C
13:00
1-2ft
0.385m 5.01s
0.13m 6.9s
Cross-shore
14mph 22mph
20°C
19:00
1-2ft
0.277m 4.88s
0.127m 5.86s
Cross-on
14mph 15mph
21°C
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
1-2ft
0.238m 7.21s
0.128m 10.25s
Cross-shore
11mph 15mph
16°C
13:00
2-3ft
0.272m 7.2s
0.128m 6.01s
Cross-on
15mph 26mph
21°C
19:00
2-3ft
0.344m 7.66s
0.155m 6.1s
Cross-on
16mph 27mph
18°C
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
2-3ft
0.65m 4.7s
0.274m 10.32s
Cross-shore
7mph 10mph
15°C
13:00
2-3ft
0.576m 4.84s
0.262m 10.29s
Cross-shore
10mph 9mph
23°C
19:00
2-3ft
0.348m 7.39s
0.19m 9.74s
Cross-on
12mph 19mph
20°C
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
2-3ft
0.31m 8.31s
0.19m 9.43s
Cross-shore
16mph
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Porthtowan Surf Spot Guide

Everything you need to know before paddling out at Porthtowan, England.

Break typeBeach
SeabedSand
Best swell directionW - NW
Optimal wave size2-8ft
Best tideMid
Ability levelIntermediate to advanced — punchy, hollow waves not ideal for beginners

Hazards & Safety

Strong rips, heavy shore break on bigger swells. Rocks exposed at low tide on both sides.

Local Tips

Best on a pushing mid tide. Can produce very hollow waves — boogie boarders love it. The cliffs either side focus the swell. Closes out when too big (overhead+). Blue Bar is a great post-surf spot.

Getting There

Car park right behind the beach. Very short walk.

Parking: Pay & display directly behind beach. Limited spaces.

Facilities: Toilets, Blue Bar on the beach, surf hire.

Crowds

Moderate — popular with local surfers but less touristy than Newquay.

No webcam currently available for this spot. Know of one? Get in touch and help us improve.

Water Temperature by Month

Seasonal Overview
Jan 9°C 5/4
Feb 8°C 5/4
Mar 9°C 5/4
Apr 10°C 5/4
May 11°C 4/3
Jun 13°C 4/3
Jul 15°C 3/2
Aug 16°C 3/2
Sep 15°C 3/2
Oct 14°C 3/2
Nov 12°C 4/3
Dec 10°C 5/4

Water temperatures and recommended wetsuit thickness by month

Porthtowan Tides

Tide data from Porthtowan

2026-07-18
07:49 6.7m 20:07 6.9m 01:54 0.8m 14:06 1.0m
2026-07-19
08:31 6.4m 20:50 6.5m 02:36 1.0m 14:48 1.3m
2026-07-20
09:13 6.0m 21:33 6.1m 03:19 1.4m 15:30 1.7m
2026-07-21
09:57 5.6m 22:19 5.6m 04:01 1.9m 16:16 2.1m
2026-07-22
10:48 5.2m 23:13 5.2m 04:47 2.3m 17:10 2.5m
2026-07-23
11:51 5.0m 05:48 2.6m 18:22 2.7m
Recent Conditions

Average daily wave height and wind speed from past forecast data. Updates as more data is collected.

Photos
No photos of Porthtowan yet

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Local Knowledge

Know Porthtowan? Share tips on tides, wind shelter, hazards, or best conditions.

Home › Forecast › Porthtowan
Porthtowan
Cornwall · Beach · Faces NW
1-2ft
Current surf height
2-3ft today
Next 24 hours

Porthtowan is a consistent north-coast beach break that picks up more swell than many nearby spots. The beach faces north-west and produces punchy, hollow waves at its best, especially on a pushing mid tide. Less crowded than Newquay, with a strong local scene. The cliffs either side focus the swell. Can handle overhead waves but closes out when too big.

Swell
0.376m 4.76s
NNW
Wind
11mph / 11
N · Cross-on
Weather
16°C
Clear sky
Tide
07:49
Low 14:06
Water
19°C
2mm
AI Surf Overview

Conditions look mixed today with moderate onshore wind and a dropping swell period through the afternoon. Best bet is the early morning push before the wind picks up.

Create a free account to unlock AI overviews
Today
2-3ft
Tomorrow
2-3ft
Monday
2-3ft
Tuesday
2-3ft
Best
Wednesday
2ft
Rating
Surf
Swell
Wind
1am
1-2ft
0.397m 4.85s
9 / 9 Cross-on
16°
4am
1-2ft
0.376m 4.76s
11 / 11 Cross-on
16°
7am
1-2ft
0.405m 4.99s
16 / 11 Cross-on
16°
10am
2-3ft
0.364m 5.55s
16 / 20 Cross-on
18°
1pm
2-3ft
0.479m 5.35s
16 / 19 Cross-on
20°
4pm
2-3ft
0.475m 5.35s
19 / 23 Cross-on
20°
7pm
2-3ft
0.451m 5.18s
19 / 21 Cross-on
19°
10pm
2-3ft
0.459m 5.15s
18 / 14 Cross-on
17°
Tides
High 07:49 6.7m High 20:07 6.9m Low 01:54 0.8m Low 14:06 1.0m
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Porthtowan Tides

Tide data from Porthtowan

2026-07-18
07:49 6.7m 20:07 6.9m 01:54 0.8m 14:06 1.0m
2026-07-19
08:31 6.4m 20:50 6.5m 02:36 1.0m 14:48 1.3m
2026-07-20
09:13 6.0m 21:33 6.1m 03:19 1.4m 15:30 1.7m
2026-07-21
09:57 5.6m 22:19 5.6m 04:01 1.9m 16:16 2.1m
2026-07-22
10:48 5.2m 23:13 5.2m 04:47 2.3m 17:10 2.5m
2026-07-23
11:51 5.0m 05:48 2.6m 18:22 2.7m
Seasonal Overview
Jan 9° 5/4
Feb 8° 5/4
Mar 9° 5/4
Apr 10° 5/4
May 11° 4/3
Jun 13° 4/3
Jul 15° 3/2
Aug 16° 3/2
Sep 15° 3/2
Oct 14° 3/2
Nov 12° 4/3
Dec 10° 5/4

Water temp & wetsuit by month

Recent Conditions

Average daily wave height and wind speed from past forecast data

Spot Guide
Break Beach
Seabed Sand
Best swell W - NW
Best tide Mid
Size 2-8ft
Level Intermediate to advanced — punchy, hollow waves not ideal for beginners
Hazards

Strong rips, heavy shore break on bigger swells. Rocks exposed at low tide on both sides.

Local Tips

Best on a pushing mid tide. Can produce very hollow waves — boogie boarders love it. The cliffs either side focus the swell. Closes out when too big (overhead+). Blue Bar is a great post-surf spot.

Photos

No photos of Porthtowan yet

Local Knowledge
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