Skip to main content

Saunton Sands

Devon · Beach · Faces NW · Updated 3h ago
1-2ft
Next 24 hours
Swell 0.299m 8.73s S
Wind 17mph 17mph NNE · Cross-shore
Weather 10°C Overcast · 1030mb
Tide 11:16 5.5m Low 04:34 (3.0m) · Light 07:25–18:34
Water 17°C 2mm wetsuit
Sand All tide 2-8ft All levels — gentle, peeling waves ideal for longboarding and learning Best swell W - NW

Saunton Sands stretches for three miles along the North Devon coast, backed by Braunton Burrows sand dunes. The beach faces north-west and produces long, peeling waves perfect for longboarding and mellow surfing. Works on all tides and rarely gets too powerful. Less crowded than nearby Croyde and Woolacombe. The flat beach gradient means waves break far from shore on low tide.

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.

11:16 5.5m 04:34 3.0m 17:43 3.1m
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
1-2ft
0.276m 8.47s
0.156m 13.92s
Cross-shore
16mph 7mph
9°C 0.5mm
13:00
2-3ft
0.293m 13.77s
0.224m 9.16s
Offshore
28mph 18mph
12°C
19:00
2-3ft
0.45m 12.3s
0.127m 6.77s
Offshore
19mph 12mph
11°C
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
2-3ft
0.631m 11.85s
0.07m 2.23s
Cross-shore
3mph 9mph
6°C
13:00
2-3ft
0.658m 10.79s
0.047m 3.11s
Cross-on
5mph 8mph
12°C
19:00
2-3ft
0.63m 10.19s
0.18m 2.68s
Cross-off
14mph 10mph
12°C
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
6-7ft
0.786m 10.92s
0.39m 8.28s
Onshore
30mph 41mph
11°C 1.9mm
13:00
8-9ft
1.077m 11.94s
0.1m 8.51s
Cross-on
23mph 42mph
10°C 0.5mm
19:00
6-7ft
1.11m 11.09s
0.38m 7.7s
Cross-shore
18mph 24mph
12°C 0.1mm
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
07:00
5-6ft
1.472m 7.95s
0.17m 5.65s
Cross-on
12mph 22mph
11°C
13:00
5-6ft
1.762m 8.62s
0.0m 0.0s
Cross-shore
20mph 17mph
14°C
19:00
5-6ft
0.876m 9.42s
0.324m 7.88s
Cross-off
35mph 23mph
12°C 0.5mm
Time
Rating
Surf
Swell
Swell 2
Wind Gusts
Weather
04:00
7-8ft
1.785m 9.79s
0.01m 4.45s
Onshore
37mph
--

Create a free account for the full 7-day forecast

Get the extended forecast, save your favourite spots, and set surf alerts. Completely free, no card required.

Sign up — it's free
Is this forecast accurate?
Thanks for your feedback!

Saunton Sands Surf Spot Guide

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

Break typeBeach
SeabedSand
Best swell directionW - NW
Optimal wave size2-8ft
Best tideAll
Ability levelAll levels — gentle, peeling waves ideal for longboarding and learning

Hazards & Safety

Rips can develop on bigger swells. Long beach — know your position relative to the car park.

Local Tips

Works on all tides. The flat gradient produces long, peeling waves — perfect for longboarding. Walk south along the beach for better banks and fewer people. Braunton Burrows dune system behind the beach is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Getting There

Car park at the north end of the beach. Direct access to sand.

Parking: Large pay & display car park at beach entrance.

Facilities: Toilets at car park. Saunton Sands Hotel nearby. Limited other facilities — bring what you need.

Crowds

Less crowded than Croyde and Woolacombe. The long beach absorbs the numbers.

Water Temperature by Month

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 13°C 4/3
Nov 11°C 4/3
Dec 10°C 5/4

Water temperatures and recommended wetsuit thickness by month

Tide data from Saunton

2026-10-19
11:16 5.5m 04:34 3.0m 17:43 3.1m
2026-10-20
00:00 5.1m 13:00 5.5m 06:15 3.2m 19:32 3.0m
2026-10-21
01:39 5.3m 14:14 6.0m 08:04 2.9m 20:44 2.5m
2026-10-22
02:45 5.8m 15:04 6.6m 09:07 2.4m 21:41 2.0m
2026-10-23
03:32 6.4m 15:46 7.2m 09:59 1.9m 22:34 1.5m
2026-10-24
04:12 6.9m 16:25 7.7m 10:49 1.4m 23:23 1.0m

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

No photos of Saunton Sands yet

Surfed here recently? Share a photo to help others see what it's like.

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

Home › Forecast › Saunton Sands
Saunton Sands
Devon · Beach · Faces NW
1-2ft
Current surf height
2ft today
Next 24 hours

Saunton Sands stretches for three miles along the North Devon coast, backed by Braunton Burrows sand dunes. The beach faces north-west and produces long, peeling waves perfect for longboarding and mellow surfing. Works on all tides and rarely gets too powerful. Less crowded than nearby Croyde and Woolacombe. The flat beach gradient means waves break far from shore on low tide.

Swell
0.299m 8.73s
S
Wind
17mph / 17
NNE · Cross-shore
Weather
10°C
Overcast
Tide
11:16
Low 04:34
Water
17°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.

Today
2ft
Best
Tomorrow
2ft
Wednesday
3-8ft
Thursday
4-9ft
Friday
5-8ft
Rating
Surf
Swell
Wind
1am
1-2ft
0.299m 8.73s
17 / 17 Cross-shore
10°
4am
1-2ft
0.275m 8.72s
16 / 15 Cross-shore
9°
7am
1-2ft
0.276m 8.47s
16 / 7 Cross-shore
9°
10am
1-2ft
0.267m 8.08s
21 / 11 Cross-off
10°
1pm
2-3ft
0.293m 13.77s
28 / 18 Offshore
12°
4pm
2-3ft
0.387m 12.52s
23 / 20 Offshore
12°
7pm
2-3ft
0.45m 12.3s
19 / 12 Offshore
11°
10pm
2-3ft
0.487m 11.98s
15 / 13 Offshore
9°
High 11:16 5.5m Low 04:34 3.0m Low 17:43 3.1m
Is this forecast accurate?
Thanks for your feedback!

Tide data from Saunton

2026-10-19
11:16 5.5m 04:34 3.0m 17:43 3.1m
2026-10-20
00:00 5.1m 13:00 5.5m 06:15 3.2m 19:32 3.0m
2026-10-21
01:39 5.3m 14:14 6.0m 08:04 2.9m 20:44 2.5m
2026-10-22
02:45 5.8m 15:04 6.6m 09:07 2.4m 21:41 2.0m
2026-10-23
03:32 6.4m 15:46 7.2m 09:59 1.9m 22:34 1.5m
2026-10-24
04:12 6.9m 16:25 7.7m 10:49 1.4m 23:23 1.0m
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 13° 4/3
Nov 11° 4/3
Dec 10° 5/4

Water temp & wetsuit by month

Average daily wave height and wind speed from past forecast data

Break Beach
Seabed Sand
Best swell W - NW
Best tide All
Size 2-8ft
Level All levels — gentle, peeling waves ideal for longboarding and learning
Hazards

Rips can develop on bigger swells. Long beach — know your position relative to the car park.

Local Tips

Works on all tides. The flat gradient produces long, peeling waves — perfect for longboarding. Walk south along the beach for better banks and fewer people. Braunton Burrows dune system behind the beach is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

No photos of Saunton Sands yet

What's off?
Select any that apply — this helps us improve.