Rest Bay
Today · Tue 22 Sept · 04:20
Quality
Swell
1.6ft
Tide
Weather
Latest shot · Rest Bay surf cam
6-day surf report
Updated Tue 22 Sept 04:20
Now · Tue 22
CloudFlat
1.6ft
6s
Wed 23
CloudFun
3.0ft
11s
Thu 24
ClearFun
2.8ft
9s
Fri 25
CloudFun
4.3ft
9s
Sat 26
CloudFun
3.3ft
9s
Sun 27
CloudFun
4.1ft
7s
The beach
Rest Bay
Rest Bay sits on the Porthcawl run. Swell, wind and tide for this beach and the neighbours, so you can pick a peak before you leave the car park. Today is cloud, 14°, 3kt WNW.
Porthcawl’s premier beach. Consistent, well watched, and a proper wave when a west swell has period.
High tide can be a close-out onto rocks at the edges. The main peak prefers the drop.
Faces WSW. Best swell SW–WNW. Level: all. Crowd: busy.
On the sand
Before you paddle out at Rest Bay
Parking
Bridgend CBC Rest Bay long-stay, Lock’s Common Road, CF36 3UP. 1 April–30 September: £1 / 1 hour up to £4 all day. 1 October–31 March: £1 all day. Open 8am; locked 9pm summer / 6pm winter (£50 release if locked in). Front 90 spaces; middle 570; rear summer overflow 1,140.
Hire & lessons
Porthcawl Surf School and hire at Rest Bay Watersports Centre, CF36 3UP, boards, wetsuits, bodyboards, SUPs and kayaks, open every day except Christmas Day.
Vibe
Porthcawl Surf: year-round beginner lessons, a weekly groms club, a family Surf Experience club, and a British Longboard Union stage hosted at Rest Bay. Longboard, groms, family and contest use on the same beach.
Access & hazards
Porthcawl Surf’s Rest Bay guide: do not get caught on the east/left side in front of the rocks on the incoming tide, that is where the rip starts. Stay in front of the lifeguard station. On big tides the beach can disappear at high water; beginners are advised out or they will be on rocks. Later incoming hours: strong rip towards town, worse on springs or N/NW winds. RNLI Rest Bay: 2026 daily 23 May–6 September, then weekends 7–13 September.
Sources Bridgend car parks · Porthcawl Surf Rest Bay · RNLI Rest Bay
