Saunton
Today · Tue 22 Sept · 04:20
Quality
Swell
1.2ft
Tide
Weather
6-day surf report
Updated Tue 22 Sept 04:20
Now · Tue 22
CloudFlat
1.2ft
5s
Wed 23
CloudFun
2.4ft
12s
Thu 24
ClearPoor
2.2ft
9s
Fri 25
CloudFun
3.3ft
10s
Sat 26
CloudFun
3.3ft
10s
Sun 27
CloudFun
3.0ft
8s
The beach
Saunton
Saunton sits on the North Devon 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, 16°, 1kt NE.
Three miles of west-facing sand. The longboard capital of the west, and still fun on a shortboard when period is there.
Walk. The peak in front of the car park is rarely the best one. Handles more tide than Croyde.
Faces W. Best swell WSW–NW. Level: all. Crowd: busy.
On the sand
Before you paddle out at Saunton
Parking
Saunton Beach Car Park sits at the south end of the strand, pay-on-exit with ANPR. Beach shop and terminals: 20 minutes free, then £1.75 / 1 hour, £3.50 / 2 hours, £6 / 3 hours, £8.50 / 4 hours, and £1 for each hour after. Charging runs 8am–9pm in May–August (shorter in winter). No overnight parking. Saunton Surf Hire notes spaces are usually easier after 3pm in late July and August.
Hire & lessons
Hire on the sand at Saunton Surf Hire. Walking on Waves and Surf Saunton both run lessons from the car-park end. Surfed Out in Chivenor is the warehouse shop on the Braunton road for boards and suits.
Vibe
Walking on Waves and Surf Saunton both treat Saunton as the learner beach of the run: more than three miles of slower, rolling white water with room to walk away from the car-park peak. It is still the longboard beach, long, rippable walls when period is there, not a contest shorebreak.
Access & hazards
There is no RNLI lifeguard patrol here. The Met Office still flags rip currents on its Saunton Sands beach forecast, and novice water users should take advice. Stay in your depth and treat the car-park peak as the busy end, not the only peak.
Sources Saunton Beach Car Park · Saunton Surf Hire · Walking on Waves · Met Office Saunton Sands
