Trebarwith Strand is a relatively unknown beach break to the south of Tintagel. It’s only 20 minutes off the A30 with easy access from the Atlantic Highway.
Nestled between two large headlands and at the bottom of a long windy road, it’s a great way to escape the crowds at busier surf spots up and down the coast.
Once you reach the small village you’ll find a few free parking spots at the top of the hill that get snapped up quickly with the other option being one of the two paid car parks.
As winter hits the parking restrictions ease up and you can often get a park further down the hill with a view of the waves.
Surfing Trebrawith can be a frustrating experience with its notoriously fickle banks but get it on the right day and it can provide spitting head-high barrels.
Looking for other surf spots around Trebarwith. Don’t miss our list of Bude’s best surf spots for more great waves to check out.
Surfing at Trebarwith Strand
Trebarwith Strand is an exposed westerly facing beachie that breaks from low to mid tide. Offshore winds are from the east and a large cliff at the south of the beach offers some shelter from southerly winds.
There’s a rock gulley that grants you access to the beach but this can quickly fill up as the tide comes up too high so make sure to time your paddle back in.
Trebarwith Strand works best from 2-8ft with any larger swell tending to close out the whole beach. It’s got two sandbanks, one outer bank and an inner bank that breaks fast and shallow making for powerful peaks and critical drops.
There are three primary peaks at Trebarwith with each wave offering different characteristics:
The peak at the left of the bay is predominantly a left-hander that breaks just off the cliff. The large cliff here makes it a great option when other main-facing beaches are suffering from onshore south-westerly winds.
At full low tide it’s essentially a fast close-out, but as the tide pushes in it can form into a powerful wedging left with critical sections for manoeuvres and the occasional barrel on good days.
The centre of the bay has some ranging peaks with lefts and rights breaking on the outer banks before rolling in to break again right near the shore.
When it’s good you can get some nice white water roll-ins that can set you up perfectly for the inside drainers and is a relatively consistent spot for barrels in North Cornwall.
The far right of the bay has a fickle right-hander that can be great on its day but is often fat and hard to get your positioning in the line-up right.
Worth a check at full low if it’s getting busy on the other peaks across the beach or if you’re on a longboard/stand-up paddleboard.
Is it dangerous surfing at Trebarwith Strand?
For the most part no. The main danger of surfing at Trebarwith is trying to get back to shore when the tide is too high. Navigating the small rock gulley with a large swell can be difficult even for experienced swimmers.
Where can you get some food after your surf?
The Port William pub overlooks the beach and has some great pub food if you don’t mind having a sit-down meal. If you want to grab a quick snack then Tintagel just up the road has a good fish and chip shop.
Can you surf Trebarwith at high tide?
No, much after mid tide and the whole beach fills up with water and waves begin to crash onto rocks.
Does Trebarwith Strand have lifeguards?
Yes, Trebarwith has lifeguards through the summer months if you want to learn to surf or just head out for a day playing in the waves.
Other surf spots around Trebarwith Strand
Trebarwith is surrounded by other high-quality waves. If it’s too big and onshore here you can always head around the corner to check Bossiney. This north-facing beachie offers some great shelter from south-westerly winds but its powerful waves mean it’s strictly for experienced surfers.
Head over to our guide on surfing at Bossiney to find out more about this sheltered cove.
If you’re looking for a bit more size in the swell then you can head up the coast to Widemouth Bay. This large beach has a few different peaks and reefs on either side of the beach.
