Ireland

The region

Ireland's west coast faces the North Atlantic head-on and receives swell that has travelled thousands of kilometres of open sea. The result is energy on a scale that rarely reaches central Europe — and a coastline that meets that energy with cliffs, reefs and deep bays rather than flat sand.

That makes Ireland a region of two halves. There are sheltered beaches around Bundoran, Sligo and Lahinch where you can surf and learn in manageable conditions. And there are reef waves among the most demanding in Europe, for experienced surfers only. Often only a short drive separates the two, which makes local judgement important.

The season is autumn and winter, when the lows are strongest. The water stays cool all year at 8 to 16 degrees, and the weather is the real variable: wind and rain shape the day at least as much as the swell.