Surf spot

Inch (Cork Area)

Forecast conditions and map view for Inch (Cork Area) in Ireland, South West. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Ireland, South West
Coordinates: 51.7932, -8.1824

Metric
Metric	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.4	0.5	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.5	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6
Wave direction	SW	S	SSE	S	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	S	SSW	SW	S	S	SW	S	SW	S	SW	S	SSE	WSW	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW
Wave period (s)	6.3	5.3	4.5	4.2	4.9	5.3	4.8	4.7	4.2	4.2	4.5	4.5	4	4	4.5	3.6	4.3	4	6	6.3	4.8	6.5	5.1	4.8	5	4.6	4.3	4.2	4.9	4.8	5.4	4.3	4.8	4.5	4.4	4.3	4.7	7.2	5.1	6	6	4.9	4.8	5.1	6.2	6	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.2	4.9	4.3	4.7	5	4.5
Wave energy (kJ)	3	1	2	5	14	32	28	22	16	15	16	14	9	8	7	4	6	5	3	3	1	2	17	27	15	16	12	10	8	7	8	5	5	4	3	2	3	3	4	3	15	29	19	16	31	16	16	18	15	14	12	8	10	13	12	16
Wind speed (km/h)	32.2	33.2	35.5	32.6	25.8	23.9	17	15.9	12.6	8.7	5.1	2.9	13	22.4	18.8	14.4	14.6	14.1	16.6	23.8	29	30.8	34.7	29.5	16.3	11.9	12.1	14.9	21.4	17.9	20.4	23.7	22.4	21.9	18.4	19.6	18.7	20.1	17.3	21.7	25.8	24.5	24.6	28.7	27	27.3	20.1	11.9	12	10.8	12.5	11.1	16.2	25.5	22.7	17.4
Wind direction	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWBlown out	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WNWCross-off	NOffshore	SGlassy	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	WCross	WCross	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WCross	WCross	WCross	WNWCross-off	WSWCross	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on

Inch (Cork Area), Ireland — South West

Inch is a long sandy beach facing into the Atlantic on the south-west coast of Ireland, in County Kerry rather than Cork itself. It’s one of the best-known beach breaks in the region, offering a scenic setup with plenty of space and a classic exposed-ocean feel. The beach is wide and open, with shifting sandbanks that can produce fun, punchy waves when conditions line up.

Surf character

Type: Beach break
Best for: Beginners to advanced surfers, depending on conditions
Wave quality: Can be very fun and clean on the right swell and wind, but often inconsistent due to sand movement
Size: Usually handles a range of swell sizes well, from small summer surf to larger winter swells

Conditions

Swell: Works best with Atlantic swell
Wind: Offshore or light winds help; strong onshore winds can quickly make it messy
Tide: Tidal movement can significantly change the banks and wave quality

Hazards / considerations

Rip currents: Can be strong, especially in larger surf
Shifting sandbanks: Break shape can change frequently
Crowds: Can be busy when conditions are good, especially in peak season

Atmosphere

Inch is known for its dramatic scenery, long beach, and easy access. It’s a popular spot for both surf and general beachgoers, with a relaxed local atmosphere. Because it’s exposed, conditions can change quickly, but when everything lines up, it’s a memorable and rewarding wave.