Surf spot

The Cribber

Forecast conditions and map view for The Cribber in UK, Cornwall West. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: UK, Cornwall West
Coordinates: 50.4257, -5.1036

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)	1.1	1	1	1.1	0.8	1.1	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1.1	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1	1.5	1.6	1.7	1.5	1.6	1.5	1.3	1.2	1	1	1.1	1.4	1.5	1.6	1.4	1.3	1.4	1.5	1.7	1.7	1.9	1.9	1.8	1.6	1.4
Wave direction	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	W	WNW	W	W	W	W	W	W	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW
Wave period (s)	6.2	6.3	6.8	6.7	7.4	5.7	5.8	6.7	6.9	6.9	6.8	6.8	6.7	6.7	6.6	6.5	6.4	6.3	6.3	6.2	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.8	6	6	6	6.3	6.5	7.2	6.5	6.8	6.8	7.3	7	7.4	7.9	7.9	8.6	6.7	6.8	7.3	7.5	7.7	8.2	8.6	8.6	8.7	8.5	8.1	7.9	7.5	7.3	7	7.2
Wave energy (kJ)	85	87	92	105	63	80	109	181	209	220	211	205	194	176	161	136	106	85	77	71	63	59	57	67	80	95	105	113	118	122	111	193	245	259	256	254	240	217	192	152	96	109	206	240	296	275	242	303	337	418	392	441	398	338	248	200
Wind speed (km/h)	7.9	10.6	12.9	21.2	24.6	26.1	20	20.6	22.9	26.9	17.3	13.5	19.2	16.6	12.3	10.6	13.8	11.5	10.1	13.7	17.8	16	13.9	21.9	20.3	19.1	19.3	30.7	32.4	35.1	28.8	26.6	31.1	27.2	29.8	29.3	27	25.7	23.2	22.7	19.5	18.9	24.9	25.2	26.1	28.1	22.5	18.7	13.1	11.5	7.9	8	18.7	19.9	15.3	13.4
Wind direction	SWCross	SSWCross	SWCross	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WCross-on	WCross-on	WOnshore	WOnshore	WCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWCross	SSWCross	SWCross-on	SSWCross	SSECross-off	SSEOffshore	SSECross-off	SCross-off	WSWCross-on	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWBlown out	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	NWOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WCross-on	WCross-on	WCross-on	WOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on

The Cribbar (often misspelled “The Cribber”) is a famous big-wave surf break off Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, England. It’s one of the UK’s most legendary and intimidating waves.

Quick description

Type: Outer reef / slab-like big-wave break
Location: Just offshore from Fistral Beach, Newquay, on Cornwall’s north coast
Best conditions: Very large northwest swells, low tide, and the right wind direction
Wave character: Powerful, fast, heavy, and shallow over reef; breaks only a few times a year

What it’s known for

Huge waves: The Cribbar can produce some of the biggest surf in the UK, with waves often in the 10–20 ft+ range during major swell events.
Dangerous takeoff: The wave breaks over shallow rock/reef, making wipeouts serious.
Big-wave reputation: It’s a bucket-list wave for experienced big-wave surfers and tow teams.
Spectator spot: When it breaks, it draws crowds to the cliffs and headlands above Fistral to watch.

Surfing conditions

Swells: Needs a strong Atlantic groundswell, usually from the northwest/west
Wind: Offshore or light east/southeast winds are typically best
Tide: Often works best around mid to low tide, but conditions vary
Frequency: Rare and highly dependent on storm tracks

Local note

The Cribbar is not a beginner-friendly wave. It’s for highly experienced surfers only, with strong paddling, heavy-wave experience, and knowledge of the reef and rescue conditions.