Surf spot

porth ceiriad

Forecast conditions and map view for porth ceiriad in UK, North Wales and NW England. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: UK, North Wales and NW England
Coordinates: 52.7937, -4.5005

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)	0.3	0.1	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.7	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	1.3	1	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.7	1.1	0.9	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.7	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.5	0.4	0.3
Wave direction	SW	SW	WSW	WSW	W	WSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	WSW	W	WSW	WSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	NW	NW	SW	WSW	WSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SW	SSW
Wave period (s)	6.1	7.2	5.3	5.9	6.2	6.5	6	5.4	4.8	4.8	4.7	4.8	5	5.2	5.5	5.7	5.8	6	6.2	5.6	7.5	6.3	6.7	7.2	5.3	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.2	4.7	4.7	5	5.1	5.2	4.7	5.1	5.5	7.7	7.7	7.1	6.2	6	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.3	5.5	6.1	6.2	6	6	6	5.7	6.4	5.5	5.8
Wave energy (kJ)	8	2	4	6	4	10	31	54	45	35	35	33	28	23	20	16	14	13	11	6	6	5	9	8	89	50	36	28	17	21	17	16	14	14	13	8	10	4	2	2	4	32	90	61	40	31	23	27	15	39	59	55	46	20	10	5
Wind speed (km/h)	24.4	31.6	33.9	32.2	33.4	29.3	24.6	23.1	10.5	8.8	5.2	5.5	9.7	11.3	10.9	12.2	13.3	14.5	17.6	21.6	27.5	27.7	21	19.1	20.1	22.1	20.9	25.1	23.1	17.7	28.7	32	35.3	38.2	38.3	35.7	36.2	31.5	28.2	25.4	21.3	25.3	30.4	34.3	35.1	32.2	24.6	25.3	17.7	12.8	10.4	9.5	13.8	22	22.6	22.2
Wind direction	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	WNWCross-off	NECross-off	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	NWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WCross	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WNWBlown out	NWBlown out	NWBlown out	NWBlown out	NWBlown out	NWCross-off	WNWCross-off	NWCross-off	WSWCross	WCross	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWBlown out	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WCross	NNWOffshore	NWCross-off	NWCross-off	SOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on

Porth Ceiriad is a beautiful, fairly exposed beach break on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales, near Abersoch. It’s one of the standout surf spots in North Wales / NW England surf trips because it can produce powerful, clean waves when conditions line up, but it’s also known for being fickle and very dependent on swell direction, size, and wind.

Quick surf description

Type: Beach break with some sandbank changes
Best for: Intermediate to advanced surfers
Wave quality: Can be very good on the right swell, with hollow sections and decent shape
Exposure: Fairly exposed, so it needs the right swell to work well
Crowds: Usually less crowded than the more famous North Wales spots, but popularity can increase when it’s on
Access: Requires a walk down to the beach, which helps keep numbers down

Conditions

Porth Ceiriad tends to work best with: - Southeast or southwest swell depending on size and period - Offshore or light winds from the east/northeast - A clean, reasonably consistent swell rather than messy windswell

Because of the bay’s shape, it can handle bigger surf better than many beaches in the region, but conditions need to be judged carefully as rips and strong water movement can be present.

Beach and setting

The spot is set in a stunning, sheltered-looking cove with cliffs and a dramatic natural backdrop. It’s one of the more scenic surf beaches in Wales, which makes it popular not just with surfers but also walkers and campers nearby.

Things to know

Can have strong currents and rips
The takeoff zone can change as sandbanks shift
Better suited to surfers comfortable in punchier waves
Not as beginner-friendly as softer, more forgiving beach breaks

Overall

Porth Ceiriad is a scenic, quality wave spot that can really deliver in the right conditions, especially for surfers looking for something a bit more powerful and less crowded than the main headline beaches.