Surf in the Northwest of Ireland

If you are based around Easkey then you have some great surf spots nearby with the option of travelling to anywhere from Donegal (less than 2 hours) to Clare (3- 3 1/2 hours) as a viable daytrip . The whole area gets a lot of swell all year round with summer having the least amount of swell but still providing good (small to big) surf if you are prepared to keep an eye on the weather and travel accordingly. The most important factor is often wind strength and direction. For more photos click on North West Waves

Easkey

Easkey is north facing and works well off a small (2-3m) or large north to west swell. If the swell is big (3.5m +) it works off a southwest swell also. The prevailing wind is south-westerly which is offshore. There are 2 main reef breaks -the Easkey Left which is to the left of the castle looking out to sea and Easkey Right which is to the right of the castle. Both are consistent top class breaks in their own right with the Stormrider guide calling the right a world class break. Under reasonable conditions the Left peaks up to form a nice sizable steep but manageable drop followed by a long fast and steeper wall section which the forms a shoulder which is initially static and then runs again to form a small steep inside wall section which breaks on the rocks at high tide. Get off the wave earlier at high tide! The right is forms similar long wall but is generally a little steeper and more hollow and involves closer proximity to rocks. Both the right and left start to work properly around 3 to 4 feet and get better with more size. The left never really maxes out if the wind is ok. The right seems to max out around 8-9 foot or so – vertical wave height from crest to trough. The right is best at low tide and the left works on all tides but is usually best at high tide. Both breaks can get a bit crowded (15-20 in water ) at bank holidays and weekends with good forecasts.

Easkey Left

Enniscrcone

This is approx 8 miles west of Easkey along the coast road and has a long (5 km) blue flag sandy beach with multiple shifting peaks. There are reef breaks to the northeast of the beach just beyond the harbour which need a bit more swell – the main wave is a right. The beach faces NNW and the reefs face WNW.

Enniscrcone beach

Pullaheeney Harbour

This is signposted to the right around halfway between Easkey and Enniscrone. It is a right hand reef break which is best at low tide. It faces NW and needs a reasonable size swell to work.

Pullaheeney Harbour on a small swell

Kilcummin Harbour

Travel from Ballina to Killala ( R314) and cross over the Palmerstown River following the signs for Rathlackan / Kilcummin Harbour. This is known as a long left big wave reef break on a large boulder rocky shoreline near a headland with strong currents/rips. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Good photo in Stormrider guide. It needs a good N swell to work and is NE facing

Kilcummin flat on a small westerly swell!

Lackan Bay

Continue on past Kilcummin around the headland on progressively narrower/ potholed road and trail to arrive at the cliff overlooking Lackan Bay. This is a long secluded beautiful beach which faces N. Crowds are definitely not a problem here. Beach break with multiple peaks which picks up most N to NW swells.

Lackan

Dunmoran Strand

This is signposted around 10 miles north of Easkey along the coast road. Turn left after the turn for Aughris Head. This is a quiet N facing beach which is more protected from wind than most spots. It needs a N swell or big W / SW swell to

work.

Strandhill

WNW facing long beach with multiple peaks. There is a surfschool locally. Can be nice if a little crowded in summer. Best at mid-high incoming tide but breaks on the rocks at high tide. Watch the locals (Boardsurfers + Bodyboarders) getting closeout tubes in front of the Celtic Seaweed Baths near high tide but think carefully before trying it yourself. Picks up plenty of swell but is often onshore closeout in winter.

For surfcam photos, reports and a good local surf guide from Strandhill check http://www.strandhillsurfcam.com/index.html

Strandhill in front of the Celtic Seaweed Baths

Streedagh Strand

Turn left just as you enter Grange and follow the signs. Long sandy quiet NW facing beach which has small to mid sized waves. Needs a good swell to produce decent waves. A lot of rocks have been thrown on the beach from a storm during the winter (2004/2005) and the waves have been reported to have suffered also.

Bundoran

The Peak is a world class reef wave visible from the town centre. It is WNW facing and works well off a W to SW swell. It forms a long steep and hollow left best at low-mid tide and is more crowded than any other wave in the area when conditions are good (4-8 foot ) . Surf World Bundoran do a surf report and detailed local surf guide with great photos at http://www.surfworldireland.com/section-1.aspx?type_id=35 & http://www.surfworldireland.com/wavereview.aspx . The shop will give a surf report if you call them on +353 (0)71 98 41223

Tullan Strand

Turn left at the KFC as you head out of Bundoran and park on the cliff carpark overlooking the long beach. Tullan receives lots of swell from most directions and can have a wave when most places are flat. The best wave is a good fairly long left which is just beside the cliff and works best at low to mid incoming tide – the risks of proximity to cliff/rocks are obvious. There are multiple other peaks along this west facing beach. Can be a great wave in summer/ light winds but is often a blown out foamy mess in winter.

Further afield

For those willing to travel a bit further for surf or who want to see a bit more of some great coastal and mountain scenery consider going to Keel Strand on Achill Island which is connected by a land bridge to the mainland ( SSW facing and receives all S to W swells) , Carowinskey which is signposted to the right as you drive south from Louisberg ( a long west facing beach receiving lots of swell, almost never flat but mostly windy and onshore - it is isolated ,scenic and uncrowded most days). Heading down south to Clare is also an option particularly if the winds have a trace of easterly as most of the Clare breaks are west facing.

Lahinch on a November evening-4m swell - video framegrabs